Common disabilities & strategies

1. Common disabilities & strategies Presenter: Ed Porus Kathleen McLelland Mike Garza Venee Harrell

2. “Changing student behavior typically requires changing teacher behavior (Van Acker, Richard, 2002).”

3. Common Disabilities Emotional Disturbance Autism Learning Disability ADD/ADHD (OHI)

4. Autism characteristics strategies • Resists normal teaching methods • Inappropriate laughing and giggling • Speech difficulties • Echolalia • Acts as deaf • Spins objects • Apparent insensitivity to pain • No fear of real danger • Sustained odd play • Uneven gross and fine motor skills • Not cuddly • Standoffish manner • No eye contact • Unusual perceptual stimuli “looking thru people” • Difficulty in socializing with children • Resists change in routing • Extreme distress for no apparent reason • Hyperactive passive • Inappropriate attachment to objects • Use concrete language • Visual supports • Allow extra processing time • Don’t demand eye contact • Be rewarding • Keep your eye on the “big picture” • Use a team approach • Don’t take it personally • Be aware of the sensory environment • Teaching social skills • Social stories

5. ADD/ADHD Characteristics Strategies • Hyperactive/impulsive • Inattentive • Easily distracted • “Pays attention to everything” • Starfish Brain • Squirrel…lets go fly a kite • Establish & teach routines • Break down projects & assignments • Extra processing time • Provide movement options & jobs • Reduce stimuli

6. Emotional Disturbance Characteristics strategies • Can be withdrawn • Can be passive aggressive • Can seem unmotivated • Medications often effect behavior • Aggressive • Defiant • Mood swings • Anxiety • Sleep/eating disorders • Use control language • No surprises • Provide choices within reasonable boundaries • Consistency • Establish clear routines and teach them • Establish and teach/model classroom expectations • Visuals • Organizational aids • Positive reinforcements • Planned ignoring • Avoid reinforceinginappropriate behavior • Develop a positive rapport

7. Learning Disabilities characteristics strategies • Low grades • Reluctance to read or write • Short attention span • Uneven areas of ability • Difficulties in sequencing • Disorganized & sensory difficulties • Inability to discriminate between letters, numerals, sound • Poor memory • Anxiety • Diagrams, graphics, pictures to support written and spoken words • Break down projects & assignments • Direct instruction & differentiated instruction • Processing time • Provide simple instructions • Student initiated alternative settings “office” • Sponge activities • “If and then”

8. David • David is a Kindergarten student with Autism. He has significant cognitive strengths (knows his letters, numbers, etc) but has limited communication skills. He loves to be on the computer. Transitioning from one activity to another is very difficult for David. David appeared to be attending and cooperating while the teacher was working with him a one to one session. At the end of the session, the teacher informed David that it was time to go to the next group. David got out of his chair, and begin yelling and crying. The teacher continued to coax and repeated her expectations but David dropped to the floor, yelled louder and begin kicking the chair and tried to kick the teacher. • Interests: movies, computer, food, likes to help the teacher • What preventative strategies or interventions need to be put in place?

9. Allen • Allan is a first grade student and he does not like to leave the playground after recess. He refuses to go inside; he clings to the swing or slide. When the teacher tries to physically move him from the equipment, he kicks, hits and throws himself to the ground. (Parents report similar behaviors when they take him to the park) • Interests: movies, computer, likes to help clean the tables in the cafeteria, likes to help teacher • What preventative strategies or interventions need to be put in place

10. Maria • Maria is a kindergarten student that loves to go to PE. Any time students line up to leave the room, Maria will run out of the room and run down the hall, out the building and head toward the gym. • Interests: movies, computers, food • What preventative strategies or interventions need to be put in place?

11. Zoe • Zoe is a fourth grade student with an emotional disturbance and a learning disability. She is significantly delayed in reading and math –working at second grade level. She is a foster child and has a history of being physically and verbally abusive to students and adults. During Math, she is given a worksheet that she is to work on independently. After working on three problems, Zoe begins to slowly rip the paper and frequently look at the teacher while she does this. After she ripped the paper she begins to kick the back of another student’s desk and calling her various inappropriate names. • Interests: coloring, movies, computers, food • What preventative strategies or interventions need to be put in place?

12. Jonah • Jonah is a 7th grade student in inclusion/mainstream classes except for reading and math where he is in resource. He qualifies with a learning disability in the areas of written expression, math reasoning, and basic reading skills. His teachers are all exhausted by his misbehavior in class by skipping, sleeping, being belligerent to others, and lack of effort in class. His teachers collectively say they have no grades for him and want him out of their classrooms. • Interests: music, television, friends • What can be a preventative strategy? What strategy could you try to get him to comply and become more engaged in his daily instruction?

13. Eric • Eric is a second grade student who qualifies as OHI with ADD/ADHD. When in the classroom, he frequently wanders around the room, sits at the computer or just sits next to his backpack. He has left the room on various occasions. • Interests: computers, food, movies • What strategy could you try to get him to comply and become more engaged in his daily instruction?

14. Points to Ponder • Get to know your students…communication is key. • Interest inventories • Home visit • Remember: Your strategy box is never full, what works for one student may not work for another. • If a strategy is not working, try another way. • Don’t give up. • Your classroom is what you make of it.