Identifying students who are not reaching their full potential is an ongoing process. As teachers observe students working in the classroom, the strengths and needs of individuals become apparent. Some students appear to understand the concepts, but have difficulty completing written assignments. Some are able to understand complex ideas when doing experiments, but completely miss the point when the same information is presented as required reading. Others appear to work diligently all the time, but are not able to pass a single test.

Sometimes students who are having difficulty with learning mask their embarrassment by using inappropriate behaviour. For example, someone who lacks the skills to effectively copy notes from the blackboard may be disruptive during note-taking activities. A student who has experienced little success in math may lack confidence and will refuse to undertake independent practice of new operations. A student who has trouble spelling may lack fluency in writing or may refuse to revise a poorly written first draft.

Understanding why students have difficulty learning is the first step to helping them achieve success in the classroom. If a specific special education need has been identified through a formal assessment process, the reason for learning problems may be documented. For example, the student may have a specific learning disability or medical diagnosis that has an effect on his/her ability to learn. When a formal assessment process has not taken place or when environmental factors are affecting a student's ability to learn, the reasons for a learning problem may be less evident. Students who have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma, for example, may also require classroom adaptations and supports.

Special Education: A Manual of Poli-
cies, Procedures and Guidelines and
Awareness of Chronic Health Condi-
tions : What the Teacher Needs, B.C.
Ministry of Education, 1995

Diagnosing Difficulty

Some parents and educators believe that in order to meet the needs of students with learning and behavioural differences, a specific diagnosis must be made. They feel that without a diagnosis the student's needs will not be acknowledged and appropriate learning activities will not be planned. Some of the diagnoses that would indicate that a student might experience learning and/or behavioural difficulties in the classroom include, but are not limited to:

• Learning Disabilities (LD) such as language processing or visual perception difficulties.
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD),
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAS/E),
• Behavioural disorders,

Each of these diagnoses can exist in isolation or in combination with other conditions. For example, a student with a learning disability could also have a conduct disorder, and a student with FAS could have AD/HD along with memory difficulties. At times, classroom teachers may be faced with information and/or questions about their students such as

• Jason has been diagnosed with AD/HD. How can you meet his needs in the classroom?
• I went to a Learning Disabilities Association meeting last month and I'm quite sure that Melissa has a learning disability. How can I find out for sure?
• Mark was adopted at the age of two months. His parents believe he has FAS, but there's not enough information about his birth mother to make a diagnosis.

When faced with this type of information and/or questions, consider referring to ministry of education documents, Special Education: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines and Awareness of Chronic Health Conditions : What the Teacher Needs to Know for more comprehensive descriptions of categories, disorders and syndromes that can affect learning and behaviour in the classroom. Further clarification can be provided by in-school and district-level special educators (e.g. LA/Resource Teachers, consultants, coordinators, school psychologists, community health and social services personnel).

A Diversity of Approaches

Some educators and advocates for students believe that observing and describing the specific behaviours of students with learning and behavioural differences and planning interventions to address the observed behaviours is the best way to meet the needs of these students. For example, if a Grade 9 student has difficulty following oral directions, the teacher could present the directions in writing, as well as verbally, to enhance understanding for the student, regardless of the cause of the learning difference. Areas that might require intervention include, but are not limited to:

• Attention or time on task
• Language processing
• Memory
• Organizational skills
• Written language skills
• Reading skills (decoding and comprehension)
• Problem solving or higher level thinking skills
• Social skills

Regardless of whether a specific diagnosis or designation has been used to describe a student or whether the teacher simply notices that a student is having difficulty achieving success, the strategies presented in this resource guide can be used as a starting point to meeting the needs of the student.