Betty Ann Davis,
Director of Essential Learning Institute
I. Structure routine and set within reason
Learning disabled
students need a recognizable structure and routine in their
lives. Have a particular place and time when learning
activities are to take place.
II. Prepare and maintain a relaxed, safe,
positive atmosphere.
Children will not learn
in the midst of fear, tension, or confusion, nor will they
progress if they are afraid to make a mistake. Give
encouragement and praise often. Envision and expect reasonable
success and improvement.
III. Be consistent in demands, discipline,
expectations, and attitude.
Keep behavior demands as few as
possible. Have a few general rules which cover as many areas
as possible. Be sure to follow your own rules!
IV. Break down tasks into achievable
steps.
Determine what you want
him to do. Analyze the process and teach him the steps. Allow
enough time for practice. Above all, praise him for every
gain, however small!
V. Record for the student and yourself
short term and long term goals and achievements.
Record what he can do
now. When he makes progress, be sure to let him know and
praise him for it. Be proud of your child and his progress,
however small!
VI. Keep assignments clear, attainable,
and varied.
Clearly state what you
expect him to do. Vary the presentation, review, and method of
evaluation as much as possible.
VII. Reward small achievements.
Praise any real progress
with enthusiasm. If there is no progress, praise the effort he
has put forth. Plan rewards just because. Let him know that
your love is not dependent on his performance or achievement.
VIII. Give limited choices to allow the
student to have some control.
Limit the choices to
what he can control and gradually increase the amount of
responsibility. Never offer a choice when there is none.
IX. Use multi-sensory presentations which
involve the learner.
Multi-sensory approaches
involve the learner's hands, eyes, mind, heart, ears, touch
and voice. Multi-sensory involves the whole person. Be careful
not to overwhelm or confuse.
X. Allow frequent physical and mental
breaks.
Children with short
attention spans need to stop and refocus more often than we
do. Give them the opportunity to break, but also provide
directed and assisted return to work!
XI. Provide frequent reviews in different
learning styles.
Review does not always
have to be the same. Use your imagination. If you need help,
buy it. There are many books to assist you in this.
XII. Allow for a variety of expression.
Be creative and
encourage your child to be creative.
XIII. Relate the unknown to previously
known information.
To be remembered, it must relate to
something that is already known, understood, and remembered by
your child.
XIV. Don’t teach what you will have to
unteach.
Don't teach untruth.
Don't give your child the opportunity to doubt that there is a
truth. Don't give him the opportunity to wonder if you are
able to identify the truth when you see it. Seek out the truth
and teach it.
XV. Be as practical as possible.
Try to relate a subject
to a need in the child's life. We learn best what we are
interested in, so help your child to be interested. Teach
first the skills that are needed to cope with normal living,
then go on to the extras.
XVI. Give the big picture in the early
stages of learning.
When presenting a new
topic, show the whole first whenever possible. Then relate
each piece to the whole.
XVII. Give the student a purpose for
learning.
Decide "Why?" before you
determine what to teach.
XVIII. Seek to make the information
relevant and interesting.
Make it relevant, and
make it count. Studies show that information is best learned
when taught within the normal context of daily living.
XIX. Show the student his progress at
frequent intervals.
Everyone needs to feel
that their effort is accomplishing something. Children are no
different.
XX. Stop thinking grade level and grades
and start to think in terms of learning and progress.
We do need to expect
achievement and mastery of subjects. We need to be realistic,
project positive goals and their achievement. Record progress
and praise him for it.
XXI. Concentrate on disciplining attitude
more than behavior.
We need to look beyond
the surface behavior to the attitude. Developing healthy and
wholesome attitudes is of major importance.
XXII. Above all else, love your child.
Let him know that you
love him in spite of his struggles and that you'll be there
for him.
