Creating an Inclusive Classroom: Prioritizing Students Over Disabilities - Essay Sample

As a teacher, it is inevitable for one to engage with students with special needs. Hence, when such a situation arises, it is essential to create accommodations and make modifications to deliver tutorage services to all students equally. Creating an inclusive classroom for students with special needs requires prioritization of the students over their disabilities (Fletcher et al., 2018). The reason is that it is natural for other students and people to create disability labels that stigmatize and imply false stereotypes. There are several ways in which instructors can handle students with disabilities. This paper seeks to explore the methods that can be used to aid students with learning disabilities and create a scenario incorporating the various methods.

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Students with learning disabilities demonstrate a lack of general understanding in the classroom (Kourea et al., 2018). The disability can be as a result of a handicap in one or more areas of intellectual abilities or academic achievement. For instance, a student may have oral expression difficulty, reduced listening and reading comprehension, inadequate mathematical reasoning, and calculation. There are common indicators, which educators use to identify students with learning disabilities. They include poor auditory memory, high frustration levels, low tolerance levels, low self-esteem, easily distractible, verbally demanding, poor handwriting skills, and difficulty working with other students (Kourea et al., 2018).

Teaching students with learning disabilities often presents unique challenges. These students demand more time and patience and, therefore, require specialized tutoring strategies to enhance and achieve their learning potential (Kourea et al., 2018). It is important for an instructor to always remember that students with learning disabilities are not incapacitated. Instead, they simply need tailored instruction to meet their learning disabilities (Kourea et al., 2018). The following strategies have been proven as effective and efficient among students with learning disabilities.

The first strategy is aimed at helping students with learning disabilities to visualize and actually see the results of their efforts. The strategy requires that an instructor provides such students with regular progress checks (Saddler et al., 2019). In the progress checks, the teacher should let the students know how well they are performing and progressing to their goal. At this point it is also important to note that a teacher helps such students achieve their best by also aligning their students’ individual goals with the class goal (Saddler et al., 2019).

The second strategy involves giving the students immediate feedback. Among students with learning disabilities, levels of understanding are relatively low. Hence, to ensure that they understand every concept that is taught, the instructor should provide immediate feedback. The feedback helps the trainers in seeing whether there is a relationship between what they taught and what the students learned (Saddler et al., 2019).

The third strategy involves structuring classroom activities. Given the deficiencies among students with learning disabilities, it is recommended that classroom activities are structured in short and concise ways (Saddler et al., 2019). As noted above, students with learning disabilities are easily distracted and irritable. Hence, to avoid losing their concentration and patience levels, long and drawn-out projects are discouraged.

Dean is a seven-year-old student at West-Side Middle School. Over the years, Dean received the same amount of attention as other students his age. However, this was only because his parents wanted him to learn and grow up the same as his peers. However, immediately Dean joined West-Side Middle School, we noted his learning disabilities and immediately notified his parents. After a long discussion, the parents finally agreed to have Dean enrolled in a special needs class. As Dean’s mathematics teacher, I have had to accommodate him by modifying my tutoring strategies to meet his needs.

First, I have had to shorten the number of exercises I engage Dean in to ensure that he does not easily lose interest or become frustrated. I have also extended this practice to his homework exercises. Using short exercises in the classroom, I have been able to capture Dean’s undivided attention. In addition to this, I have noted that he has gained an interest in what we learn from those exercises. When he does not understand a particular concept, he is not afraid to ask a question. Also, when reviewing the class’s homework, I have found that Dean’s performance has increased on a daily basis.

Secondly, I have been able to engage Dean by providing him with immediate feedback on every concept we learn in class. Before joining my class, Dean had no understanding of any mathematical concept. Currently, however, Dean has been able to catch up on several concepts. Thirdly, I have been able to set goals that I would like to see Dean achieve. These goals are based on the mathematical concepts we learn in class. The more the concepts Dean understands comprehensively, the closer he comes to achieving his goal. Currently, Dean has shown consecutive progress on all concepts. To help him see this, I have tested him by giving him exercises on earlier concepts.

As discussed above, students with learning disabilities are easily identifiable through traits such as low comprehension levels, easily distracted, verbally demanding, and poor handwriting skills. However, these disabilities can be alleviated by modifying teaching strategies. Some of these strategies include providing immediate feedback in the classroom, giving short and concise exercises, and helping the students see their progress. These strategies have also been well applied in the scenario above to help showcase their effectiveness.

References

Fletcher, J. M., Lyon, G. R., Fuchs, L. S., & Barnes, M. A. (2018). Learning disabilities: From identification to intervention. Guilford Publications.

Kourea, L., Gibson, L., & Werunga, R. (2018). Culturally responsive reading instruction for students with learning disabilities. Intervention in School and Clinic, 53(3), 153-162. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053451217702112

Saddler, B., Asaro-Saddler, K., Moeyaert, M., & Cuccio-Slichko, J. (2019). Teaching summary writing to students with learning disabilities via strategy instruction. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 35(6), 572-586. https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2019.1600085