Jennifer Greengart

SLM521

Elective #6 – Instructional Modification

In a classroom, a teacher teaches to a wide variety of students. Many students are unable to learn through the standard system provided for them. Teachers need to make various modifications in order to accommodate every child’s needs. Two disabilities that are common among students are 1) an attentions deficiency, 2) and a reading deficiency. These deficiencies pose a challenge when dealing with web-based learning. Here is a list of strategies that teachers can implement in order to help these students achieve:

Attention Deficiency – students who have an attention deficit problem face a tremendous challenge when asked to complete web-based activities. First of all, they experience difficulty staying in front of the computer and disciplining themselves to remain working at the computer for an extended period of time. Second, step-by-step instructions that are needed when doing a web-based assignment may overwhelm them, due to the fact that they may fall behind in the steps and get discouraged. Thirdly, many times websites are not formatted in a clear and focused way. A lot of times, extra, unnecessary graphics or other materials are placed in various places on the web page, thus allowing for the child to get distracted and lose focus. Some strategies and modifications a teacher may want to make are:

• The teacher should set time-limits for the student when using the Web, in order to help them monitor themselves and not get distracted
• If a teacher produces a web page for the students to look at, the teacher should make sure that directions are placed in bold and highlighted for emphasis
• The teacher should additionally have all the steps clearly written out on the board, so if the student gets lost on their web quest, for example, they can refer back to the board for directions
• The teacher should also clearly explain the instructions, step-by-step.
• The teacher should communicate what the main point for the assignment is, and what is to be expected from them (i.e. objective)
• The teacher should create a balance with regard to graphics: too many graphics will distract the student, whereas too little will leave the student feeling overwhelmed
• The teacher should provide the student with graphic organizers that coincide with any web-based activity: that way they can be on task through using the graphic organizer simultaneously with the Internet
• The teacher should allow the student to have breaks, and conduct the web-based activity in segments, not all at once
• The teacher should allow for peer tutoring and collaboration with regard to web-based activities
• The teacher should allow extra time for completing the web-based activity
• Only ask that the student complete certain activities on each page; don’t expect them to be able to surf the Internet, or jump from one page to the next. Have each assignment ready to complete on each page

Reading Deficiency - a student who has a problem reading will really have a hard time when performing a web-based activity, due to the fact that website involve…….reading! Additionally, many times when students have a reading problem that can be helped if the teacher allows someone to read aloud instructions or pieces of literature in front of the entire class. With web-based activities, usually the assignment is conducted in such a way that students either work by themselves or pair up; but a lot of the activity involves reading. Here are some strategies and modifications teachers can make when conducting a web-based activity with students who have trouble reading:

• Orally give over the instructions as the students are performing the activity
• Pair the student up with another student who will read the web-page for them
• If the teacher produces his/her own website, it would be a great idea to have an auditory aid for every section of the web-site
• Allow extra time for completion of the assignment (it will take longer to complete if every section is read aloud for them)
• Minimize the words on each webpage, and highlight or make them a larger, bolder font, for easier decoding
• Teacher should supervise the student and assist them throughout the activity
• Minimize amount needed to complete for the activity
• The teacher should have the student verbalize the instructions for the given activity before and during the assignment.
• Have the words on the page be directly connected to the activity (e.g. if they need to fill in a map, the words should briefly say for the hyperlink, “Map of Rome”, and avoid extraneous wording)