January 12, 2013 Applying Differentiated Instruction to a Student who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Elementary Math

A student who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may demonstrate consistent inattentiveness and be impulsive in his or her thoughts and/or actions, and may also be hyperactive. These factors may impede on their success academically, socially, and further down the road in a job-related setting. Differentiated Content: The main focus of differentiated content that I would apply for a student with ADHD would be to seize as much attention as possible. I would reduce the number of questions required of the exceptional student in a given assignment. Also, I would have long assignments modified into shorter, less repetitive, assignments that would be much more opened ended so the student would be able to be straight-forward in demonstrating what they do know. In elementary math, I would offer manipulatives, visuals, and calculators to aid in the understanding of content. Furthermore, due to a lack of focus, I may also reduce the reading level of materials or have them simplified into other terms that the student may be more familiar with. Therefore, they would not lose attention over words they may not understand. Differentiated Process In the process, I believe it would be beneficial for the student to be seated in an area that would be easily accessible, close to the front of the room, and as least disruptive as possible. Allowing the student to go to a quiet area, use headphones when working independently, or work in a small group, could help them keep their attention. Keeping a

student who has ADHD organized could greatly benefit their attention, such as separating all classes in different colored folders. Having regular contact with the childs parents/guardians and providing daily feedback will guide the child and show them their strengths and specifics as to how to continue to move ahead. A student who has ADHD could benefit from being taught in relatable terms, such as using mnemonics to hold attention. If choices are given, their interests could be explored and students can excel in their area of curiosity. Also, by reading directions to the child and explaining them clearly can aid the student in not getting caught up in insignificant details. To support the child, having stress balls or Velcro under the desk could all them to combat their hyperactivity and gain focus in a classroom environment. Differentiated Product In regards to the students products, it is important to consider the exhaustion they may experience from long periods of focus and how the build up of that may release. Adjusting the expectations based on the students abilities can accommodate this. Also, outside of mathematics and applying this to the students entire class work, homework should be prioritized so that the student does not feel overwhelmed at home.

January 19, 2013 Differentiating for a Student with ADHD The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) currently defines three subtypes of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The Predominantly Inattentive is characterized by displaying more features of inattentiveness than hyperactivity or impulsivity (Hutchinson, 87). Students with ADHD may experience difficulty listening and complete given instructions or duties, including homework. Students who are predominantly inattentive may also make careless mistakes, disregard specific details, or have problems staying on task. Organization comes as a major challenge typically for students with ADHD, and they may forget things, such as bringing home a specific book for homework. Generally, students with ADHD avoid work that requires concentration for long periods of time, and may be easily distracted by the classroom environment. Daydreaming and rushing are also characteristics of the predominantly inattentive type of ADHD (Hutchinson, 87). Students with ADHD may also be effected socially and experience fewer reciprocal friendships (Hutchinson, 88). I was fortunate enough to be in a second grade classroom for my first internship. In this classroom, was a child in the beginning stages of becoming diagnosed with ADHD. This student in particular was struggling with reading, and it was suspected that his inattentiveness since kindergarten caused him to miss out on essential components to reading. Furthermore, he was so easily distracted that it was immensely difficult for him to focus to read in class. As his teacher, the greatest challenge I experienced was being available for him, as he required plenty of attention and help, and being available for all the other students as well.

Differentiating activities for a primary aged student with ADHD can involve various components. Creating a graphic organizer can allow students to simplify the concepts and minimalize distractions the page, and also can be used as a refresher of strategies later on if needed. Allowing the student to participate in kinesthetic activities can allow for thoughts to be committed to memory and a break to regain focus. Furthermore, strategies should be given to the student to help optimize their organizational skills, such as color-coded folders, minimalizing notebooks, and having books prepared in advance. Giving students with ADHD extra time to complete assignments can minimize their need to rush through and allow themselves to take the time to do their best at their own pace especially since long periods of concentration are exhausting! Tiered instruction can highly benefit students with ADHD, as they can be challenged appropriately for their level of readiness and their needs. The teacher can account for all the suggestions made above, along with the myriad of strategies available to help students with ADHD, into their plans. Therefore, all students can be supported and challenged at their own individual levels.

January 31, 2014 Response to Autism Presentation Over the summer, I worked at an autism resource center as a social skills trainer. Before I was even allowed to work with the children, I had to undergo a two-week training course on autism spectrum disorders. Going into this presentation with a good sense of knowledge on this topic, I found Christines presentation excellent! It was very factual and she had a lot of good information for teachers to use. I feel as though autism is something that people often fear, rather than trying to understand (this is probably the case for most exceptionalities). I would argue that the children I have worked with are by far some of the most amazing humans I have ever met. I appreciated that Christine was so real with us, and did not sugarcoat what it is like to work with children with ASD. There are times when you do have to evacuate your classroom due to a meltdown. Looking back, I should have asked Christine how to teach children with autism that are non-verbal. I do have some experience in this area, but social skills and the curriculum are two separate things. Also, many of the other students in the class could have benefited from this question. Model Me Kids videos demonstrate social skills by modeling peer behaviour in various scenarios that a child would be, such as at school, on the playground, at a birthday party, at the dentist, etc. These videos are designed to be a teaching tool for children-teenagers with autism, Asperger Syndrome, and developmental delays. The specified skill is broken down step by step, in order to eliminate any confusion and anxiety. I love that children model the skills in each video, so that the children can see that this really is what kids do at birthday parties for example. People who have autism

are often very literal, so it would be likely that these videos would lose meaning if they were animated or starred adults. The website also has sections for parents, teachers, and therapists, which include social skills lesson plans, curriculum, and sheets. I would definitely recommend this resource to fellow teachers and parents, if they were interested in helping their childs social skills. Attending social settings is a challenge people with autism will have to face throughout their life, but they are not hopeless! As Christine said at the end of the presentation, we should not limit any student based on their disability. As teachers, we do need to consider how children play and teach them how to play and to interact with others. Our jobs go far beyond subject matter in the curriculum.

February 8, 2014 Center for Speech and Language Disorders This video was quite interesting, because presents itself as a case study, following the story of a boy named Austin and his experience at the Center for Speech and Language Disorders. Austin arrived at the center when he was four, and his mother commented that as soon as they walked in, they no longer felt as though they were different. This is incredibly heartwarming, for a place to be so welcoming and supportive that they removed those feelings of being different! Austin loved Thomas the Tank Engine, and had memorized the lines from the television show and repeated them due to echolalia. They attributed his love for Thomas the Tank Engine to his reason for being able to discover that words have meaning. As a teacher, I believe this reinforces the fact that you need to get to know your students. If they have a love for something, you need to cater to that love because it motivates them. Working with kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), I have seen echolalia and interests, similar to Austins, many times. It is an encouraging factor to use those interests to help the child branch off from their echolalia and into independent speech. I was surprised to see Austin as a teenager and was thrilled that he learned to drive and got his first job. They then interviewed him on his communication disorder and he discussed how far he came and that his dream is to become a culinary artist! From the center, Austin is now able to express himself verbally and communicate; skills that he did not have throughout his life and skills that are still growing. As the mission of the center, Austin is reaching his full potential.

As mentioned in the video, every child and family is unique. When working with any child, you have to take this into consideration. A diagnosis is not a label. Every child is different and exceptional, regardless of his or her exceptionality.