Instructional Support
Modifications/Accommodations/Strategies

The following list presents a wide array of options available to a teacher that may help overcome the learning difficulties demonstrated by students in their classroom. The Child Study Team should review the needs of students and recommend one or more of these options for teachers to use for four to eight weeks to determine if they will alleviate the problems.

Click here for an example of a form to use in making modifications.

Organization:

• Expect students to come to class prepared with paper, pencil, book.
• Establish a regular structures routine that is flexible and set with clear-cut rules and procedures.
• Give instructions to students on how to write appropriate headings on all work.
• Give instruction to students on how to divide notebooks into appropriate sections for your class.
• Provide written instructions for math processes or science experiments; ask students to repeat steps to help them organize it in their mind.
• Before reading a selection ask leading questions so students will recognize important facts when they come to them.
• Do not allow students to procrastinate, avoid or ignore their assignments by demonstrating such behaviors as talking, acting out, etc.
• Break directions into short segments and give one part at a time.
• Give students the opportunity to repeat directions back to you.
• Develop a predetermined set of signals to help students monitor their own behavior.
• Allow students to know that you accept them as a person, but you may not approve of the behaviors they are exhibiting.
• Provide peer assistance with organizational skills.
• Assign volunteer homework buddies.
• Send daily/weekly progress report home.
• Develop a reward system for in-school homework and homework completion.
• Provide students with a homework assignment notebook.
• Vary group arrangements (large group instruction, small group, learning centers, individual instruction, peer tutoring, independent self-instruction activity. (top)

Note-Taking:
Effective listening skills are necessary in order for most students to take notes from film and lectures, however some students have difficulty taking notes.

• Provide an outline for note taking.
• Give students a copy of your notes for class.
• Have another student share notes (possible use NCR paper to make the copy).
• Provide structured fill-in-the-blank forms for guided practice or note-taking during lecture. (top)

Physical Arrangement of Room

• Seat students with focusing problems near the teacher.
• Seat students near a positive role model.
• Stand near the student when giving directions or when presenting the lesson.
• Avoid distracting stimuli (air conditioner, high traffic are, etc.)
• Increase the distance between desks. (top)

Classroom Assessment:

• Administer tests in several sessions.
• Limit the number of sections to a test.
• Be sure tests are legible, preferably typed.
• Limit material to be tested; several shorter tests may be better than one lengthy tests.
• Monitor student understanding while teaching.
• Include some take-home tests.
• Allow students to give test answers on tape recorder.
• Give frequent short quizzes, not long exams.
• Administer test in separate location.
• Consider alternative assessments (portfolio, etc.)
• Ask questions requiring short answers.
• Avoid true/false tests as they tend to emphasize reading rather than student knowledge.
• Consider oral tests.
• Teach and test what your objectives say is important.
• Monitor student understanding during the test by walking around the room.
• Star certain items for students to answer rather than answering all of the items on a lengthy test (students could answer the starred items for a "C", for a higher grade they would need to answer more items.
• Use numbers rather than letters on multiple choice or matching items.
• For students with recall problems or limited written expression, use objective tests
• Vary type (verbal, written, demonstration)
• Vary type of test (recall, recall with cues, recognition) (top)

Grading:

• Use the same grading system, but modify the tests.
• Set specific minimal criteria for receiving a specific grade.
• Separate grades could be given for learning expectations and for effort.
• Give a qualified grade, indicate that student expectations have been modified to coincide with their ability.
• Use a pass/fail system.
• Vary the grading system (homework, tests, class discussion, special projects). (top)

Curriculum:

• Help provide supplementary materials which students can read.
• Provide opportunities for extra drill before tests.
• Reduce quantity of material (reduce spelling list/vocabulary)
• Provide alternative assignments that don't require writing.
• Supply students with sample of work expected.
• Supply students with a scoring rubric.
• Encourage good quality of work (proofreading, rewriting), not speed.
• Use worksheets that are visually clear and adequately spaced.
• Students may not be able to copy accurately or quickly, so make specific arrangements for students to get information needed.
• Make specific comments to correct responses on class work.
• Allow students to have sample or practice tests.
• Allow students to work on tasks for short periods of time.
• Give directions and purpose for each new activity.
• Indicate where to start and stop an assignment with highlighters.
• Guide reading with specific questions.
  Show students exact paragraphs where the information can be found.
• Provide all possible test items and student or teacher selects specified number.
• Ask students to provide test questions in advance.
• Give oral examinations and quizzes.
• Provide extra assignment typed or dictated by student, but recorded by someone else.
• Student may not let you know he or she is having problems, make it okay to ask.
• Vary content (amount to be learned, time to learn new information, conceptual level).
• Vary general structure (amount to practice, time for practice, group, individual, teacher directed/independent).
• Vary types of materials (worksheets, texts, computer). (top)

Reports and Projects:

• Coordinate assignments with other teachers so not to overload students.
• Give students a brief outline of what is to be included in the report; time lines could be set for different sections.
• Due dates could be flexible to meet student needs.
• Consider having optional projects available for students (bulletin boards, collages, illustrations, posters, charts, demonstrations, films, models, etc.)
• Consider oral rather than written reports.
• Cooperative learning could be used for a group report. (top)

Behavior:

• Praise specific behaviors.
• Use self-monitoring strategies.
• Give extra privileges and rewards.
• Keep classroom rules simple and clear.
• Make prudent use of negative consequences.
• Allow for short breaks between assignments.
• Cue student to stay on task (non-verbal signal)
• Mark student's correct answers, not the mistakes.
• Implement a classroom behavior management system.
• Allow student time out of seat to run errands, etc.
• Ignore inappropriate behaviors not drastically outside classroom limits.
• Implement procedures for a period of time away form the classroom.
• Allow legitimate movement.
• Contract with the students.
• Increase immediacy of rewards.
• Reprimand student privately; do not back anyone into a corner.
• Vary reinforcement systems (praise, notes home, grades, free time, special activity, progress charts, tangibles.) (top)

Assignments/Worksheets:

• Provide extra time to complete tasks.
• Simplify complex directions.
• Hand worksheets out one at a time.
• Have teacher check homework sheet.
• Provide written list of homework assignments in advance.
• Provide a structured routine in written form.
• Provide study skills training/hearing strategies.
• Give frequent short quizzes and avoid long tests.
• Shorten assignments; break work into smaller segments.
• Allow typewritten or computer printed assignments.
• Monitor closely as student begins work to assure understanding.
• Avoid assignments requiring copying.
• Stress major parts in writing.
• Provide advanced organizers.
• Provide graphic organizers.
• Use self-monitoring devices.
• Reduce homework assignments.
• Allow use of calculator.
• Allow use of word processor.
• Allow use of spellchecker.
• Provide visual/verbal prompts.
• Have student dictate work.
• Ask questions requiring short answers.
• Let student record or give answers orally.
• Assign tasks at the appropriate level (lower difficulty level)
• Reduce reading level of regular assignments (reword, paraphrase, edit)
• Provide books-on-tape.
• Provide student with written copy of notes from board/overhead.
• Accept alternate form of communication (demonstration, exhibits, art, charts).
• Provide alternate methods in completing assignments: buddy system; older student; teacher aide; group assignments.
• Allow classmate to make copies for student.
• Use graph paper for math to prevent wandering columns.
• Use adequate spacing on worksheets; space between items; adequate space for answers.
• Organize worksheets to avoid them being "busy" or cluttered.
• Divide worksheets into separate sections or boxes.
• Limit types of questions on worksheets to one or two.
• Provide clear and concise directions on assignments and worksheets.
• Provide examples with directions when possible. (top)

Lesson Presentation:

• Tell students the purpose of the lesson and what will be expected during the lesson (advanced organizers).
• Cue students with comments such as, "This is important," or "This is new."
• Pair verbal presentations with highlighted key points on an overhead.
• Use different colored chalk or marker when recording key information on the board.
• Communicate orally and visually and repeat if needed.
• Combine auditory, visual, and kinesthetic modes of presentation.
• Recap or summarize main points frequently.
• Cue students regularly by asking questions, give think time, then call student's name.
  Avoid embarrassing students by requiring oral reading in class.
• Use memory devices to help students remember facts and concepts.
• Re-teach (teach it differently the second time).
• Use small group instruction.
• Use co-operative groups.
• Provide instruction in short units.
• Accept concrete answers, provide abstractions as students can handle.
• Pair students to check work.
• Write key points on the board.
• Provide peer tutoring.
• Provide visual aids, including graphic organizers.
• Provide peer note taker.
• Make sure directions are understood.
• Include a variety of activities during each lesson.
• Break longer presentations into shorter segments.
• provide written copies of directions for students.
  Allow students to tape record the lesson.
• Have students review key points orally.
• Teach through multi-sensory modes.
• Use computer-assisted instruction.
• Stress major points in the regular assignment.
• Pre-teach key vocabulary.
• Provide written outline for lectures.
• Highlight books/materials.
• Use adapted textbooks.
• Color code important words or symbols, such as the words in a story problem which give clues as to the process to be used.
• Vary method of instruction (teacher directed, student directed)
• Vary types (lecture, written work, demonstrations, audiovisuals, tape recorders). (top)

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