TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES (LEARNING OUTCOMES 3)

DYSCALCULIA

Although dyscalculia may be difficult to diagnose, there are strategies that teachers and parents should know about to aid students in learning mathematics.



1. Encourage students to work extra hard to "visualize" mathematics problems. Draw them or have them draw a picture to help understand the problem, and make sure that they take the time to look at any visual information that is provided (picture, chart, graph, etc.)

2. Have the student read problems out loud and listen very carefully. This allows them to use their auditory skills (which may be strength).

3. Provide examples and try to relate problems to real-life situations.

4. Provide younger students with graph paper and encourage them to use it in order to keep the numbers in line.

5. Provide uncluttered worksheets so that the student is not overwhelmed by too much visual information (visual pollution). Especially on tests, allow scrap paper with lines and ample room for uncluttered computation.

6. Discalculia students must spend extra time memorizing mathematics facts. Repetition is very important. Use rhythm or music to help memorize.

7. Many students need one-on-one attention to fully grasp certain concepts. Have students work with a tutor, a parent, or a teacher after school hours in a one-on-one environment.

8. If possible, allow the student to take the exam on a one-to-one basis in the teacher's presence.

9. The student might like instant answers and a chance to do the problem over once s/he is wrong. Often their mistakes are the result of "seeing" the problem wrong.

10. In early stages, design the test problems "pure," testing only the required skills. In their early learning, they must be free of large numbers and unnecessary destructive calculations.

11. Allow more than the "common" time to complete problems and check to see that student is not panicking (tears in eyes, mind frozen).

12. Most importantly, be PATIENT! Never forget that the student WANTS to learn and retain. Realize that mathematics can be a traumatic experience and is highly emotional because of past failures. The slightest misunderstanding or break in logic can overwhelm the student and cause emotional distress. Pity will not help, but patience and individual attention will. It is typical for students to work with until they know the material well and then get every problem wrong on the test. Then 5 minutes later, they can perform the test with just the teacher, on the chalkboard, and many times get all problems correct. Remember that this is very frustrating for the teacher/parent as well as the student. Patience is essential.

13. Assign extra problems for practice and maybe a special TA (teaching assistant) or special education is assigned to assist the affected student.

14. When presenting new material, make sure the student with discalculia is able to write each step down and talk it through until they understand it well enough to teach it back to you.

15. Go over the upcoming lesson with so that the lecture is more of a review.

DYSGRAPHIA


There are many ways to help a person with dysgraphia achieve success. Generally strategies fall into three categories:

1) Accommodations: providing alternatives to written expression

2) Modifications: changing expectations or tasks to minimize or avoid the area of weakness

3) Remediation: providing instruction for improving handwriting and writing skills

Each type of strategy should be considered when planning instruction and support. A person with dysgraphia will benefit from help from both specialists and those who are closest to the person. Finding the most beneficial type of support is a process of trying different ideas and openly exchanging thoughts on what works best.

Early Writers

Below are some examples of how to teach individuals with dysgraphia to overcome some of their difficulties with written expression.

a) Use paper with raised lines for a sensory guide to staying within the lines.
b) Try different pens and pencils to find one that's most comfortable.
c) Practice writing letters and numbers in the air with big arm movements to improve motor memory of these 
    important shapes. Also practice letters and numbers with smaller hand or finger motions.
d) Encourage proper grip, posture and paper positioning for writing. It's important to reinforce this early as
    it's difficult for students to unlearn bad habits later on.
e) Use multi-sensory techniques for learning letters, shapes and numbers. For example, speaking through
    motor sequences, such as "b" is "big stick down, circle away from my body."
f) Introduce a word processor on a computer early; however do not eliminate handwriting for the child.
   While typing can make it easier to write by alleviating the frustration of forming letters, handwriting is a vital
   part of a person's ability to function in the world.
g) Be patient and positive, encourage practice and praise effort - becoming a good writer takes time and
    practice.

Young Students

a) Allow use of print or cursive - whichever is more comfortable.
b) Use large graph paper for math calculation to keep columns and rows organized.
c) Allow extra time for writing assignments.
d) Begin writing assignments creatively with drawing, or speaking ideas into a tape recorder
e) Alternate focus of writing assignments - put the emphasis on some for neatness and spelling, others for
    grammar or organization of ideas.
f) Explicitly teach different types of writing - expository and personal essays, short stories, poems, etc.
g) Do not judge timed assignments on neatness and spelling.
h) Have students proofread work after a delay - it's easier to see mistakes after a break.
i) Help students create a checklist for editing work - spelling, neatness, grammar, syntax, clear progression of
   ideas, etc.
j) Encourage use of a spell checker - speaking spell checkers are available for handwritten work
k) Reduce amount of copying; instead, focus on writing original answers and ideas
l) Have student complete tasks in small steps instead of all at once.
m) Find alternative means of assessing knowledge, such as oral reports or visual projects
n) Encourage practice through low-stress opportunities for writing such as letters, a diary, making household
    lists or keeping track of sports teams.


ULASAN:

Kanak-kanak bermasalah pembelajaran memerlukan kaedah pembelajaran yang berbeza berbanding kanak-kanak normal. Strategi dan khusus perlu dirancang dan seterusnya dilaksanakan bagi membantu mereka berkemabng seperti kanak-kanak normal. Kanak-kanak ini perlu didedahkan dengan pelbagai kaedah yang melibatkan komponen pemprosesan maklumat secara visual, auditori memori, motor dan tumpuan. Ini adalah disebabkan kecenderungan bagi setiap kanak-kanak ini berbeza. Selain daripada itu, mereka juga perlu didedahkan dengan strategi kognitif dan metakognitif. Kognitif merupakan pemahaman dan keupayaan memahami atau berfikir apa yang dilihat dan didengar serta bentuk maklumat dari aspek sosial dan gerak badan. Manakala metakognitif merupakan kesedaran kendiri untuk memilih pendekatan atau strategi penyelesaian masalah. Oleh yang demikian sebagai seorang tenaga pengajar, guru perlu peka dengan kesukaran yang dihadapi oleh kanak-kanak berkeperluan khas ini. Mereka juga perlu pandai memilih strategi pengajaran yang bersesuaian, mereka juga perlu kreatif dan inovatif selain daripada perlu menjadi seorang yang perihatin dan empati.
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