Helping the Child with Auditory Deficits - Strategies for Following Instructions
Many learning disabled students have difficulty following directions and or instructions. Use this checklist to ensure that your strategies to deal with this deficit are optimized.
___ Use varying voice intonations.
___ Be aware of the range of learning styles - auditory, tactile, visual etc.
___ Be dynamic when you are presenting directions or instructions.
___ Clearly state your goals and ask them to be repeated by a student.
___ Use visuals, demonstration and modeling whenever possible.
___ Always summarize the key points.
___ Keep words to a minimum and maximize your visuals and modeling.
___ Use pauses and interjections to allow students time to process the information - paraphrase when you can.
___ Make use of frequent eye contact and touching. (Touching the student's shoulder helps with focus.
___ Introduce new concepts 1 at a time - avoid information overload.
___ Speak slowy and only when you have undivided attention. Pause to ensure you have the attention of everyone.
___ Student feedback and sharing should be ongoing.
___ Sentence structure should be simple and to the point.
___ Always activate prior knowledge from the students and relate the information to the child's environment - keep learning authentic.
___ Highlight key points with outlines, chart paper, in the student notes or on the board.
___ Provide students with ample opportunity to have misconceptions clarified, let other student clarify and repeat the objectives.
Many of the strategies here are employed by effective teachers on a regular basis. Sometimes it helps just to review the strategies to ensure that you are employing as many as you can. And finally and most importantly, be patient.
___ Use varying voice intonations.
___ Be aware of the range of learning styles - auditory, tactile, visual etc.
___ Be dynamic when you are presenting directions or instructions.
___ Clearly state your goals and ask them to be repeated by a student.
___ Use visuals, demonstration and modeling whenever possible.
___ Always summarize the key points.
___ Keep words to a minimum and maximize your visuals and modeling.
___ Use pauses and interjections to allow students time to process the information - paraphrase when you can.
___ Make use of frequent eye contact and touching. (Touching the student's shoulder helps with focus.
___ Introduce new concepts 1 at a time - avoid information overload.
___ Speak slowy and only when you have undivided attention. Pause to ensure you have the attention of everyone.
___ Student feedback and sharing should be ongoing.
___ Sentence structure should be simple and to the point.
___ Always activate prior knowledge from the students and relate the information to the child's environment - keep learning authentic.
___ Highlight key points with outlines, chart paper, in the student notes or on the board.
___ Provide students with ample opportunity to have misconceptions clarified, let other student clarify and repeat the objectives.
Many of the strategies here are employed by effective teachers on a regular basis. Sometimes it helps just to review the strategies to ensure that you are employing as many as you can. And finally and most importantly, be patient.