According to Heward (2009), students with intellectual disabilities have significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior. Learning, reasoning, and problem solving, as well as conceptual, social, and practical skills are all areas of difficulty for these students. While students with intellectual disabilities usually have poor memories, slow learning rates, attention problems, difficulty generalizing what they have learned and lack of motivation, there are effective educational strategies that teachers can use to help these students be more successful and ultimately improve their quality of life.
Heward (2009), believes that students with intellectual disabilities learn best when instruction is explicit and systematic. Complex or multi-step skills need to be broken down into smaller, easier-to-learn steps in sequential order. This process is known as task analysis. It can be used to help students meet their individualized goals in the areas of functional curriculum, life skills, and self-determination. These steps can be represented with written language or visually with pictures or video. In a study by Cihak, Alberto, Taber-Doughty and Gama ( 2006), students with moderate intellectual disabilities were instructed using static picture and video prompting to complete a functional task. Task analyses were used to develop picture and video prompts for using an ATM. Pictures of each step were taken using a digital camera and four second video clips of each individual step were filmed to create the video prompts. Simulation instruction was conducted in the classroom, while community based instruction was conducted at the local grocery store. The results determined that both of the strateg...
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... students without disabilities. Using these strategies, as well as learning about other effective methods will help students with disabilities develop functional, life, and self-determination skills needed to live independent lives.
Works Cited
Cihak, D., Alberto, P.A., Taber-Doughty, T. & Gama, R.I. (2006). A comparison of static
picture prompting and video prompting simulation strategies using group instructional
procedures. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 21, 88-99.
Elliot, C., Pring, T. & Bunning, K. (2002). Social skills training for students with intellectual
disabilities: A cautionary note. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities,
15, 91-96.
Heward, W.L. (2009). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education, 9th edition.
Merrill Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Students with disabilities who are in self-contained classrooms struggle with many issues pertaining to independence. In their classrooms they become more dependent on their teachers and classroom peers (Jones & Hensley, 2012). This is the opposite of what is needed for these students (Jones & Hensley, 2012). Learning is a full circle process, which encompasses more than academics. In order for students with disabilities to obtain a complete education, inclusion in social dynamics should be an integral part of their learning environment (Arnon, Shamai, & Ilatov, 2008).
Students with learning disabilities in the regular classroom may have challenges that require special attention. If the teacher is able to identify the disabilities and the features associated with them then the teacher can tailor the lessons to meet the needs of the students. These may include differentiated instruction and facilitating an inclusive classroom which will see inclusive strategies employed that will cater to the needs of students with learning disabilities. These inclusive strategies can range from individualized learning programs to team and co-teaching. In some cases, the teacher can arrange for a special education teacher or arrange for a pull out program to assist students who have learning disabilities. Strategies that will also cater to learning disabilities may also include the use of technology. According to Ford 2013 ‘In some situations it may be best for students with LD to be taught in separate pull out classrooms with a teacher who can provide targeted skill instruction in areas where a student is struggling.’ ‘When provided appropriate support within this setting, many of these students can achieve academically and develop positive self-esteem and social skills. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 1991). They also recommend that schools should ‘require in-service programs for all school personnel to give them the knowledge and skills necessary to provide education for students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom.’ Schools should include activities to help participants learn strategies to meet individual needs of students, foster attitudes conductive to educating students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom, and promote
My purpose for this paper is to find and list web sites that will assist teachers who are teaching "special needs" students. As more "special needs" students are entering the classroom, teachers need more and better information on teaching them. The purpose of this paper will be to enable teachers access to information about teaching these students in the field of Geography. It is my endeavor to create a list that will span most grades that will be helpful to both new and experienced teachers.
Westling, David L., and Lise Fox. Teaching Students with Severe Disabilities. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,Inc. Personal Education.
In the video presentation of How Difficult Can This Be? The F.A.T. City Workshop, Richard Lavoie is able to simulate several of the difficulties that a student with a learning disability has to face at school. Some of the difficulties experienced by the students are intrinsic to the disability itself, but many other difficulties are directly related with the emotions that the student experiences when attending a class, and as a result of his or her interactions with teachers and classmates. Both the United States law and the education system, have the opportunity to make a huge difference in the learning experience of every student with disability. Students with disabilities need to be guided to a path to education that is both feasible and accessible for them; with achievable goals, and by being provided what they need in order to succeed, and to be able to overcome any obstacles.
Each school, because of government mandate, has to provide services for exceptional students. The textbook Human Diversity in Education defines exceptional students as “those eligible for special educational services” (Cushner, McClelland & Safford, 2011). There are several categories for exceptional student but they all fall under the Ability/Disability continuum. Some of the categories for exceptional students are the: intellectually gifted, specific learning disability, emotionally handicapped, hearing impaired, visually impaired, mentally handicapped, and physically handicapped. In this paper the specific type of students that will be discussed, fall under the disabled side of the continuum. As one can see from the list above there are various types of disabilities that can affect students. One of the disabilities that affect many students in schools today is known as the Learning Disability (LD). Students with learning disabilities, also known as specific learning disabilities, tend to be of at least average intelligence. Of at least average intelligence is the key phrase. A learning disability is defined as “a neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to receive, process, store, and respond to information” (National Center for Learning Disabilities,). Learning disabilities can affect students in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, writing and spelling, reasoning, and mathematics. A student that has a learning disability can at times suffer for a social anxiety. Though social anxiety can be something minor, for students with this disability 2011it can cause major problems. Their social anxiety is caused by fearing that they will not fit in because they are unable to understand or process the information a...
Riviere, A. Assistive Technology: Meeting the Needs of Adults with Learning Disabilities. Washington, DC: NALLD, 1996. (ED 401 686)
Over the past 10 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of students who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities. I need to be aware of how to help those students who have learning disabilities and teach to the best of my ability. I also need to be supportive and understand not every student learns in the same way which is why it is important for me to be flexible in my own style of instruction. I need to be knowledgeable and patient, caring and kind, as I work with all of my students, regardless of ability. Some students are aware of other students who have special accommodations or extra time on tests. One way I will make it easier for students to understand why another student is allowed additional time taking a final would be to explain that being fair does not mean everyone gets exactly the same. Being fair means everyone gets what he or she needs. Since there will be a team of professionals involved with any student who has a disability, I will be working as a team player in the best interest of the child. I look forward to working with a team of personnel such as counselors, parents, special education teachers, medical professionals, social workers, and anyone else involved in supporting the student’s Individual Education Plan (otherwise commonly known as an IEP).
...hat keep students with disabilities from becoming academically and socially engaged. This is done by increasing the interactions that students with disabilities have with faculty, staff members, and other students. These interactions will work to break down the stigmatization that comes with having a disability by educating individuals on what students with disabilities have experienced at the institution.
Students with learning disabilities can learn; each student has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Educators must continue to focus on the strengths of each student and building on them, creating a stronger student and person. Identifying the weakness is at the core of getting a student help with their learning disability, but after this initial identification and placement, the focus should shift to the strengths and adjusting the student’s schoolwork to reflect these strengths. For instance, if a student is weak in reading but has wonderful group interaction skills and is good with his or her hands, the students' reading tasks should then be shifted to reflect these st...
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. “Thirty-five Years of Progress in Educating Children With Disabilities Through IDEA”. Washington, D.C., 2010.
Education is a birthright of every child. Special education involves the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses a students’ individual disabilities and requirements. These programs are designed so that special learners may learn skills which will assist them in coming closer in learning to children without disabilities.
The impact of having a learning disability are lifelong. A student with a learning disability may always need extra help to get through certain aspects of life after they graduate high school. If the student is going to college accommodations and specific learning strategies will need to be used to help them through their courses. Their personal lives may also be affected due to a learning disability. “For example, Johnson and Blalock found that, of the 93 adults studied in an LD clinic sample, 36% continued to receive counseling or psychotherapy for low self-esteem, social isolation, anxiety, depression, and frustration.” (1987) The difficulties associated with learning disabilities can affect them daily and their past experiences with it can follow them into adulthood and bring up unhappy memories of struggling with learning disabilities as a child.
...ers can do to help students overcome their learning challenges. The sooner the learning disabilities are recognized, the sooner they get help.
Education is a profession which requires a teacher to be able to communicate with a multitude of students on a variety of levels. There is not a class, or student for that matter, that is identical. Therefore, teachers must be able to identify and help educate students from all different types of backgrounds and at different levels. Teaching a singular subject presents difficulties, but teaching students with disabilities should not be one. There are three main teaching areas that need to be focused on when teaching a student with a learning disability. Teachers need to focus on the strategies that will assist students with reading comprehension skills, writing skills, and maintaining appropriate behaviors in a classroom setting.