A free newsletter by BJ Madewell
DIAGNOSIS ADD ADHD Now What?
Published 10th, 20th & 30th of each month
PLEASE SEE DISCLAIMER AT THE END OF THIS DOCUMENT!
MAINSTREAMED STUDENTS
NEED HELP SUCCEEDING
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MAINSTREAMED STUDENTS NEED HELP SUCCEEDING
A growing number of schools are mainstreaming students with disabilities for much or all of the day. Here are some strategies that can help these students succeed:
1.Try not to single out one student to receive assistance. Make helping and cooperation an expectation for your entire class. Say, “Take a minute to review this work with your study buddy.”
2. Find ways to encourage students to help others succeed. For example, involve older students as peer tutors. Have students help reteach others.
3. Be honest with students about not having all the answers. Enlist their help in solving problems. You might say, “We’ll be starting our unit on the Reconstruction Era next week. I’d like you to brainstorm about ideas to help everyone learn about this period in U.S. history. We’ll share ideas in 15 minutes.”
4. Don’t always pair the most able students with those who need the most help. At different times, you may want to create groups that work together on the basis of a shared interest (those who want to perform a scene from Romeo and Juliet in one group, those who want to build a model of the Globe Theater in another). Occasionally, you may want to group students who are working at the same pace or on the same level.
Adapted from: Jan Nisbet, Natural Supports in School, at Work, and in the Community for People with Severe Disabilities, 1992 (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.)
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LEARNING STYLES
It is vitally important that you and your child’s teacher be aware of the learning style of any ADD/ADHD student.
Some are “visual learners.” They learn best when they can SEE what they are learning.
Others are “auditory learners.” These learn best when they can HEAR what they are learning.
Even others are what we call “kinesthetic learners." In this case they learn better when they DO what they are learning.
If the ADD/ADHD student you are thinking of is on an Individual Educational Plan you can usually find out the Learning Style by asking the person who evaluated the child for placement to go over the testing results with you. (By the way, it is one of your RIGHTS as a parent of a student on an IEP -- to have the tests and results fully explained to you!) Results from tests used for Special Education placement can be scrutinized for strengths and weaknesses and a Learning Style determined in most cases. Be aware that some people are not primarily of one of the three types. But, knowing the preferred style is still quite advantageous when designing a learning program for a child with learning concerns.
If a student is primarily an auditory
learner, school may be a breeze because many teachers are auditory learners as well. Auditory teachers tend to teach in their strong modality (lecture, talking, reading aloud, etc.) A student who learns best in the auditory mode will blossom if taught by a teacher also strong in auditory skills. This student remembers what he hears, enjoys poetry, rhymes and songs.
Those students who are primarily visual learners
will have a harder time in school, (in most instances) than the auditory learners, as school is not generally geared to learning by visual stimulation. If such a learner is blessed with a teacher who is a visual learner as well, that teacher will, naturally, present more visual lessons (film strips, videos, charts, drawing to learn, etc.)
Lastly is the kinesthetic learner. Alas, many ADD/ADHDers fit in this category of learner. They thrive when they DO something in order to learn. Sadly, very few teachers are primarily kinesthetic learners. Think about it -- to get through college and earn a teaching degree, a person must be able to listen to college lectures (auditory), take tests (visual) and are rarely asked to demonstrate (kinesthetic) their skill in the “real world” until the prospective teacher starts student teaching (usually in the last 2 years of college). It is rare that a kinesthetic learner will adhere to the academic demands of teacher training and actually become a teacher.
It is my opinion that the kinesthetic teacher
is the best one to work with ADDers because this teacher will understand the problems of other kinesthetic learners and is more apt to have students DO something to demonstrate knowledge other than take a written test based on information from a lecture.
In summary, all three learning styles are viable ways to learn (and teach). The key to successful learning may lie in the ability of the teacher to teach according to the style of learning the student will do the best in. It would be ideal for the instructor and learner to have similar learning styles. Teachers should be aware of this theory and be receptive to your efforts to help them figure out the best way to teach your child.
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To find out more about learning styles do an INTERNET search on learning styles. You will find countless sites to help you understand this theory of learning (and teaching.)
I’ve included a few sites below to get you started if you seek to pursue this topic.
Multiple Intelligences
http://www.weac.org/kids/may96/multiple.htm
Strategies for Kinesthetic Learners
http://www.geocities.com/~educationplace/risk.html
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IT’S YOUR CHOICE
Get informed about ways a student can be helped in the classroom.
Know the learning style of students you work with or your own child if you are a parent of a child with possible learning problems.
“TEACH ‘EM RIGHT and THEY’LL LEARN”
PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE
www.addchoices.com
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
DISCLAIMER
This information is for educational purposes only. Much of the information is from classes and workshops I've taken AND GIVEN during my 30+ years of working with ADD & ADHD students - sprinkled with my own comments, thoughts and insights.
Some information is acquired from the INTERNET. Be aware that not all information on the WWW is accurate. Use your own judgment. This information is not intended to replace information from your doctor, therapist, lawyer, psychologist, nutritionist or psychiatrist. Consult your child's (or your own) doctor for additional input.
Editor: BJ Madewell
Wichita, KS area
316-733-9532
FAX not available
Email ADDchoices@aol.com or ADDchoices@yahoo.com
