Accommodations for Students with Learning Needs

Accommodating Students with Learning Needs Kara Bratton Lutheran Special Education Ministries kbratton@luthsped.org https://luthsped.org/2019/10/ 08/lea-presentations/

Fair vs. Equal

Fair vs. Equal

Fearfully & Wonderfully Made Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV) is a wonderful passage to use to help students see that each of them was created uniquely by God, and while school may provide different challenges for some of them, they are appreciated and loved by their creator. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Accommodations Accommodations do not alter what a student is expected to learn, but may alter the way the task is presented Accommodations provide equal access to instruction and assessment Intended to reduce the effects of a student s disability Level the playing field

Accommodations vs. Modifications Accommodations change how the student is learning Modifications change what the student is learning

Accommodations vs. Modifications

Working Memory Working memory difficulties common in students with learning disabilities and ADHD Working memory is the ability to hold AND manipulate information over short periods of time

Working Memory Average adults can only hold 6- 7 units of information in working memory (units may be comprised of individual elements grouped together) Typical 4 year olds may hold 2 units of information in working memory Typical 15 years old may hold 4- 5 units of information in working memory

Working Memory Accommodations Minimize background noise involving language Rehearse contents of working memory for retention Use visuals and memory aids but also teach students where to locate information and how to use Reduce working memory loads and repeat important information Once information is lost from working memory, it s GONE and can not be recovered Resource: Working Memory & Learning: A Practical Guide for Teachers by Susan E. Gathercole & Tracy Packiam Alloway

Processing Speed Processing speed is a mix of factors visual processing: how quickly a student s eyes perceive information and relay it to the brain (such as reading directions or noticing a teacher s hand gestures) verbal processing: how quickly a student hears a stimulus and reacts to it (such as following oral instructions or participating in a discussion) motor speed: how strong a student s fine motor agility is, leading to academic fluency (such as filling out timed math worksheets) Rare for students with slow processing speed to be slow in all areas of processing They might be fast at one task and slow at another even though the tasks may appear to be similar. One reason might be that the information is being conveyed in different ways.

Processing Speed Children with slower processing speed may have problems at home and in the classroom: They may not catch all the instructions for completing a task They may be slow at copying down information They may be slow to retrieve information that they need Even though children with ADHD often seem to be "driven by a motor," studies show that they: are often slow to complete tasks, especially if the tasks are demanding have variable response speeds

Processing Speed Relationship between processing speed and emotional difficulties (anxiety and depression) creates vicious cycle Children with slow processing speed are at risk for lower self-esteem, depression and anxiety and if these emotional difficulties arise, they slow down children even further

Accommodations The goal is to provide accommodations that will support individual differences while still maintaining a demanding academic environment for all students. Not intended to reduce expectations. Students without disabilities do not benefit from accommodations like students with disabilities.

Accommodations The student receiving accommodations is not gaining any advantage over the other students, much like an individual who needs glasses to see does have any advantage over someone who does not need glasses to have 20/20 vision. Students who struggle will still continue to struggle, even with accommodations. Accommodations attempt to level the playing field to give all students opportunities to learn.

Accommodations Far and away the most critical accommodation for the dyslexic reader is the provision of extra time. Dyslexia robs a person of time; accommodations return it (Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia). For the dyslexic reader, accommodations represent the bridge that connects him to his strengths, and, in the process, allows him to reach his potential. By themselves accommodations do not produce success; they are the catalyst for success (Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia). Extra time is not an advantage, it is an attempt to level the playing field. Even with additional time, a slow reader will continue to feel at least the same or more time pressure compared to the ordinary reader (Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia).

Accommodations Accommodations are practices and procedures designed to ensure that educators, as well as students and parents, have a valid measure of what a student with a disability knows and can do. An instructional accommodation is to be selected, designed, and evaluated by the student s teachers based upon the student s characteristics as a learner. A sound decision about a student's need for accommodations considers the student's preferences and needs in combination with the tasks required during assessment. The goal is to find the right balance which gives a student access to instruction and assessment without diluting the content or expected outcomes. Effectiveness of an accommodation is dependent upon the student's proficiency with its use, which improves through regular practice in everyday life.

Choosing Accommodations What instructional and assessment tasks are difficult for the student to do independently? Are these difficulties documented in the present level statement? Why are these tasks difficult for the student? What accommodations will allow the student to access the information and demonstrate performance of the tasks? Evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations.

Choosing Accommodations The use of more accommodations is not necessarily better. Providing students with a laundry list of accommodations that are not truly needed, or that have not been evaluated and determined to be effective, may actually have a negative impact on performance. The better approach is to focus on a student s identified needs within the general education curriculum when choosing accommodations. It is then the educators responsibility to implement the accommodation with fidelity and evaluate its effectiveness in both instruction and assessment.

Choosing Accommodations After accommodations are selected, consider: o The student s willingness to use the accommodation consistently o How frequently the student will have an opportunity to use the accommodation o Conditions for use on state assessments An accommodation should not be dismissed for use as an instructional accommodation based solely on the fact that the accommodation is not allowable on a state assessment.

Purpose of Instructional Accommodations Accommodations are based on individual student documented need and used routinely in instruction with sufficient frequency to ensure familiarity and independent use designed to give students equitable access to the general curriculum during instruction and assessment to be used for students to produce their own work independently and demonstrate learning documented in a plan Accommodations are NOT to be provided solely for convenience intended to give educational advantage used to reduce learning expectations or replace instruction intended to help all students do better to be continued without evidence of effectiveness

Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities Give them time to process and respond! Present information in smaller amounts Use lower level reading materials or recorded texts Bookshare.org Allow students to dictate responses Dragon Dictation App, Paper Port app Tests and other classwork read to student VoxDox app, Snap Type app

Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities Incorporate hands-on learning and alternative assignments/assessments; allow for choice in presentation and demonstration of learning Provide notes and study guides Review skills daily and before teaching new skill Establish goal of lesson/unit at beginning and post for reference Show examples of correct work for modeling Reduce copying from board

Accommodations Resources http://www.lovejoyschools.com/504_ accomodations.htm https://www.sitkaschools.org/cms/lib2 /AK01001710/Centricity/Domain/56/a ccommchecklist.pdf http://www.sd5.k12.mt.us/userfiles/- 5/my%20files/accommodations%20an d%20modifications%20checklist%20for %20cba.pdf?id=640 http://archive.brookespublishing.com /content/blog/modifications-and- supports.pdf

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