How to Work With Children With Behavioral & Learning Problems in a Classroom
According to West Virginia University, behavioral disorders affect approximately two to six percent of all students in public schools. The University of Michigan asserts that as many as 10 percent of all public school students have a learning disability. Based on these statistics, classroom teachers should expect that they will likely encounter both learning-disabled students and behaviorally challenged students throughout their teaching careers.
Instructions
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Dealing with Behavioral Problems
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Establish clear behavioral rules and expectations such as those shown on the Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support website at www.pbis.org. Post rules in the classroom.
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Teach all children in the class how to apply the rules and procedures for every area of the school building and for every activity in the classroom. Often, teachers assume that students know how to behave appropriately, but, in many cases, they genuinely don't. Review rules often.
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3
Offer choices. When a student chooses an activity or assignment to complete, she is much less likely to misbehave. If she does misbehave, give her the choice to either continue working on her assignment or to move to a timeout area in the classroom.
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Reward students for displaying appropriate behaviors. Give them tangible rewards such as stickers or other small prizes. Play money or tickets can also be given, then redeemed for prizes at a later time.
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Work collaboratively with other teachers and professionals to plan behavioral interventions for students who continue to display inappropriate behaviors. Also, involve the parents, but realize that parents cannot always control how their kids behave at school.
Dealing with Learning Problems
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6
Pre-assess all students before beginning a unit of study to determine each child's performance level. Those with learning problems may be lacking prerequisite skills that will need to be taught prior to teaching grade-level skills.
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Plan differentiated lessons. These are meant to meet the varying needs of all students in the classroom, including those with learning problems. With differentiated instruction, teachers consider the ability levels and interests of the students in the classroom. Students will complete assignments based on their needs and interests. So, modifying assignments to promote a student's success is appropriate. For example, instead of asking a student with learning problems to write a paragraph about the water cycle, ask him to illustrate the water cycle.
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8
Pair students with learning disabilities with other students in the classroom who can provide tutorial support. Be careful not to place too much burden on any one student, and ensure that the student helper feels comfortable tutoring.
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Consult with other teachers and professionals for ideas on how to help those children with learning problems. In many cases, children with learning problems will have support from a special education teacher. Classroom teachers and special education teachers should collaborate often. In addition, teachers should connect with and involve parents.
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Tips & Warnings
Never argue with a student.
Never lose your temper in front of students.
References
- Photo Credit vacation study 8 image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
