Accommodating Student Needs

How I plan accommodations

My classroom is an inclusive one. I try to think of student learning and behavior in the classroom the way an anthropologist-engineer hybrid would, looking for design solutions that are informed by what motivates students as a group and individually.

I prefer that these solutions be non-invasive and have a logical place in the classroom, so that inquiry, learning, and focusing on individual and group work can continue to ‘dominate’ the space.

Setting the tone

I include accommodations in my classroom, with the clear message that they are for everyone. The 'Quiet Corner' with a timer, a bean bag chair, and noise-canceling headphones can be used by anyone.

All students should feel comfortable participating in class, sometimes peer interactions can require finessing or mediation. Whenever possible, it is best to get students involved in this. Having students 'own' the positive tone of the classroom, and the accepting environment is more likely to lead to success.

Establishing Routines

A set routine can help most students perform better in class. When students are learning through a variety of modalities, and are working on different parts of the same project, or at different paces, having a set routine with regular warm-up activities, check-ins, and skill-practice times can help keep the class on task.

Common Vocabulary

Using a common vocabulary can not only help students work through behavioral issues in a consistent manner that minimizes instruction time lost, it also empowers students to advocate for what they need.

Rather than reaching a 'meltdown' state, students can recognize that they need a break or quiet time separate from classmates and ask for that time.

Have a plan

I have had success setting up a common definition for 'break' to mean precisely 1.5 minutes with a kitchen timer in the 'quiet corner'. This was incorporated into a group-wide plan for behavioral problems.

Students adhered to the plan and the defined parameters for a 'break' within a week. After a while, the students who used to use breaks daily stopped asking.

When asked, one student said that knowing the 'break' was available meant that he did not feel like he really needed it anymore.

Academic Rewards

As a reward for achieving both academic and behavioral intervention goals, I planned a field trip to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Students were extremely motivated to 'win' this academic field trip, which incorporated hands-on, place-based learning.

Other academic rewards;

Bill Nye documentary screening
Parceling out segments of BBC Earth or The Cosmos documentaries
Quizlet Live content review games
Vocabulary Word Bingo

Vocabulary Word Bingo

Students measure lobsters at GMRI's LabVenture! experience

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