Atypical Learners in your Sunday School classroom

1. Atypical Learners in yourSunday School classroom

2. http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/may/14/the-fonz-shares-experiences-of-overcoming/http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/may/14/the-fonz-shares-experiences-of-overcoming/ Dear Students Yes, I’m learning challenged and now that I’m older my memory seems to have fallen down a dark hole, so I’m really, really, really challenged. On the other hand my life is good. I’m acting, directing, producing. I have a wonderful wife, three great kids and 2 dogs – a Labrador retriever named “Tootsie” and a King Charles Cavalier named “Monty”. When I was in school, a lot of subjects were very hard for me. I couldn’t get math, I still can’t spell and when I read, the words started doing the monster mash on the page. It was very hard to focus. It is very important to know what it is you want to do and it is also very important to know that there is a greatness in everyone of you – all the members of your class. Just because we are learning challenged does not mean we are stupid. A learning challenge is not a disease, you can’t catch it, and it is not caused by a lack of intelligence. As a matter of fact, we just have to figure out how to solve problems in other very creative ways. I wish you all luck. I want you to be very proud of yourselves and remember that hard work, and knowing what you want, will all put you in good stead. Letter from Henry Winkler Copy of Letter Written by Henry Winkler to Students with Learning Disabilities

3. Specific learning disabilities • Speech or language impairments • Mental retardation • Emotional disturbance • Multiple disabilities • Hearing impairments • Orthopedic impairments • Other health impairments • Visual impairments • Autism • Deaf-blindness • Traumatic brain injury • Developmental delay Types of disabilities

4. Teach with the SCREAM Method

5. Structure refers to the organization of the components of the lesson. Important for students who have difficulty sustaining attention • Tell students the organization and purpose of lesson • Display outline of lesson and transition points • Emphasize critical point (main idea) • Summarize and review the lesson Structure EXAMPLE: The first thing you’re going to do is get your supplies and go to the aquarium.... The second thing that I want you to do is put your gravel in, which is step number 2 ... [repeats].... The third thing that’s going to happen is that you are going to fill out parts of your activity sheet.... (Mastropieri et al., 1998, p. 18)

6. Promote clarity in your presentation • Speak clearly • Provide concrete examples • One objective at a time • Stay focused on objective • Avoid vague language • Use language that is familiar to all students in the class • This is important for students with language and learning disabilities Clarity

7. Redundancy increases learning by emphasizing and reinforcing important aspects of the lesson. Re-emphasize: • Key concepts • Procedures • Main points Focus on important content and provide opportunities to respond . Students with disabilities require additional opportunities to hear, see and practice lessons. Redundancy

8. Students learn more and appreciate content when teachers are enthusiastic • Make information personally relevant • Meaningful task • Model enthusiasm and interest in content • Monitor student understanding (Don’t say – Did you understand that? Most people will yes) enthusiasm

9. Have a brisk rate of presentation (not too fast) • Keep lessons interesting and motivating • Ask frequent questions to make sure students are with you Appropriate rate of presentation

10. More time effectively engaged in learning increases student learning Engaged classrooms: • Quality instruction • Meet learners needs (provide feedback) • Good classroom climate (positive/encouraging) Maximize academic engagement

11. Definition: • A pervasive pattern of inattention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development. • Prevalence • 3-5% of population • 4% of Adults • 3:1 (boys: girls) Attention Deficit- Hyperactivity disorder

12. Often easily distracted Often forgetful in daily activities Often has trouble organizing activities Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks Often fidgets with hands/feet; squirms in seat Often talks excessively Often blurts out answers before questions have be finished Often interrupts/intrudes on others ADHD Symptoms/indicators

13. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly Often avoids/dislikes doing things that take a lot of mental effort for extended periods of time Often loses things needed for tasks/activities Often has trouble enjoying leisure activities quietly Is often “on the go” or acts as if “driven by a motor” ADHD Symptoms/indicators (cont.)

14. “Chunking” Appropriate Pacing Hand gestures Proximity control Remove nuisance items Peer mediation Positive Reinforcement Escape valve outlets ADHD Instructional practices

15. When giving directions: • Clear • Concise • Complete • Repeat (teacher and student) • Active Responding (students’) • “One say, all say” • “tell your neighbor” ADHD Instructional Practices (cont.)

16. Definition: • A pervasive developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction. ASD includes repetitive, stereotypic and restricted interests. • Prevalence • Spectrum is so great that no consensus has been reached (approx. 57/10,000) Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

17. Well-developed Rote Memory • Difficulty in: • Explaining their own behaviors • Predicting others’ emotions/behaviors • Comprehending others’ perspectives • Participating in conversations • Distinguishing fact from fiction • Transferring problem solving skills from one situation to another ASD Symptoms/indicators

18. Problems with Proxemics (knowing acceptable distance between people) • Inappropriate word choice, syntax, pronunciation, tone, etc. • Unaware of social cues • Self-stimulatory behaviors • Rocking, hand flapping, etc. • Sensory issues ASD Symptoms/indicators (cont.)

19. Visual Supports • Lesson • Social appropriate responses • Social Story • Consistency (Routines/Procedures) • Priming (previews what’s to come) • Prompting (physical, gestures, verbal, written) • Home Base • For kids/youth, consult parent (s) ASD instructional practices

20. Mastropieri, Margo and Schruggs, Thomas. The Inclusive Classroom: Strategies for Effective Differentiated Instruction Fourth Edition (2010)

21. Why? • Increasestudent comprehension • Clarifythinking • Involvestudents in the lesson • Provideassessment opportunities/checking for understanding • Enhanceretention of the material • Aidinclassroom management Questioning

22. Effective Questions? • Challenge students to think • Uncluttered • Open-ended • Focused on the topic being taught • Right amount – not too many or too few • Include all students • Random • Planned • Are low-level and high-level Questioning (Cont.)