Being Mindful of Learners with Special Needs
Reasons to accommodate ALL learners...
I can hardly sit still long enough to write this post. I could write pages and pages about what happened and didn't happen through my journey through the public school system. I was undiagnosed until grad school and just thought, as did many of my English teachers, that I wasn't applying myself. I missed many a recess staying in to try to finish writing a paper. I had A's in science and math and C's in English. It just took sooooooooooooo long to read the words. Here's what I would do to create a nurturing environment for all learners.
- This world has big problems and we need everyone's brain power to contribute to solving them. People who think differently may be able to think far enough outside the box as to find the answers the planet so desperately needs.
- EVERYONE has something to contribute. It is my job as a teacher to help them find that "something".
- If we don't build up the capacity to be life long learners... we will be taking care of those people. I'm not saying that some people don't need help or "taking care of" but we won't know their capacity unless we stretch it.
- If I had been put in remedial classes and told I was stupid and couldn't do the work. My contribution would have been lost.
I can hardly sit still long enough to write this post. I could write pages and pages about what happened and didn't happen through my journey through the public school system. I was undiagnosed until grad school and just thought, as did many of my English teachers, that I wasn't applying myself. I missed many a recess staying in to try to finish writing a paper. I had A's in science and math and C's in English. It just took sooooooooooooo long to read the words. Here's what I would do to create a nurturing environment for all learners.
- Access learner's optimal learning style.
- Disclose my own need for accommodation along with my career history and my membership into MENSA obtained from my ACT score in high school.
- Invite students to a one on one session to discuss optimal learning aids for their unique situation.
- Ensure materials are available in multiple formats (braille, large text, audio, closed caption etc.
- Create learning activities that present materials in ways that connect with multiple learning modes.
- Create tests and assessments that give the learner the choice of presentation medium.
- Partner with other teachers and parents to ensure the learner has what s/he needs to success.