LearnerAccommodationsandInstructionalModifications intheMathematicsClassroom forStudentswithLearningDisabilities

TheLearnerAccommodationsandInstructionalModificationsChartspresentedinthis publicationaredesignedtoassistteacherstoeffectivelyteachmathematicsconcepts andskillstostudentswhoareexperiencingdifficultylearningmathematics.Thecharts provideteacherswith(1)suggestedshortterm"strategiesforstudentswithlearning disabilitiesintheclassroom(2)toolstoassistinplanninginstructionaldeliveryand assessmentand(3)suggestedinterventionsthatrequireteacherstothinkstrategically inplanninganappropriateenvironmentforlearning(e.g.,preparingthephysical arrangementforstudentsormakingresourcesavailableforstudentswithspecific difficulties).Teachersmaybefamiliarwithsomeoftheinterventionssuggestedorthey maywanttotrysomenewinterventions.Withcontinueduseofthesuggested accommodationsandinstructionalmodificationspresentedonthechart,teacherswill havetheopportunitytoevaluatetheireffectiveness.Theymayrevisittheinterventions onthechartstorefineandfurtherdeveloptheirskills.Eachstudentisdifferent. Teacherscanusethechartstomatchalearneraccommodationorinstructional modificationwiththespecificdifficultyexperiencedinlearningmathematics. However, theseaccommodationsandmodificationsaresuggestions,anddonotreplaceuseof effectiveinstructionalstrategiesinmathematicsforstudentswithlearningdisabilities. Thischartisdividedintoseveralsections.Eachsectionisdedicatedtoalearning problemthatmathematicsstudentswithlearningdisabilitiesoftendisplayinthe classroom:Inattention/Distractibility,Organization,FollowingDirections,Memory/Recall, andUnderstanding/Comprehension. Theselearningproblemsarenotmutually exclusiveforamathematicsstudent.Teachersmaytypicallyfindstudentsintheir classroomwithmorethanonemathlearningproblem.Theadaptationsand accommodationspresentedinthischartfallintotwocategories:environmentalor instructionaldelivery. Thereadercanfocusonadaptationsintheclassroomthatare environmental,suchasphysicalarrangement,studentappearanceorresources.The instructionaldeliveryadaptationscovertheteacherorientedtasksrelatedtolesson presentation,lessoncontentandactivitiesfortests,andassignmentandtasksfor assessmentandevaluation.Teachersmustconsiderthecharacteristicsandneedsof eachstudentandhowtheseaccommodationsandmodificationsinteractwiththe plannedclassroomactivities.

Foradditionalinformationonthisorothertopics,pleasecontactThe AccessCenterataccesscenter@air.org. TheAccessCenter:ImprovingOutcomesforAllStudentsK8 TheAccessCenterisacooperativeagreement(H326K020003) fundedbytheU.S.DepartmentofEducation,OfficeofSpecial EducationPrograms,awardedtotheAmericanInstitutesforResearch 1000ThomasJeffersonSt.NW,Washington,DC20007 Ph:2024035000TTY:8773343499Fax:2024035001 email:accesscenter@air.org website:www.k8accesscenter.org

This report was produced under U.S. Department of Education Grant # H326K020003 with the American Institutes for Research. Jane Hauser served as the project officer. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred.

Inattention/Distractibility
Environment InstructionalDelivery

Physical Arrangement
Keepdesksfreefrom distractionslike materials,windows, doors,noise,etc.

TeacherOriented Student
TeachstudentsSLANT (situp, leanforward, askquestions,nodyour head,tracktheteacher.

Resources
Useastudycarrelto blockextraneous informationandtolimit distractions.

Lesson Presentation
Varypresentationof concept:handson activity,teachpair share,studentworkat boardoratseats.

LessonContent
Havestudentswork eachstepofamath probleminadifferent color.

ForTestsand Assignments
Breakassignments intoshortsections, providefeedback, thenassignnext section.

Assessmentand Evaluation
Teachself monitoring techniques:goalsfor timeandcompletion oftask.

Useproximityseating.

Teachstudenttogivea physicalsignwhen conceptisnot understood:shake headorputhandup.

Assignapeertutor.

Usehighlightersto directstudentattention toimportant information,keywords, anddirections.

Providecopiesof sampleproblemsto preventstudent copyinginerror.

Highlightoperational signs.

Checktasksoffas theyarecompleted.

Surroundstudentwith appropriaterole models.

Usecoloredpaperto presentproblemsor activities.

Usephysical,visual,or auditorysignalsto redirectstudenttostay ontask.

Encouragestudents tovocalizeorwhisper thecontentand procedure.

Regulatebreaksfor taskswithpencil sharping,bathroom orwaterbreak.

Allowstudent additionaltimeto complete assignments/tests.

Changestudent environment periodically.

Onpaperworkuse frequentindentations, doublespacingand boxestoprovidevisual cues.

Talkslowlywithvoice changeorwith emphasisonkeyword ordefinitions.

Givestudentsa physicalcuefor importantconceptsor keyinformation.

Copyproblems/tests ononlyoneside.

Checkfor understandingwith "thumbsupordown."

Useconcretematerials forhandsonorvisual presentationofmath concepts.

Usegamesto reinforcemath concepts.

Circleorboxin answers.

Page2

Organization
Environment InstructionalDelivery

TeacherOriented Physical Arrangement

Havestudentscheck in(&checkout) unnecessarybooks andnotebooksatthe door. Attachitems (pencils,rulers, eraser)withvelcroto desk.

Student

Resources

Lesson Presentation
Provide demonstration& modeling,guided practiceand frequentreview opportunities. Havestudents completemissing wordsinoutline presented.

LessonContent
Createandteach routinesand procedures.

Lesson Preparationfor Student

Checkhomework daily.

Testsand Assignments
Useassignment booksand calendars.

Assessmentand Evaluation
Usechecklistsand mnemonicstohelp remembercontent.

Remove unnecessarycoats, hats,scarves, gloves.

Assignpeerto assistwith organizationand deadlinedates.

Teachstudents SLANT(situp, leanforward,ask questions,nod yourhead,track theteacher)

Colorcode notebooksand textbookcovers.

Provideoutlineof contentplanned.

Sendcopyof homeworkto parents.

Checkforwritten assignmentsand testsdaily.

Teachgoalsettingfor testsand assignments.

ProvidetimeEACH weektoorganize deskandnotebooks.

Usegraphpaper forcalculating problemsin columns.

Avoid cluttered/crowded worksheets.

Colorcodemain steps,processes& vocabulary.

Senddaily/weekly progressreports home.

Providepage numberswhere answersto problemscanbe found. Writeanswersin boxesfortests and assignments.

Teachtime managementskillsfor takingtestsand assignments.

Usepencilcases tokeeppencils, erasers,andrulers forhomework.

Provideadvanced organizersfor content.

Createbackward timelineto estimatetimeto completeeach partofproject. Teachstudents notetakingskills.

Teachprioritizingskills forassignmentsand tests.

Usecomputerto complete assignments.

Teachstudentsto highlightkey information.

Page3

FollowingDirections
Environment InstructionalDelivery

Physical Arrangement
Provideremindersof routines(recess, lunch,music,etc.)on signsinthe classroom. Providevisual displaysinthe classroomtohelp followdirections. Provideremindersof procedures/formsdue forfieldtrips,concerts, orplays.

Student

Resources

TeacherOriented
Lesson Presentation LessonContent Testsand Assignments Assessmentand Evaluation

Makesurethereis Assignabuddytoclarify Modelordemonstrate eyetoeyecontact, directions eachstepofproblem. andspeakslowlyand distinctly.

Havestudentsverbalize Havestudentscheckoff Usethink/pair/shareto content,directions,and orhighlighteachstepof assesstheir techniques.Detecterrors problemascompleted. understandingof ormisunderstandings. directionsfor assignmentsand projects. Provideexampleof correctformat& completedsample problem. Provideonlyoneportion Highlightoperations(+, ofassignmentortestat ,x,/)ontestsand atime. assignments.

Askstudentstogive facialcluesfor understanding directions:noddingor shakingheadorhand. Teachstudents SLANT(situp,lean forward,ask questions,nodyour head,trackthe teacher).

Useflowcharts,webs, pictorials,keyword displaystolistenand followdirections

Designpresentations, includingoralones,so theyaresmaller& shorter.

Providevisualcues& Provideanoutlineof reinforcementoflesson contentpresentation. content.

Givestudentextratime torespondtooral questions.

Usegraphsandtables toreinforceconcepts.

Usemnemonicsaidsto signalstepsinaprocess (ForDivision:Does McDonaldsSellCheese Burgersdivide,multiply, subtract,check,bring down). Provideaprotocolfor eachlesson:whatarethe concept(s)ofthelesson, showthemtheconceptual instruction,then summarizewhatthey learned.

Page4

MemoryandRecall
Environment InstructionalDelivery

Physical Arrangement
Placeascheduleof classroomroutines andtimelinesonthe bulletinboard.

TeacherOriented Student Resources

Lesson Presentation
Maximizestudent's potentialbyprovidinga balanceofvisualand auditorystimuli.

LessonContent

Testsand Assignments

Assessmentand Evaluation
Providemultiple opportunitiesfor practicingassessing conceptsindifferent formats(written,oral, etc.). Usesongs, rhymes,or rhythmstohelp rememberinformation forunderstanding.

Usebodypartsto remembernumber facts.Usehandsfor multiplesoffiveand ten.

Provideascheduleof classroomroutinesand timelinesforeach student'snotebooks.

Chunkpiecesof Teachstudentstouse informationand selfquestioning conceptstogether(Have techniques. studentslearnfactsin setsofthree).

Labelobjectsinthe classroomwith geometricnames: quadrilateralsare squares(window panes),rectangles (paper), parallelograms(in artwork),trapezoid (inapictureframe).

Usehandsto remember9's multiplicationtables. Spreadhandsout. Labelfingersfrom1 10.Holddownthe no.3finger. Therefore,9x3=27. (Countfingerstoleft of3as2tensand fingerstorightas7 ones.)

Providenumbershapes toretracewhenlearning towritenumbers correctly.

Usesemanticmapsand Reteachconceptsoften, diagramstohelp varyingtheapproach studentsmake eachtime. connectionsbetween concepts. Allowstudentstotrace overgeometricshapes andothervisual patternsduringvisually presentedlessons. Pointoutthenrepeatthe conceptsandmainideas atthebeginning,inthe middle,andattheendof alesson.

Providegeometric shapesandother manipulativesto visualizenamesand propertiesofshapes.

Usemnemonicsto practicerepresenting stepsinOrderof Operations(Please ExcuseMyDearAunt SallySimplifyin order:parenthesis, exponents,Xor/,then +or). Useflashcardsfor individualorgroup review. Playmemorygamesto preparestudentsfor evaluations.

Page5

ProblemswithUnderstandingandComprehension
Environment InstructionalDelivery

Physical Arrangement

TeacherOriented Student Resources

Lesson Presentation
Providevisualcues (objects,drawings)to helpstudentswhomay havedifficulty visualizingshapes, dimensions,andsizes

LessonContent
Showthepurposeofa lesson,thenprovidean exampleofacorrectly solvedproblematthe beginningofalesson

Testsand Assignments
Provideopportunitiesfor problemsolving, reasoning,andreal worldapplicationsto helpwithtransferof information.

Assessmentand Evaluation
Useestimationin problemsolvingandto havestudentsevaluate ifasolutionis reasonablepriorto actualcomputation.

Arrangestudentsin UseSLANTtotrack Providelearningaids groupsforcooperative understanding(sit suchascalculatorsand learninggroups up,leanforward, computerstohelp askquestions,nod studentsfocuson head,followthe conceptual teacher). understanding.

Arrangemanipulatives ineasilyaccessible labeledcontainersfor studentdistribution anduse

Teachstudentto givephysicalsigns ofunderstanding conceptswith hands(thumbsup ordown)orhead nodding.

Havemanipulatives Usecooperative availablefornumberand learningtechniques: geometricconcepts. "jigsaw"and"thinkpair share." Useaudiotapeversions oftextbooks. Modelandteach metacognitive strategies(Modeland verbalizeprocedure, guidestudentsthrough Usethestructureofthe verbalizationofproblem computation,monitor textbooktounderstand studentverbalizations howtheconceptsare astheycomplete organizedandhowthe formatoneachpageand procedure,provide periodicreviews). sectionindicatestasks.

Teachinsmallchunks Haveastudentverbally sostudentsgetlotsof orvisuallyexplainhow practicewithonestepat tosolveamathproblem. atime. Teachthemeaningof keyvocabularywords.

Observestudents talkingaloudtosolve problemsandidentify thecorrectstepsto solvingproblems. Observestudents practicingdifferent formatsof assessments. Providestudentswith opportunitytopractice astrategytosolveword problems,suchasthe Mnemonic:STAR (Search,Translate, Answer,Review).

Arrangecomputers andcalculatorseasily accessibleforstudent use.

Introduceonlyone conceptatatimeand teachtomastery.

Providechartorgraph paperforvisualizingand problemsolving. Assignbuddiesto"think pairshare."

Usemanipulativesto demonstrateconcepts.

Teachnumberfactsin factfamilies.

Page6