them. Below is a list of challenges your child may face during the school day along with specific accommodations to overcome them.
Talk with your child’s teacher about implementing these strategies .
Problem: ACTS UP IN ClASSroom
“Erik is easily distracted by classroom activity, acts
out in class to gain negative attention, and reaches
across desks to talk to or touch other students.”
ACCommodATIoNS To reqUeST
• Seat himfront and center, nearthe teacher, and away from
doors orwindowswhere noise or passing studentsmay
distract him
• Tweak the seating plan so he sits nextto a good rolemodel
• Increase the distance between desks, if possible
• For youngerstudents,mark an areawith tape around his
desk inwhich he canmove freely
Problem: INComPleTe ASSIGNmeNTS
“Julie is unable to complete work within the given
time, isn’t able to keep up the quality of work, and
has difficulty following instructions.”
ACCommodATIoNS To reqUeST
• Allowher extra time to complete assignedwork
• Break long assignmentsinto smallersegments
• Shorten assignments orwork periods
• Pairwritten instructionswith oral instructions
• Set a kitchen timerfor10-minute intervals and have the
student get up and showyou herwork
Problem: GeTS dISTrACTed
“Jennifer falls behind during classroom discussions;
when taking notes, complains that lessons are bor-
ing, and turns in work with careless mistakes.”
ACCommodATIoNS To reqUeST
• Provide her peer assistance in note taking and ask her
questionsto encourage participation in discussions
• Enlist herto help presentthe lesson
• Cue herto stay on taskwith a private signal—a gentle tap
on the shoulder,for example
• Schedule a five-minute period for herto check overwork
before turning in homework ortests.
Continued on next page.
Problem: INTerrUPTS
“Richard constantly engages in attention-getting
behavior, blurts out answers, and interrupts others.
He needs reinforcement and long-term help with
improving behavior.”
ACCommodATIoNS To reqUeST
• Ignoreminorinappropriate behavior
• Increase immediacy ofrewards and consequencesfor
good and bad behavior
• Acknowledge correct answers onlywhen his hand israised
and he is called upon
• Send daily/weekly progressreports home
• Set up a behavior contractwith student and parents
Problem: loSeS FoCUS
“Alex daydreams a lot and isn’t able to stay focused
on the subject matter thatis being taught.”
ACCommodATIoNS To reqUeST
• Use clear verbalsignals:“Freeze,”“Thisisimportant,” or
“One,two,three…eyes onme”
• Use a flashlight or a laser pointerto illuminate objects or
words youwant himto pay attention to
• Illustrate vocabularywords and science conceptswith
small drawings orstick figures
• Ring a bell or chimes; play a chord on a guitar or keyboard.
Problem: reSTleSS IN ClASS
“Robby is constantly tapping his foot and fingers in
class and has difficulty focusing for long periods of
time.”
ACCommodATIoNS To reqUeST
• Allowhimto run errands,to hand out papers, orto stand at
timeswhileworking
• Give hima fidgettoy in classto calmhimdown and to
increase concentration
• Provide short breaks between assignments
• Give himan air-filled rubber disk to sit on that
allows himtowiggle.
Problem: dISorGANIzed, Poor PlANNer
“Anita can’t keep track of papers and has trouble
remembering homework assignments. She loses
books allthe time.”
ACCommodATIoNS To reqUeST
• Color code bindersto specific academic subjects—green
formath,red for English
• Provide handoutsthat are three-hole punched in advance
• Use brightly colored paperfor project assignments,
providing details and due dates
• Provide studentwith assignment book and supervise
writing down of assignments
• Appointmonitorstomake sure thatstudentswrite down
homework assignments atthe end ofthe day
• Allowstudentto keep a set of books at home
Problem: SoCIAl ProblemS
“Marnie is unclear about social cues. She does not
work well with others and isn’t respected by her
peers. As a result, she has low self-confidence.”
ACCommodATIoNS To reqUeST
• Set up social-behavior goalswith her and implement a
reward program
• Encourage cooperative learning tasks
• Assign specialresponsibilitiesto herin presence of
peer group
• Compliment positive behavior andwork
• Give her an opportunity to actin a leadership role
• Encourage social interactionswith classmates
• Plan teacher-directed group activities
• Acknowledge appropriate behavior and goodwork frequently