Intellectual Disabilities & Differentiated Instruction

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DIFFERENTIAL INSTRUCTION

What is it?  Teaching methods that focus on a variety of techniques tailored to the student’s individual learning needs and interests.

Create instructional activities using multiple intelligences:

*Linguistic                                 *Bodily-kinesthetic

*Logical                                     *Musical

*Mathematical                           *Interpersonal/intrapersonal

*Spatial                                      *Naturalistic

Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Students with intellectual disabilities often have difficulty with abstract concepts and may think more concretely. They may have difficulty applying knowledge to new situations and generally learn at a slower pace.

Primary strategies

*Use lots of repetition.                                                

*Use concrete pictures, models and hands on materials to                 

increase understanding.

Activity: Glue objects that begin with the same letter onto

a larger letter. For example, glue buttons onto the letter B.

Junior/Intermediate strategies

*Allow for additional learning time for new information.

*Re-teach/regularly review previously learned vocabulary and concepts.

Activity: With the use of math blocks (1’s- 10’s- 100’s), students can learn basic counting, adding and subtracting.

Secondary strategies

*Use realistic examples that the student has experienced.

*Use computers and assistive technology.

Activity: Student could create a glogster poster on the computer. This poster represents the student's likes/dislikes or interests. The poster opens up the student’s creative side.

Self- Regulatory Skills

Students with intellectual disabilities may have difficulty knowing the appropriate behaviours to use in a given situation. For this reason, the following accommodations to the environment are recommended.

Primary strategies

*Allow for frequent breaks (physical walk or activity).

*Use visual cues to show the steps of pro-social behaviours.

Activities: Use a chart showing feelings and the correct way to communicate those feelings and how to handle conflicts.

Use role playing techniques to model appropriate behaviours in various situations.

For Example: 

Emotion                                 What to do?

        STOP!

        Count to 10.

        Walk away.

Junior/Intermediate strategies

*Positively reinforce appropriate behavior and/or self-regulation strategies. Use formalized chart/tracking to do this.

*Re-direct the student at the onset of behaviours or when triggers are present.

Activities: Use the “help signal” program. With the use of a brightly coloured index card, students place the appropriate colour on their desks when they encounter a problem with a given task. The student may switch to another task (agreed ahead of time with the teacher) while waiting for assistance. This teaches independent work habits, patience, and self- regulatory skills. 

Secondary strategies

*Regularly review classroom rules and consequences.

*Label and acknowledge the choices that the student makes.

Activities: With the use of bibliotherapy and teacher assistance, have the students read about social stories that relate to them. Talk about the methods used by the main characters in the book to solve the problems they faced.

Memory

Students with intellectual disabilities may have difficulty remembering information that that they have just received, as well as previously learned material.  They may also take longer to recall information such as names and specific vocabulary. For this reason, the following accommodations are recommended.

Primary strategies

*Use concise and simple instructions.

*Use repetition.

Activities: While singing the Animal Alphabet Song, students will act out the animals they hear. A is for Alligator, B is for Bear, C is for Cat, etc. This helps with learning the alphabet and animal behaviour all in a fun, musical, kinesthetic way. 

- Matching Mittens Game: Cut out mittens and decorate them with various shapes. Then play a matching game with them. Make sure there are two sets of each mitten match. This will teach shapes and memory skills.

Junior/Intermediate strategies

*Teach memory strategies such as rehearsal, association and mnemonics.

*Establish and use home communication systems and student agendas for accurate relay of homework projects.

Activities: Using 3D shapes, have the students arrange them in simple patterns.  For example, red triangle, red triangle, blue circle. Repeat the pattern.

Secondary strategies

*Use sticky notes/highlighters and a colour system for the student to locate key information and find it again.

*Use colour coded system for notebooks and notes

This allows students to focus their available cognitive strength on tasks at hand.

 Life Skills

Everyone needs life skills for daily, personal functioning. However, the student with an intellectual disability will require repetition, review and regular reinforcement to become successful. For this reason, the following accommodations are recommended:

Primary- Chart showing proper toileting and hand washing techniques posted in the washroom. 

Junior/Intermediate- The student could assist in cleaning the white board, desks, paintbrushes etc.

Secondary- Take the students on a field trip to the grocery store to learn how to shop for food within a certain budget.

Take the students to a nursing home and teach them the necessary skills involved in cleaning an apartment.

Other Resources: 

To help with motivation, use the computer as a positive reinforcement/reward tool.

·       Kerproof 

·       Starfall 

·       Funbrain 

INSTRUCTIONAL SCAFFOLDING:

Instructional scaffolding is new learning built of previous knowledge.  This is an educational method that focuses on teacher support leading a self-sufficient student.