"Special" Learning Conditions

"I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn."
- Albert Einstein

This is a humbling philosophy to think about as a teacher. My job description says “teacher,” but now I’m supposed to be a creator of optimal learning conditions instead? It’s easy to assume that teaching something to your class means that the students all learned it. With the variety of abilities, learning styles, and needs in every classroom (and the possibility that some of the students MIGHT not be listening…) this is not always the case.

I believe Einstein’s idea is very important to remember in mainstream classrooms and even more important in special education classrooms, where accommodating students’ needs is a main priority. Much of the planning in a special education environment centers on how to create the most effective learning environment for each student. I feel like there is less of a focus on the environment in most mainstream classrooms.

All classrooms are made up of varied abilities, learning styles, and interests, but the range of these differences in many special education classrooms can require more diligent planning. I am amazed by the capability of special education teachers to modify and adjust, both in their planning and on the fly. I think every teacher should learn from the adaptations that special education teachers implement every day.

If you are a special education teacher, or if you have students with special needs in a mainstream classroom, it’s vital to have as much information as you can about the necessary accommodations these students will need. When you are well armed with information, creating the best learning conditions is much easier. Get Help Teaching Special Needs is a nice resource guide that will help you get familiar with special education and provide you with links to resources for learning disabilities.

There is plenty information available about the best techniques for creating successful learning environments for each particular special need. Joann and I have written columns about some of these techniques in the past couple of years. I am featuring a few of these posts this week along with some other resources that are built around adaptations intended for special education but are equally as useful for creating a good learning environment in a mainstream classroom. To read Joann’s original post about inclusion and special education, click here.

Dyslexic students and students with other learning disabilities may have a hard time writing. These students can benefit from resources like the "Blood on the River" Reading Project, which encourages students to sum up their reading with technology projects rather than writing assignments. This type of adaptation is refreshing in a mainstream classroom, too. It gives kids a chance to display their knowledge in new ways. As you explore this and other Gateway resources, be sure to look at the suggested resources in the right hand column next to the resource description for more similar resources you might find useful.

Students with certain special needs can benefit from movement built into activities throughout the school day. I would argue that most students would do well with a little more movement in their day! Whether or not a student has an identified disorder, including movement in the school day can improve attention span and the overall mood in the classroom (for students and teachers). Joann wrote about resources for movement here. Another resource, Six Dance Movement Lesson Plans for Parents of Children with Special Needs will give you more ideas for including movement in your lessons.

Music can be a great tool for all learners, both as a memory aid and for helping pique student interest. Joann wrote a column about music in the classroom, and I wrote a companion column. Also look at this middle school activity where students create a soundtrack to a novel they have read. I thought this might be a fun alternative to a written book report.

Special education teachers dealing with visual and auditory issues are careful to build activities using multiple senses into their lessons. Read my post on engaging student’s senses here. If you are looking for more support with helping kids on the autistic spectrum, we also have two posts here and here that might interest you.

This week’s post ended up being a roundup of a lot of our past columns. I just kept thinking of things we have written that tied into the theme! I hope you will find something that is useful. If you think it would be useful to one of your colleagues, please forward it to them as well. We hope to see you this week on Facebook and Twitter, where you will find even more great resources.