How would you adapt your teaching style in your own class to meet the needs of a student like Maria - a student who is hard of hearing?
- I would start by making sure I approached the previous teacher. In this case study, when this didn’t happen, the Grade 5 teacher wasn’t as successful as the previous Grade 4 teacher, in making Maria’s learning at school positive. Once her teacher spoke to her previous teacher, he gained lots of insight into how to improve the situation.
- In the grade 4 class the successful element seemed to be a ‘carrel’ in a quiet corner of the classroom where she could take her work to help her concentrate.
- Pairing students with a buddy would also be beneficial so that children like Maria have a close network of friends within the class to always be there for her. Working in pairs, would be better than working in a larger group.
- Listing the agenda on the board, as well as writing homework on the board would be good visual reminder too.
- I would always take advice from a specialist. If confused about a situation or still struggling, asking for help is imperative.
- Maria used speech reading to supplement her hearing, therefore, I would ensure that I speak clearly (without covering my face) and am facing a child who is hard of hearing.
- Keep notes (like a journal) to help you reflect on the change of practice. Maybe some ideas won’t work out and maybe some will. Reflecting is the only way to improve.
Who else might benefit from these adaptations? These changes/adaptations may benefit more
than just the child who is hard of hearing. Reading was a big issue and
making improvements to your reading program will help the comprehension
of not only children like Maria, but also help other children who are
struggling with reading. The case study went into further detail about
what kind of changes were made to the reading program such as taking a
small group before a text was read with the rest of the class to discuss
trick words and make predictions. She also mentioned a strategy called
‘partially completed chapter maps to fill in – retelling a buddy what
they had read afterwards. The idea of using a thumbs up/down strategy is
one that I have used with my class for as long as I can remember. It
is a visual, silent signal that all children benefit from. The
quiet working area, as well, is a very popular part of a classroom for
children with ADHD, autism or just about anyone who just wants a quiet
place to retreat to. Therefore, all of these adaptations make the
classroom a better place for everyone!
Rebecca
No comments:
Post a Comment