General Learning Strategies for Students with Disabilities Essay Example

encourage the student in the learning process. By so doing, the student will develop a positive attitude towards education, and like the learning environment as the other students without the disability.
The teacher should establish realistic objectives for learning during a particular lesson, thus giving the student with a mild intellectual disability a chance to enjoy the reading. Once the learning kicks off, the tutor should give the students tasks that he or she can handle with ease (Foreman, 2009). The duties given to the student should be meaningful and serve the intended purpose. As well, it is important that the educator use short step in teaching that is easy for the student to understand. The student also needs a chance to generalize the skills and knowledge learned during the lesson. The experience should incorporate the interests and aptitudes of the student.

The student with a mild intellectual disability needs acceptance by the other members of the class, and that will make the learning process easy (Klingler, et al. 2015). As such, the educator needs to create a conducive learning environment by making sure that the student gets the necessary assistance from the other students. The social environment in the classroom is another significant bit. The unique student needs involvement in the discussion group. Therefore, the teacher may constitute a small group of supportive students, especially the ones that are friendly to the particular student. The group so formed becomes the discussion group that meets the social needs of the student with a mild intellectual disability. Finally, the teacher should set similar expectations to all the students with no regard to their mental ability. By so doing,

the student will feel accepted among the other comrades, and he or she will not feel ashamed of the condition that he or she suffers.

A Student Who Is Deaf and Communicates Using AUSLAN

A student who has deafness finds it difficult to hear what the teacher says during the learning process. As such, he or she is not in a position to effectively follow the proceedings in class. Therefore, the teacher must make sure that all students have full access to any activity, taking place in the classroom (Horton & Queensberry, 2013). The teaching styles should have a proper modification to meet the needs of the student with deafness. Since the student with deafness uses Auslan, the teacher should make sure that he or she has the knowledge about Auslan to make it easy for the tutor to facilitate communication between the teacher and the student. More to that, there is the need to have an interpreter for creating an enabling learning environment for the student. The teachers may also train some of the students with normal hearing to have Auslan knowledge. The knowledge would facilitate the communication between the student with deafness and the ones with the normal hearing.

Deafness is a type of a disability, and a student having it may feel out of place. The teacher can avoid such a feeling by the affected student, and that is possible through the creation of an environment that allows interactions between the student with deafness and those with normal hearing (Marschke & Hauser, 2012). The communications enable the student with deafness to have a conducive learning environment and thus develop the fundamental interest in education. In

addition to that, the teacher must have a positive attitude towards the student in the learning process. The position that the teacher has for the student determines the manner that the student develops towards the teacher.

The teacher should also train the students with normal hearing to accept the one with deafness as part of them in the classroom (Benkelman & Miranda, 2013). It is important that the teacher becomes a role model of acceptance of the student, and that is what the students will follow. Some of the students with normal hearing may look down on, and mistreat the student with deafness because of his or her communication method. As such, the teacher has the moral and legal duty to let the other students learn on how to accommodate the student as part of them in the classroom. If the teacher allows the hearing students to mishandle the one with deafness, then there are chances that the student will feel discriminated against, and that may make him or she develop self-hatred.

The student with deafness and using Auslan has to use an Auslan interpreter. As such, the interpreter is the teacher to the student. It is important that the interpreter allow for breaks at regular intervals during the learning process (In, 2015). The breaks assist the student to have some time to rest, just like the other students with normal hearing. The teacher should attract the attention of the student before the learning starts. The focus may include letting the student learn about the presence of the interpreter in the classroom. By so doing, the student will be able to concentrate from the beginning to the

end of the lesson. The student will also pay attention to the Auslan interpreter.

A Student Who Has Very Limited Vision and Uses Assistive Devices

A student with limited vision finds it difficult to see what the tutor writes on the board, especially when they stay far from the board. As such, the student is unable to translate the information into the class notes. The student needs to sit as near the board as possible so that the student is in a position to see what the teacher writes on the board (Scheiman & Whittaker, 2006). Even if the student uses an assistive device, nearness to the board is necessary for the improvement of the visual acuity. Once seated, it is necessary that the amount of light reaching the student from whatever source remains low. The high amount of light would affect the vision of the student, even in the presence of the device. The teacher needs to use materials that are attractive to the eyes, such as the charts used in the classroom. The beautiful nature of the maps and other materials will boost the need for the student to focus on them. The use of bright colors on the maps is a sure way to the achievement of the intended purpose.

The tutor may call the name of the student with low vision from time to time, just to make sure that the student pays attention to the proceedings in the class. Eventually, the student will feel to be part of the class and that will enhance his or her learning (Roman, 2007). On top of that, the teacher should provide the students with the necessary

storage facility for the study materials such as charts. The materials are significant, and they may be a challenge for the student to store them properly. It is crucial that the teacher learns how the low vision affects the learning of the student.

Since the student with low vision has a slower speed in learning compared to the ones with normal vision, then the educator needs to allow more time for the student to complete the assignments given in the class (Cole & ASCD, 2008). As well, the teacher needs to understand the fact that the reading speed for the student with low vision is lower, compared to the other members of the class. That calls for patience with the student during the learning process. Using a black print on a white piece of paper is the best material for the teacher to use on the student. It creates an excellent contrast that the student requires for enhanced vision. In the case of any tests, the teacher has to make sure that the grading goes on correctly. He or she should avoid favoritism for the student, and allow him or her to record the rightful grade.

Finally, the teacher needs to have a better understanding of the student so that he can know how to handle the student. Some private time with the student is necessary to serve this purpose (Friend, 2012). The teacher owes the student a duty of care. For this reason, the student does not expect the teacher to discuss the problem facing the student in the presence of the other students. Doing so is likely to cause a negative feeling for the affected

student. The teacher further needs to understand the communication requirements of the student. Therefore, he or she should use more of the verbal than non-verbal communication during the learning process. The reason is that non-verbal communication during the learning process. The reason is that non-verbal communication will use more of signs than voice, and a student with low vision may find it difficult to see the signs properly and learn from them.

References

• Martin, L. C. (2009). Strategies for teaching students with learning disabilities. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin Press.
• Downing, J. (2010). Academic instruction for students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin.
• Foreman, P. (2009). Education of students with an intellectual disability: Research and practice. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Pub.
• Klingler, J. K., Vaughn, S., Vaughn, S., & Boardman, A. (2015). Teaching reading comprehension to students with learning difficulties.
• Horton, S., & Queensberry, W. (2013). A web for everyone: Designing accessible user experiences. Brooklyn, N.Y: Rosenfeld Media.
• Marschke, M., & Hauser, P. C. (2012). How deaf children learn: What parents and teachers need to know? New York: Oxford University Press.
• Benkelman, D. R., Miranda, P., & Benkelman, D. R. (2013). Augmentative and alternative communication: Supporting children and adults with complex communication needs. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub.
• In Orfanidou, E., In Woll, B., & In Morgan, G. (2015). Research methods in sign language studies: A practical guide.
• Scheiman, M., Scheiman, M., & Whittaker, S. G. (2006). Low vision rehabilitation: A practical guide for occupational therapists. Thorofare, N.J: Slack.
• Roman-Lantz, C. (2007). Cortical visual impairment: An approach to assessment and intervention. New York: AFB Press.
• Cole, R. W., & ASCD
  

Improving Student Achievement Research Panel. (2008). educating everybody's children: Diverse teaching strategies for diverse learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.