Technology—and especially the subset of technology tools known as assistive technology—can be an effective element of the writing curriculum for students with disabilities. Assistive technology (AT) can be defined as a technology that allows someone to accomplish a critical educational or life task. Since writing is so integral to school success, AT is often indicated to assist students with disabilities. In this article, CITEd looks at how technology can support students’ writing.
Friends are people who know and like each other. All human beings need and want to share the common bond of friendship with others. Children with disabilities, particularly learning disabilities, do not always make friends as effortlessly and easily as do their nondisabled peers. Through the use of children’s literature, children with learning disabilities can be taught valuable skills that will enable them to make and maintain friendships.
Judy Zorfass, Tracy Gray, Ph.D., PowerUp WHAT WORKS
When attempting to decipher the meaning of a new word, it is often useful to look at what comes before and after that word. Learn about the six common types of context clues and how teachers can provide struggling students and those with learning disabilities with direct instruction in how to use these clues.
“Cooperative learning” (i.e., jigsaw, learning together, group investigation, student teams-achievement divisions, and teams-games-tournaments) is a generic term that is used to describe an instructional arrangement for teaching academic and collaborative skills to small, heterogeneous groups of students.
Alise Brann, Tracy Gray, Ph.D., Kristin Ruedel, PowerUp WHAT WORKS
Learn about mnemonic instruction, a technique that researchers say has solid effectiveness for individuals with learning disabilities. Review three important strategies, key words, peg words, and letters. Specific examples will help you use it with students or apply it to yourself.
Help your students remember their math facts. Mnemonic instruction is particularly helpful for students with short term memory problems. Learn how to use three important strategies, key words, pegwords,and letters.
Alise Brann, Tracy Gray, Ph.D., Judy Zorfass, PowerUp WHAT WORKS
As students advance through the grades and encounter more complex texts, they may need additional supports to meet the high expectations set by the Common Core State Standards.
