Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to provide an appropriate education to students with disabilities, including but certainly not limited to learning disabilities. IDEA further states that in accommodating the needs of students with disabilities, schools should strive to place the students in the least restrictive environment possible meaning a general education classroom if the child can function and learn within one. As a result, many educators who are not trained in special education find themselves teaching students with learning disabilities.

Certainly this is as it should be, and is the best solution for students. However, it does present an intimidating, if not insurmountable, obstacle for teachers. Teaching a class is difficult enough; teaching students with learning disabilities can seem overwhelming.

The key concept in incorporating LD students into a classroom is differentiation of instruction. Differentiation means modifying the curriculum and lesson plans to meet various students learning needs. When teaching students with learning disabilities, it is crucial to plan ahead and provide alternative tasks, activities and approaches for your learning disabled students. Remember, you are teaching them the same concepts and retaining the same essential objectives. The difference is in how you will go about doing it.

When approaching a lesson, keep in mind that some students with learning disabilities will struggle with specific aspects of the lesson. Teaching students with learning disabilities will require you to plan around that, providing alternative approaches for your LD children. For example, you may find that many learning disabled students have great difficulty with reading and writing. Provide those students with other options, such as texts at a lower reading level which cover the same content. Allow them to draw illustrations with captions instead of writing long reports. Pair them up with stronger readers and writers who can assist them.

In the case of mathematics instruction, teaching students with learning disabilities can be particularly challenging. Again, allowing students to draw pictures can be extremely helpful. Find visual ways to represent mathematical concepts. Allow your LD student or students to use manipulatives often hands-on, tactile activities help students grasp concepts.

Group work is an especially useful tool when teaching students with learning disabilities. Find ways to allow your students to work with peers who are more proficient in the areas where they have delays. The academically stronger students will bolster their weaknesses and help the LD students participate fully in the lesson and feel like part of the class.

Most importantly of all, get to know the strengths and talents of your learning disabled students. Give them every opportunity you can to do what they do best, so that they can feel confident and know that their disabilities do not define who they are as students. If you can manage that, you will find teaching students with learning disabilities to be satisfying and very rewarding.