Identifying and Treating Learning Disabilities in the Regular

Identifying and Treating Learning Disabilities in the Regular Classroom, the frustration, anxiety and tension. Dr. Timothy L. Heaton Cedarville University Cedarville, Ohio Heatont@Cedarville. edu

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Before you Teach; Plan n n n 1. What’s important? 2. Why is it important? 3. Which method is best? 4. How can I make the topic memorable and relevant to my students? 5. How can I best evaluate? 6. What Biblical truth is taught?

Use inclusion if a pupil has trouble with any of the following: n n n 1. Paying attention 2. Having a fighting or argumentative attitude. 3. memorizing/ remembering 4. More energy than you can handle or not enough to complete the task at hand. 5. Hearing everything, especially directions. 6. Seeing everything one should see and writing everything one should see.

Use inclusion if a student has any trouble with any of the following: n n n 7. Leaving words out while you are writing or leaving letters out of words( endings) 8. Can’t remember what one was just toldshort term memory. 9. Can’t remember what you learned a week ago- long term memory. 10. Reading comprehension 11. Spelling 12. Handwriting

Some easy interventions for all students n n Use color: Color mat under their materials, use colored handouts, allow them to highlight in color, color transparency over their reading material. All of the above can help a student focus better, comprehend and read better. Use Music: Headsets with environmental or classical music to help them concentrate better and longer, keeps them from being distracted by environmental or classroom noises. Use Activity: Use Games, Competitions, Movement of any kind to reinforce material.

Diagnosis and Intervention n A student needs to be completely diagnosed by an expert regarding any learning problem, it’s severity and suggested interventions to assist the student You, as the teacher… Can NOT make the diagnosis, you can tell parents or administration that you “suspect” a learning problem, but do not label it. n n n Some Tests: Wisc-R( Psychologist) Woodcock-Johnson Cognitive Abilities instrument( trained teacher) SOI( Structure of Intellect) ADD/ADHD is based on observation/data collected, though a PETscan identify regions in the brain due to lack of Dopamine.

General Tips for Teachers n n Use instructional tactics that actively involve the student in learning activities. Teach students strategies to help them comprehend material. Include activities that teach youngsters how to think and solve problems. Help children focus their attention on relevant features of the task.

More Tips for Teachers n n Have child set their own goals and assign a reward for accomplishing their goal. Individualize( Differentiate) instruction allowing children to master basic academic skills at their own rate. Have children predict the consequences of their behavior( wise and unwise choices) Show concretely by demonstrating how to correctly perform the instructional task.

More Inclusionary Teaching Strategies that will help all students n n n 1. Provide a detailed syllabus including specific information including dates and time schedules. 2. Vary instruction to include multisensory presentations 3. Provide concrete experiences including simulation, case study, role-play, games. 4. Review previously learned material and review material learned that day. (closure) 5. Personalize material with student’s experiences making it relevant.

Inclusionary Techniques n n n 6. Provide ample examples 7. Have various ways to review material in order to over-learn it. 8. Help students obtain taped textbooks( same resources for the blind are available to learning disabled) 9. Reduce distractions 10. Allow concrete aids( such as finger counting or using hash marks) 11. Assist in obtaining notes, make copies of your lecture notes, copy another students notes

More Inclusionary Techniques n n 12. Provide alternative testing arrangements ( put in an isolated environment, put headsets on and play music while testing, cut test into smaller bits, extend time limits) 13. Use Multisensory teaching devices such as the computer and computerized programs to assist with teaching content.

Inclusion Tips for Behavior n n You see a student continually disrupting other students when the student should be working independently. What should you do?

Inclusion tips for Behavior n n n You should not move student away from peers or pull out of the class. Rather you should check to be sure he understands and is able to do assignments. OR Match him with a peer tutor or work in a cooperative learning group when working on class assignments. Discuss with peers how to help him within your behavior management plan.

Inclusion Tips for Educational Performance n n The students work is inconsistent or generally poor. What should you do?

Inclusion tips for Educational Performance n n n You might be tempted to grade him down for poor or incomplete work. You should however teach him some learning strategies and give him extra time to complete. Make sure you are using age-appropriate materials and use peer partners for reading assignments.

Inclusion tips for Classroom attitudes n n 1. The student easily gives up in an area of weakness in order to seemingly get out of work. What should you do?

Inclusion tips for classroom attitudes n n n You might be tempted to excuse her from some assignments or reprimand her for unwillingness to even try. Rather, promote success with appropriate learning tasks that can be accomplished and then provide a strong reward system. Give the student opportunities to tutor others (peers or younger) in areas of their success.

Interventions for Reading n n n n n Tape record textbooks Underline or mark key concepts Assign peer readers Provide study questions Give advanced organizers Teach questioning strategies( F&F) Shorten assignments Allow more time Introduce new vocabulary in context

Intervention for Memory problems n n n 1. Allow for sufficient practice in varying ways. 2. Use different senses/modalities 3. Use mnemonics 4. Encourage mental visualization 5. Use graphic organizers

Interventions for Handwriting n n n n n 1. Make a copy of peer’s notes 2. Tape record lectures 3. Provide an outline/fill in the blank 4. Allow more time 5. Permit pictures or drawings/oral reports 6. Do webs, diagrams, charts 7. Allow essays in outline or web form 8. Consider manipulatives( finger paint, sandpaper, etc. ) 9. Teach keyboard skills 10. Objective tests

Interventions for Expressive Language problems n n n n n 1. Allow more time to respond 2. Give hints 3. Build vocabulary 4. Compile a handbook of terms 5. Urge students to refer to notes/outlines 6. Ask specific, structured questions 7. Urge students to use visual aids 8. Allow students to do projects, manipulate objects, give demonstrations, make a display. 9. Encourage the use of tape players.

Intervention with following direction problems n n n n n 1. Use nonverbal gestures to set the stage. 2. Use printed prompts to teach listening skills 3. Establish a ritual for following directions 4. Ask the student o paraphrase 5. Use the VAKT approach( visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile) 6 Break into small steps( task analysis) 7. Move from the known to the unknown 8. Assign a direction buddy 9. Use visual clues 10 Keep directions short and teach questioning techniques.

Testing Inclusionary Students n n n n 1. Group Test items together 2. Construct well-written test items 3. Use concrete relevant examples 4. Consider readability factor 5. Use cues to highlight key words or target specific directions 6. Give practice tests before graded tests 7. Give pre-post tests 8. Teach students test-taking strategies

Tests for students with Reading problems n n n n 1. Oral tests 2. Tape the test 3. Allow more time 4. Decrease the number of test items 5. Reduce the complexity of language and add examples 6. Clearly print test items 7. Space test items appropriately on the page 8. Use pictures or diagrams when appropriate.

Tests for students with Attention problems n n n n 1. Shorten tests 2. Administer parts of the test on different days. 3. Provide test breaks 4. Seat student away from extraneous noise. 5. Use study carrel or cubicles. 6. Use parent volunteers to administer test individually. 7. Color code test sections 8. Use headsets with “white noise” while testing

Testing students with Handwriting problems n n n n 1. Construct objective tests 2. Permit tape-recorded answers 3. Provide for oral responses 4. Allow use of keyboard/computers 5. Allow dictated responses 6. Reduce time restrictions 7. Allow students to write on test

Keep in Mind n n n If a student is failing, you are failing as a teacher, until you find out the reason why and do something about it. Thomas Jefferson said “All men are created equal, not God said all men are created different, uniquely gifted”. Fairness is not equality, but is giving each child what she or he needs.

Attention Deficit Fact or Fiction n n Dr. Timothy L. Heaton Professor of Education Cedarville University Cedarville, Ohio 45314 Heatont@Cedarville. edu

Attention Deficit or Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity n n Identification of ADD/ADHD Must display 8 or more of the following characteristics before the age of 7 yrs old and must be observed for at least six months with no evidence of injury or illness

Descriptors n n n n 1. Restless/fidgets 2. Difficulty remaining seated 3. Easily distracted by extraneous stimuli. 4. Difficulty waiting turns in game or group situation 5. Difficulty following directions 6. Difficulty focusing attention for long in any work or play activity 7. Shifts from one uncompleted activity to another.

Descriptors continued n n n 8. Difficulty playing quietly 9. Talks excessively 10. Interrupts or intrudes 11. Does not seem to listen 12. Loses necessary things 13. Engages in physically dangerous activities without consideration of consequences.

Facts about ADD/ADHD n n n 1. Chemical disorder in brain due to lack of Dopamine. 2. Medication can be helpful in 80% of all cases. Needs professional diagnosis. 3. Other possible causes: Brain injury, Prenatal drug/alcohol exposure, birth injury, infection, delayed brain maturation, lead poisoning, food additives( MSG, Caffeine, Preservatives), Allergies, Food intolerance, Medical illness, Heredity.

Fiction about ADD/ADHD n n n Caused by Sugar…no research shows this. Caused by Florescent lights… No research reveals this Megavitamin Therapy helps…absolutely no scientific evidence to support this. ( It does cause liver damage though) Medications used causes drug addiction…. no evidence of this.

Fact about ADD/ADHD n n n ADD is more prevalent in girls than boys ADHD is more prevalent in boys than girls ADHD/ADD affects approximately 20% of all adopted children. 33% of children with ADHD also have some learning disability. The ADHD child WANTS to OBEY, and BE NORMAL, but CAN’T!

More Facts about ADD/ADHD n n n n 1. Low self-esteem 2. Poor School performance 3. Poor Peer Relationships 4. Anti-Social behavior is frequent 5. More Neurotic and Interpersonal problems. 6. More acts of physical aggression. 7. More suicide attempts

Facts continued n n 1 in every 20 children in U. S. can be diagnosed with ADHD. 2. Only 5% complete BA degrees compared with 40% of peers without ADD. 3. 30% of ADHD cases indicate birth mother had depression. 52% of ADHD have fine and gross motor coordination problems, difficulty in note taking, completion of longterm assignments, organization problems, expressive language difficulties, and problem solving.

You Never Outgrow ADD/ADHD, just mask it. n n Pre-school: touches, talkative, attention seeking, usually very loving and caring, sorry for mistakes, but keep making same ones. School-Age: immature behavior, daydreaming, incomplete work, social problems with peers, excessive sibling rivalry, highly imaginative, forgetful, disorganized.

Other attempts at Masking ADD/ADHD n n Adolescents: Social isolation, Depressed, Moody, Low Selfesteem, academic failure. Continual conflicts at home and school. Many times thought to only have LD problem, but progress deteriorates rapidly in Middle/High school. Brightness and Personality got them through Elementary, but demands in MS/HS become overwhelming.

Adult ADD/ADHD n n n Inattentive to details: Driving, Numerous traffic violations, Conversation, Checkbook, Reading, Lots of uncompleted projects, inconsistent work performance. Impulsive: Quick decision maker without regard to consequences. Careless and Thoughtless remarks Very frustrated and impatient

Ways to Assist ADHD/ADD person succeed n n 1. Set Artificial Due Dates (ADD) Back up all due dates one or two days and live as if this date is the final date and work towards that end. n 2. Set watches and clocks ahead by fiveto-ten minutes and live as if that is the actual time.

Ways to help ADD/ADHD people succeed n 3. Set a routine for each day and stick closely to it. Routine is a key to success for ADD/ADHD people. n n 4. Allow for “breaks” in my blocks of time. Focus for about 15 minutes( less for younger) and then take a break, walk around, look out the window, call someone. Include this in your routine.

Ways to help ADHD/ADD people be successful. n n n 5. Triple the amount of time that I think a project, paper or activity will take and live with this. 6. Food, Music, Color: Keep food/drink nearby in order to help concentration while working on something. n n (Food…continued) Put on Classical/ Environmental music with headphones Use other white noises such as a fan to assist with sleep and/or concentration. Use bright colored folders, paper, blotters to increase organization or attention focus.

Ways to Help ADD/ADHD be more successful n n n 7. Eliminate any distractions, phone off, quiet place without windows. 8. Organization: Clutter free, Out of sight/out of mind. Colored files, folders, Daily to do list and Prioritize it. Mark things off. n n n n 9. Accountability: Establish accountability with close friends, classmates, and others who are organized to help me keep on task. 10. Other: No caffeine Regular meals, no snacking Go to bed on time and don’t sleep past 7 AM Learn to say No and don’t be a people pleaser.

Helping the ADD/ADHD student at school n n 1. Classroom needs to have a structured routine. Teachers that are routine oriented and not so creative are best for the ADHD/ADD child. Reduce stimuli in classroom. n 2. Work out an accountability system with the teacher, checking for assignments and books for that night and parent signing and returning with student to school.

Academic help(continued) n n Palm Pilot or Day-timer to keep track of things. Computers are a great aide for learning. A place for everything and everything in it’s place. Structure is key. n n Provide a stimulus free environment for doing work. Don’t upset the routine without lots of notice and preparation to your child.

Academic help(continued) n n Repeat directions numerous times, act them out, and write them down. Good nutrition is key. Eliminate caffeine, sweets, items with preservatives from the students diet. n n Behavior Modification: Rewards…. do it frequently and for small things and then increase to bigger things and for more time.

Medication: Yes or No n If you’ve tried more structure, reduced stimuli and some of the above suggestions, and they are not working well…. you should look into Medication. Check with a doctor who specializes in ADD/ADHD and who knows the latest in medications. The trend today is more towards Antidepressant medications and medications that have less side-effects.

For Further Help…Go Online to organizations below or call. n n n Attention Deficit Disorder Association 1 -800 -487 -2282 Ch. a. d. d. ( Children with Attention Deficit Disorder) 1 -305 -587 -3700 Hyperactive Attention Deficit 1 -703 -772 -0455