Modifications:
-Allowing the student to write shorter papers
-Giving extra time for assignments and tests
-Alternate projects or assignments that allow kinesthetic learning
-Dividing projects into smaller, more manageable tasks
Accommodations:
-Allowing students to record a lesson rather than take notes
-Using visual organizers and word webs
-Giving the student an outline of the lesson beforehand
-Allowing student to respond to written word orally on an audio recorder
-Allowing frequent breaks to let out energy for hyperactive students
-Seating the student away from windows and doors to minimize distractions
-Allowing students to take tests in distraction free zone
Case Study #1:
"Melodie, 6, moved into Metropolis Elementary from Los Angeles in January of her grade one year. Her mother, a homemaker who appeared somewhat exhausted from managing Melodie, met with Miss Fontaine, the Grade 1 teacher. She informed the teacher that Melodie had been on Ritalin since Kindergarten and would need some special attention. She and her husband, an engineer, were looking for any suggestions the school could provide in managing Melodie at home as well. Miss Fontaine indicated that she would review Melodie's file and asked Melodie's mother if she and her husband could come in to meet with her and the school based team next week to discuss Melodie's program.
During the first week, Miss Fontaine made the following observations:
Melodie will receive one on one reading intervention with the reading specialist. She will work daily on decoding, phonemic awareness and sight words. She will be seated toward the front of the classroom to limit distractions between her and the teacher. Melodie will be reminded of expectations before each lesson and will be reminded to keep all comments made in class on the topic discussed. She will also have a stack of post it notes available in the event that she thinks of an idea she wants to tell her teacher while instructing. Melodie and the teacher will sit down at the end of each day and discuss any important ideas Melodie had that day. Melodie will be reminded to stay on task and will receive a nonverbal cue from her teacher if conversation is unrelated. She also may receive extra time to complete assignments with no distractions.
Case Study #2:
"Ms. Davies, Danny's grade three teacher, called Danny's foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Farmer, and asked them to come in for a meeting. She was finding that Danny was increasingly difficult to manage both on the playground and in class. At the meeting, Ms. Davies described her concerns about Danny's behaviour in school, and the parents indicated that Danny had similar difficulties at previous schools.
Together they reviewed the areas of concern and decided that aggressive playground behaviour and not following teacher directions in the classroom were the most pressing areas of concern. Ms. Davies and the Farmers agreed to implement a behaviour program focusing on these two concerns."
Danny's aggressive behavior is a concern in the classroom and playground. By implementing a behavior plan, this may help Danny work toward being less aggressive. Using marbles in a jar or receiving coins as positive reinforcement and then receiving a reward once a goal is met. I think it's most important that Danny receives coping strategies on how to calm down when he gets angry or feels aggressive such as deep breathing, walking away and taking a break, or using a stress ball. It's also possible that Danny's aggression and inability to listen to his teacher is common of a child with hyperactive ADHD. By providing Danny with visual cues and verbal reminders, Danny may be able to listen to directions. Also, by giving Danny written directions to refer back to, it may help him stay focused and keep control.
-Allowing the student to write shorter papers
-Giving extra time for assignments and tests
-Alternate projects or assignments that allow kinesthetic learning
-Dividing projects into smaller, more manageable tasks
Accommodations:
-Allowing students to record a lesson rather than take notes
-Using visual organizers and word webs
-Giving the student an outline of the lesson beforehand
-Allowing student to respond to written word orally on an audio recorder
-Allowing frequent breaks to let out energy for hyperactive students
-Seating the student away from windows and doors to minimize distractions
-Allowing students to take tests in distraction free zone
Case Study #1:
"Melodie, 6, moved into Metropolis Elementary from Los Angeles in January of her grade one year. Her mother, a homemaker who appeared somewhat exhausted from managing Melodie, met with Miss Fontaine, the Grade 1 teacher. She informed the teacher that Melodie had been on Ritalin since Kindergarten and would need some special attention. She and her husband, an engineer, were looking for any suggestions the school could provide in managing Melodie at home as well. Miss Fontaine indicated that she would review Melodie's file and asked Melodie's mother if she and her husband could come in to meet with her and the school based team next week to discuss Melodie's program.
During the first week, Miss Fontaine made the following observations:
- Melodie is cheerful and friendly. She seems keenly interested in pleasing the teacher and her classmates.
- Melodie appears to have a strong understanding of verbally presented information, knows her colours and can count to 100.
- Melodie's literacy skills are at the emergent stage - she cannot recall letter names and does not appear to have any sight vocabulary.
- Maintaining one to one correspondence with objects while counting is difficult for Melodie.
- Melodie completes 2 out of 20 questions when not medicated (she indicated that she forgot to take her pill on Thursday morning); she completes entire sheet of 20 questions when she has taken her medication
- During both individual and group instruction, Melodie frequently interrupts to ask unrelated questions and change topics.
- When interacting with peers, Melodie constantly changes topics and commonly leaves an activity or game while others continue to play."
Melodie will receive one on one reading intervention with the reading specialist. She will work daily on decoding, phonemic awareness and sight words. She will be seated toward the front of the classroom to limit distractions between her and the teacher. Melodie will be reminded of expectations before each lesson and will be reminded to keep all comments made in class on the topic discussed. She will also have a stack of post it notes available in the event that she thinks of an idea she wants to tell her teacher while instructing. Melodie and the teacher will sit down at the end of each day and discuss any important ideas Melodie had that day. Melodie will be reminded to stay on task and will receive a nonverbal cue from her teacher if conversation is unrelated. She also may receive extra time to complete assignments with no distractions.
Case Study #2:
"Ms. Davies, Danny's grade three teacher, called Danny's foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Farmer, and asked them to come in for a meeting. She was finding that Danny was increasingly difficult to manage both on the playground and in class. At the meeting, Ms. Davies described her concerns about Danny's behaviour in school, and the parents indicated that Danny had similar difficulties at previous schools.
Together they reviewed the areas of concern and decided that aggressive playground behaviour and not following teacher directions in the classroom were the most pressing areas of concern. Ms. Davies and the Farmers agreed to implement a behaviour program focusing on these two concerns."
Danny's aggressive behavior is a concern in the classroom and playground. By implementing a behavior plan, this may help Danny work toward being less aggressive. Using marbles in a jar or receiving coins as positive reinforcement and then receiving a reward once a goal is met. I think it's most important that Danny receives coping strategies on how to calm down when he gets angry or feels aggressive such as deep breathing, walking away and taking a break, or using a stress ball. It's also possible that Danny's aggression and inability to listen to his teacher is common of a child with hyperactive ADHD. By providing Danny with visual cues and verbal reminders, Danny may be able to listen to directions. Also, by giving Danny written directions to refer back to, it may help him stay focused and keep control.