Accommodations in the Classroom
by Ashley Ewert
Having students who need accommodations is nothing new to many Special Education teachers. Daily, Special Education teachers are faced with adapting curriculum to help meet the needs of each student. Students with disabilities require planned supports to participate meaningfully in classroom activities and lessons with their peers in general education. I teach in a classroom that students require accommodations daily. My students have physical and health impairments. They are learning from a grade level curriculum. When teachers are given curriculum and materials, they are often faced with difficulties in implement the curriculum with accommodations. Adapting the curriculum can help students succeed with grade level expectations.
An accommodation is an adjustment to the instruction or method of student performance that does not substantially change the curriculum level or performance criteria. Accommodations in the classrooms enable students to access curriculum content or demonstrate learning without changing curriculum goals. Accommodations can be made by the classroom general education teacher or a special educator. They help improve how the student is learning, so the student is successful in accessing grade level curriculum. Accommodations can be made in all shapes and sizes. They not only help children with physical impairment, but they can also help students with learning and/or attention needs. Standard accommodations include presentation, response, settings, timing, scheduling, and organization.
"Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or in the same way." John Evans
Examples of Accommodations in the classroom:
*Listen to audio recordings instead of reading text
*Work with fewer items per page and/or materials in a larger print size
*Recording a lesson instead of taking notes
*Use of visual content (bubble maps, visual organizers)
*Dictate answers
*Use of a spelling dictionary or an electric speller
*Use of a calculator
*Take a test in a different setting (quiet room)
*Use of sensory tools
*Allowing more time to complete assignments
*Take frequent breaks
*Use of special seating (such as in the picture below)
"Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need." ― Rick Riordan
"To teach is to touch a life forever." -Anonymous
Ashley Ewert
Hi Ashley. Even though I don't teach in a special ed.setting, per se, this information is applicable as every year we all have students who are in need of accomodations. Thank you! :)
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