Teaching strategies?

Question

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work with students with health impairments, such as ADHD, epilepsy or other situations that would make learning difficult. I am teaching biology

Answer 1

Every student needs different accommodations. Think in terms of these three categories:

Environmental accommodations - alternative seating, adaptive devices, etc.
Instructional accommodations - providing copies of notes, different reading materials, etc.
Assessment accommodations - extra time, oral tests, etc.

You'll also want to work with the theories of differentiated instruction (as outlined by Carol Ann Tomlinson) and Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences to modify content, process and product for your individual students.

I'm linking to a comprehensive planning guide for teachers of special needs students. It will have a lot of information you are looking for.

Answer 2

With you being a biology teacher, you are in a very good position to aid epileptics by way of explaining how the brain works and what causes a seizure. The way this would help the students who are epileptics is to educate their fellow students and clear up misunderstandings that lead to teasing and other cruelties. The more an epileptic's fellow students know about the condition, the less they are apt to be fearful and try to cover their fear by teasing the epileptic student.

Answer 3

I am a student teacher, special education substitute teacher, mother, and epileptic. I think it is a really good idea to offer simple handouts to the students that only concentrate on only what they need to know. Depending on the disablility, our Sp.Ed. Teacher recommends that the teachers highlight important terms in the text books before assigning them to these students. It may seem like you are doing the work for them, but you are really just doing what you are supposed to do, and that is helping them suceed. These students have enough to cope with without being forced to do what they are not capable of. The point is to get them to love learning not discourage them from it. Remember also to offer opportunities for all types of learners (audio, visual, and tactile). I am sure you are a wonderful teacher because you care enough to find out what it will take to help you students reach their potential.