Focus on Exceptional Children

Read By: Ronie Daniels

Objective:
The purpose of this article is to provide a summary of effective comprehension
strategies that focus on assessing knowledge to improve the comprehension skills of
students with LD. The article also provides readers with assessment techniques to
monitor student progress to inform reading comprehension instruction.
Strategy #1: Text Enhancement Strategies
Research has shown that integration of instruction devices allows teachers to select,
organize, and present difficult to understand material and make the text more
meaningful for the students includes students with LD. Research indicated that
instruction using graphic organizers, story maps that emphasize story grammar
elements in narrative texts, outlines, and story lines, etc., increase text
comprehension and recall for students with LD. The article provides example of
different graphic organizers that are beneficial to students with LD.

Strategy #2: Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies

Cognitive strategies, single or multiple, have been shown to help students with LD
learn from text. Some examples of single strategies are cognitive mapping,
questioning, identifying main ideas, recognizing text structure, and summarization.
A Closer Look: Assessment of Reading
Assessment tasks shouldnt only focus on whether the answer is right or wring, but
also on the reading comprehension process (how students are thinking or
developing ideas.) questionnaires, observations, interviews, and thinkalouds are all
good ways to assess students ability to understand their own comprehension
process.
Conclusion:
Developing the comprehension skills of students with LD requires that instruction
focus on both text enhancement strategies as well as cognitive and metacognitive
strategies. Use of graphic organizers and cognitive strategies help students with LD
become more self-directed readers because they will be actively engaging with the
material.
Implementing this in the Classroom:

When you assign your students to read something, have them complete a graphic
organizer to go along with their readings. This should help the students organize
their thoughts and help them to better remember the material. Also, implementing
cognitive and metacognitive strategies in the classroom will help you better assess
your students comprehension of the material. Ask your students to complete the
reading assignment and then summarize what they read. Also, you could have your
students complete questionnaires after their readings. You can ask your students
such as, When you are reading and you dont fully comprehend something, what do
you do and what do you do to help you remember what you read? If you want to
help your students with their comprehension and strategies for remembering what
theyve read you must provide a way for them to be actively engaged in their
readings.
My Thoughts:
I struggled with reading comprehension in elementary school. I would read all of
the assigned readings and never fully comprehend everything I read. This article put
things in perspective for me! You must have your students organize their thoughts
and write them down. This will help both you and your students. It will help you, as
a teacher, because you will have assessed your students abilities and youll know
what topic you should work on with him/her. This will help your student with
his/her reading comprehension and memorization because they will have written it
down and organized their thoughts.

Strategies for Adapting Science Textbooks

for Youth with Learning Disabilities
Read By: Ronie Daniels
Objective:
To offer a rationale for modifying textbooks for youth with learning disabilities who
are in general education classes. And to review research having to do with four
adaptation approaches: study guides, graphic organizers, vocabulary drill, and
computerassisted instruction.
Study Guides:
Researchers have demonstrated that study guides are effective in assisting students
through secondary textbooks which contain numerous facts and details. study
guides were effective when students had to search for the answer themselves after
reading the text.
Graphic Organizers:
When students were given graphic organizers after producing some form of written
product such as an outline, they were given a graphic organizer and asked for fill it
in. When students performed a written product they were able to fill in the graphic
organizers efficiently. In another example, the students did the readings then went
over the graphic organizer together as she taught a lesson. Then after the
instruction, they were given in empty graphic organizer and asked to fill it out. The
students average test scores across the board were higher when given graphic
organizers.
Vocabulary Drill in a Precision Teaching Model
The verbal technique described her for adapting textbook material includes 1minute timed drills where students write terms that match definitions or vice versa.
Students are told to match words to their definitions. Key vocabulary serves as a
foundation on which facts, concepts, and relationships are built.
Implementing in the Classroom:
It would be a good idea for teachers to assign readings from the textbooks to their
students the day before the lesson. Then when the teacher is giving his/her lesson
see can post a graphic organizer on the board and fill it out with the students as
he/she goes over the material. Then the teacher can have the students fill it out by

themselves after the instruction has concluded. This strategy allows for the students
to rehearse the material they are learning and effectively organize their thoughts on
the reading.
Testing the students vocabulary skills before and after your lesson is another great
idea! Conduct a pre-test and then a post-test to see what exactly your children have
learned. These definitions should relate to the lesson being taught.
Example:

My Thoughts:
I can remember being in middle school and high school and getting study guides to
help me study for the exams. This didnt help me understand the information; it
helped me memorize the information. However, I liked that this article focused on
letting the children find the answers and then graphically organizing the material
they found. I have noticed that this task has also helped me as a college student. I
understand that modifying textbooks will take time but it must be done so that your
students can get a deeper understanding of the material. Also, the idea of increasing
your students vocabulary skills and concepts that have to do with the lesson helps
provide background knowledge for which other knowledge can build upon.

Creating Learning Opportunities for Students with

Severe Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms
Read By: Ronie Daniels
Objective:
To discuss how professionals can recognize learning opportunites for students with
severe disabilities within general educations activities. And to provide ways for
students to work on there individualized objectives in various settings.
Implementing This in the Classroom:
Physical Placement alone is necessary but not sufficient condition for successful
inclusion. Signing up for different centers of activities can encourage the
development of literacy skills in young children with disabilities.
The article suggests allowing a student with special needs to get out materials, get
into groups, and clean up to include them in the days activities. When the class is
doing working on writing or story, the student can use pictures or items and parts of
items to illustrate their work and then add words or sentences to their picture. The
article basically suggests that you get students with special involved in the days
activities so that they have an opportunity to learn.
If a lesson doesnt provide a chance for students with disabilities to learn then the
teacher need to try and create this opportunities and add them to the lesson.
Simply allowing a student to help you with the materials can teach a student many
skills:
-handle items appropriately
-Follow directions
-work on math skills
-engage in social interaction skills
My Thoughts:
There are multiple ways to provide to teach students with special needs. The only
limitation is the creativity of the team that supports the child. There are many
learning possibilities that can come out of each lesson. Simple things such as,
practicing writing their names can be learning possibilities.

Can Assistive Technology Help Us to Not Leave Any Child Behind?

Read By: Ronie Daniels
Objective:

Citations

Downing, J. E., & Eichinger, J. (2003). Creating Learning Opportunities for

Students With Severe Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms. Teaching Exceptional
Children, 36(1), 26.

Jitendra, A. K., & Gajria, M. (2011). Reading Comprehension Instruction

for Students with Learning Disabilities. Focus On Exceptional Children, 43(8), 116.
Lovitt, T. C., & Horton, S. V. (1994). Strategies for adapting science
textbooks for youth with learning disabilities. Remedial & Special Education,
15(2), 105.

Weikle, B., & Hadadian, A. (2003). Can Assistive Technology Help Us to

Not Leave Any Child Behind?. Preventing School Failure, 47(4), 181-186.