How to Teach Math to Disabled Children
For children with disabilities, everyday tasks can be difficult. Things most people take for granted, such as getting dressed or learning simple academic skills, can be extremely challenging for these children. However, just because things may be difficult does not mean they are impossible. Children with disabilities may take more time to learn concepts, or learn things in a different way, but they can still learn. If you're interested in teaching math to children with disabilities, here are some tips to help you.
Instructions
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Be willing to adapt. If you're used to teaching math to children without disabilities, you must be willing to adapt your teaching strategies to the needs of these special children. Children with disabilities may learn at a slower pace and take more time to grasp concepts. You will likely have to abandon your traditional timetable for how quickly children should be growing in their math skills and let the child with disabilities set his own pace for how quickly he understands math concepts.
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Make it fun. Learning math concepts can be overwhelming for any child, let alone a child who is disabled. Help take the pressure off of learning by being creative and making math lessons fun. If you're teaching children about numbers, for example, have children color pictures of numbers, sing number songs and play games with numbers. This exposes the children to math concepts without any pressure.
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Use manipulatives and assistive tools to make abstract concepts easier to understand. If you're teaching number values, offer the children objects to count so they can see the value. You may want to make assistive tools to make this even easier. For instance, make a laminated piece of paper with the number 3 and three circles. Have the child place three bears into the three circles and count them. The tool will take the pressure off of the child while allowing him to count independently. Fade to a laminated number 3 without the circles when you think the child starts counting more consistently.
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Teach math concepts throughout the day. Integrate the math concept you're teaching throughout the day. Request that children draw an allotted number of objects during art if you're teaching counting. Count the days on the calendar during circle time and the number of milk cartons on the tray during lunch. This use of repetition will help the children generalize the concepts you're trying to teach.
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Reinforce success. When a child with disabilities understands a new concept, celebrate it. Make a huge deal about how well he is doing. This will instill confidence and help motivate the child to keep learning math concepts even if they are difficult for him.
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