Every learner is unique due to their looks, behaviour, learning pattern, thinking ability,
performance, etc. including several other parameters.
Some like Math whereas others enjoy art, some enjoy dance whereas others enjoy learning history lessons.
Thus, we can’t expect from each student in a class of 20 or 30 to learn through one method.
Sometimes, we need to change our learning methods so the students don’t find studying boring but more interesting.
Where a class of regular students can manage to learn with standard learning method, a class of special students need extra effort and variety in teaching-learning methods.
Some students may have challenges in hearing, understanding letters/numbers, mental calculations, seeing things clearly, thinking, etc. but they’re no different.
All they need is an empathetic, caring, and understanding facilitator who makes them feel equal, and teach by going down their level of learning.
Let’s understand 5 strategies that may help an SEN student.
Practice creating IEP:
In a one-to-one class with students, it gets a lot better to support special education needs learners, but with IEP (Individual Education Plan), every SEN student can get proper support.
An IEP plan is a detailed record of a student’s needs, challenges, interests, and strengths.
The record detail can keep on changing, as a young pupil could have different interests or things to talk about.
However, these details help an educator a lot to facilitate learning. E.g. a student who feels difficulty focusing for more than 30 minutes, can get a break for 5 minutes and talk about their recent favourite thing that happened.
Whereas a bright student would need more challenging sums, so s/he can attend mastery, and their time may be utilised in the most appropriate manner.
Above two examples explains the need of the two different students and how acting differently as per their behaviour helps them to study and grow.
Storytelling:
Pupils love listening to stories. Irrespective of the subject, the teacher can use a story to deliver a concept.
E.g. If it’s a Math class, and the concept of Fraction is being taught, then it’s better to explain it by using examples from their day-to-day life, instead just explaining concepts and formulas to solve a question.
Visualization:
The study explains children up to age 5 have the best visualisation power.
They understand best when they can relate to a situation while studying a concept.
That’s why a teacher should do more group activities, give them a situation to connect to the concept or use educational tools like youtube videos, and animation to help them connect with their subject.
Educational games:
The old traditional method of teaching doesn’t work anymore nowadays.
A class of 30 students, where the teacher is speaking for more than 20 minutes, and students are listening quietly isn’t admirable.
A class where the students are enjoying learning and interacting more with their teacher is praise-worthy.
Playing educational games in the class act as a big learning support for Special education needs students.
Games like solving puzzles, finding missing letters, timers for mental calculations, etc. are fun activities that push the student’s learning boundaries.
Adding a small activity on every alternate day of their class can increase their engagement, interaction, and learning ability.
Assessment:
Assessment is the second most important phase of learning anything new.
With young pupils, we may try a variety of techniques to assess the student’s understanding.
Role-Swap: It’s a wonderful method where the role of a teacher and student swap.
Most students enjoy being like their teacher. So one student would solve a problem step-wise-step and explain it to other students.
One problem can be solved in more than 2-3 steps so different students may call to solve every step.
Colouring: Provide a sheet with a question on it provided with two answer choices.
Give the two colours to every student. Ask them to colour the right answer from green, and the wrong answer from red.
This activity or similar activity wouldn’t let the student feel the pressure of giving an assessment.
It’ll keep them from the pressure of choosing the wrong answer or getting a low score.
Work in pairs: The assessment type may differ as per the level/grade of the students.
This assessment method may help students above grades 4-5.
Divide the class into a few groups. Provide a sheet to each group with one problem on it.
Allocate a specific time to solve the problem.
Ask them to solve it on paper, and then each person in the group will have to explain a bit of the solution to win the challenge.
This way helps to make students engage, feel competitive, and keep their test-related fear away.
Reverse - Answer to the question:
Providing the question and expecting students to solve it for the answer is an ancient old method for assessment.
Just provide a number to the students and ask students to frame a number problem around it.
It may feel challenging, but it’ll ignite the student’s brain cells and they will find something new to learn instead of thinking that their understanding is being assessed.
Do you find these strategies helpful? The Conclusion
Try some of these and get your answer.
Until you don’t try you’ll never understand the impact of the afore-mentioned activity.
Over time, teachers explained a topic to their SEN students using similar or interesting activities, and they got to see the result.
Yes, planning will take time.
Extra time would require to explain one topic.
Repeated explanations would be required.
Some strategies may work and some may not.
However, continuous efforts, patience, and passion to make the students progress will sail you through all the hurdles, and the student’s progress will be evident.
So, start practising the new strategies with your SEN students today!
Good luck!
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