Awareness of Students with Diverse Learning Needs,
What the Teacher Needs to Know, Volume 1

Classroom Strategies

If the condition has been diagnosed, meet with the parents, other professionals involved in the assessment and the student as early as possible in the school year to determine the student's individual needs.

In general, the following classroom management strategies can be considered:

• Establish and maintain contact between parents, school and other professionals in the community to provide a structured and stable support system.
• Ensure a thorough assessment to establish the student's strengths and weaknesses.
• Be realistic in your expectations of the student. Establish these through discussions with the parents; the student will function best in a structure common to home and school.
• Develop an individual education plan (IEP) specific to the student's needs.
• If acceptable to both student and parents explain the nature of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effect to the class.
• Provide a calm, quiet environment, e.g., a room that is not over-stimulating or cluttered.
• Reduce stress. Be alert to physical symptoms: irritability, agitation, over reactions to minor occurrences.
• Maximize structure and routine: predictability and consistency in activities, avoid placement with multiple teachers, prepare and rehearse for special events. Provide transition between activities, and keep changes to a minimum.
• Seat the student consistently in the same place at a desk where distractions by other students will be minimized.
• Have a few simple rules with consistent enforcement and immediate consequences, e.g., a very short "time-out," preferably inside the classroom, not the hall unless supervised.
• Use a combination of teaching strategies to capitalize on the student's strengths. Use visual and/or oral presentations to supplement printed materials.
• Break up concentration activities with physical activities.
• When doing group activities, pair the child with a high tolerance child.
• Assist the student to become involved with others of the same age group. Encourage involvement in classroom and playground activities.
• Encourage the student to move from dependence on you and others to personal independence. This will assist in the growth of as much independence as possible.
• Be precise and concise in your instructions. The student needs to understand and grasp each step in a task one step at a time.
• Use visual time lines to help develop time-management skills.
• Help the student succeed by using simple aids such as: arrows to indicate direction in reading and writing, a dot in the top left hand corner to show where to start, use wide spaced paper, help keep the desk clear except for what is required for the task at hand, use a ruler or plain sheet of paper under each line being read.
• Do a lot of work with money.
• Teach calculator skills and allow the child to use the calculator in class.
• Allow extra time for tests or assignments.
• Refer to information on learning disabilities and/or emotionally disturbed students for further strategies for classroom assistance.