What Accommodations Are For
Kids with learning and attention issues may need to learn material differently than other kids their age. Accommodations are designed to give kids ways to learn and demonstrate knowledge of the same material as other kids their age.For example, if your child has trouble with writing, the teacher might let him give answers to a test verbally. This doesn’t change the test your child is taking. It changes the way he demonstrates what he knows.
Accommodations don’t lower the expectations for what kids learn. They don’t change what kids are taught or tested on. Instead, they support kids’ ability to learn well in the classroom and show their knowledge on tests by removing obstacles.
This article is very helpful, because sometimes I think way too hard into accommodations when it could be a simple change of format or style when needing to change test opportunities. A simple change in color, font, format, even changing the test from reading to listening can help a failing student succeed.
Although I have always understood the importance of accommodations, this school year has really opened my eyes to how much of a difference the proper accommodations can make!
This was a very good read. It is sometimes easy to forget how a simple tweak can make such a huge difference for a student. This is why it is important to keep manageable classroom sizes. Students are more successful when their teacher is able to know them all individually. One teacher may pick up on something that has been missed. An example hear is how a student may need to hear a question read aloud to them to better grasp the meaning.
I LOVE THIS! I teach in a small private school and we are very accommodating. My principal has said on several occasions that a child doesn’t need a diagnosis, he needs a teacher to see him and help. We have the freedom to send whatever child we think needs help, to the resource teacher. We have the resource teacher in our classroom twice a week to help those students who need the extra attention with comprehension, sounding out words, math, etc. We are also encouraged to give tests orally, send children to the resource room for quiet testing, help the children find books on tape in the library for Accelerated Reading quizzes, etc. Homework is also a big issue for students with learning disabilities. If they cannot do the work in class, how can they do it at home without the teacher? I believe homework should only be in study form. I hate the idea of a child struggling at school and then again at home. We are often questioned by our principal, “Are you testing for knowledge of material?” I remind myself of this often when I find myself struggling with a student.
Every child learns differently. Students need to be given accommodations to fit their needs and to help them be successful inside the classroom and outside the classroom as well. What works for one may not work for another student.