What is an accommodation?
Many teachers and/or schools are willing to provide accommodations to assist a child with their academic success.
A teacher may modify:
Accommodations Are Fair
Fair does not mean treating every student exactly the same.
Fair means providing each student with what that student needs to have a chance to succeed.
Is it fair to deny a deaf child the ability to hear? Of course not.
Is it fair to deny a physically handicapped child the equipment that enables them to be mobile? Of course not.
A child with dyslexia needs time; time to assimilate, time to comprehend, time to think and time to share their knowledge and opinions.
Dyslexic Students Need:
A teacher who:
To reduce Fear & Anxiety:
Accommodations for Reading:
Accommodations for Spelling
Our students can't learn to spell by memorizing, nor can they learn to spell by writing a word 50 times, therefore,
Accommodations for Handwriting
No note taking:
No copying out of the book:
No handwritten assignments:
Have student dictate written assignments:
Accommodations for Written Expression:
Accommodations for Homework:
Accommodations for Memory:
Accommodations for Test Anxiety:
Test Formats:
Easiest: draw a line from question to answer
Easy: fill in the blank IF a list of possible answers is printed on the test
Hard: multiple-choice (too much reading)
Harder: fill-in-the-blank
Hardest: Essay test
Grading:
Accommodations may or may not be needed for every subject nor for the entire educational career of the student. They may be adjusted as needed in order to support the student with dyslexia.
A teacher may modify:
- how the information is presented to the child
- how a child is tested
- how much time a child is given to complete a task
- how a student practice new skills so that they have the opportunity to succeed
Accommodations Are Fair
Fair does not mean treating every student exactly the same.
Fair means providing each student with what that student needs to have a chance to succeed.
Is it fair to deny a deaf child the ability to hear? Of course not.
Is it fair to deny a physically handicapped child the equipment that enables them to be mobile? Of course not.
A child with dyslexia needs time; time to assimilate, time to comprehend, time to think and time to share their knowledge and opinions.
Dyslexic Students Need:
A teacher who:
- understands their frustration
- understands that their difficulties are due to an inherited brain difference
- will not give up on them
- will not make them look inferior in front of their peers and friends
To reduce Fear & Anxiety:
- Never force them to participate in a spelling bee
- Never force them to read out loud in class
- Never have them write on the board
- Don't pass papers down the row
- Don't allow other students to grade papers or tests
- Never call on them unless they volunteer
- Make sure your classroom is a safe place to make mistakes
Accommodations for Reading:
- Provide all books on audio and/or allow text to speech software to enable audio reading
- During silent sustained reading, allow students to either just read or to listen and read
Accommodations for Spelling
Our students can't learn to spell by memorizing, nor can they learn to spell by writing a word 50 times, therefore,
- Don't grade their spelling tests
- Don't put a spelling grade on their report card; leave that area blank
- Ignore spelling mistakes on written assignments; grade on content, not mechanics
- Don't force them to use a traditional dictionary; allow electronic spell checkers instead
Accommodations for Handwriting
No note taking:
- Provide a peer note-taker
- Or provide teacher notes and copies of what was on the board/overhead
- Or allow for recording of the class
No copying out of the book:
- Someone else copies problems out of the book
- Or photocopy the page of problems, student writes answers on the photocopy
No handwritten assignments:
Have student dictate written assignments:
- to a classroom aide
- to a parent volunteer
- into a PC/tablet/smart phone using voice recognition software
Accommodations for Written Expression:
- Provide alternatives to written reports: create a video or mural, do a class presentation, etc.
- Make written reports a team project
- allow them to use a PC/tablet/smart phone for written assignments
Accommodations for Homework:
- Shorten homework assignments; parent can act as a timekeeper
- Avoid sending home unfinished classroom work, shorten classroom assignments instead
- Be consistent when assigning homework
- Provide a way for parents to determine the homework assignment: homework buddies, mail home the assignment sheet, answering machine
- Be consistent when collecting homework
- Notify parents immediately if assignment was not turned in, don't count it late if parent can find it
- Do not take away preferential time (recess/lunch to finish assignments)
Accommodations for Memory:
- A calculator or printed copy of multiplication tables
- Ask two-choice questions instead of open-ended questions
Accommodations for Test Anxiety:
- Conduct an oral review session during class
- Provide a sample test
- Allow open-book and open-notes tests or allow students to bring one page of notes to the test
- Provide oral testing or a teacher recorded version of the test, student listens to each question dictates each answers
- If oral testing is not an option: give extended time, student can complete test at home under parental supervision or shorten the test
- If ADD/ADHD is a factor, allow test to be taken in a distraction-free room
Test Formats:
Easiest: draw a line from question to answer
Easy: fill in the blank IF a list of possible answers is printed on the test
Hard: multiple-choice (too much reading)
Harder: fill-in-the-blank
Hardest: Essay test
Grading:
- Evaluate shortened assignments or tests bases on number of correct answers divided by number of problems answered
- If any student gets a poor grade on a test, allow student to retake the test or allow student to earn extra credit
- Offer many small quizzes rather than one or two big exams
- Don't ever flunk a student who participates and gives their best effort
Accommodations may or may not be needed for every subject nor for the entire educational career of the student. They may be adjusted as needed in order to support the student with dyslexia.