In the search to identify more teaching strategies to help special education students learn science, I decided to focus my attention on intellectual disabilities. I reviewed another article found in the teacher resources section of the SESD (Science Education for Students with Disabilities) website. This website (http://www.sesd.info/idstrategies.htm) offers a few helpful strategies related to general teaching tips, but falls short in describing specific techniques to develop student understanding of content ideas.
Some of the strategies that I felt were helpful include:
• Create a learning environment that promotes acceptance of all students, especially those with disabilities.
• Help the student develop a science role model, who had the same or similar disability to that of the student. Point out how this individual was able to become successful through a combination of effort and receiving assistance when needed.
• Never solely base a students intellectual ability on their IQ score. IQ scores alone don’t reflect a students specific strengths, needs, and learning preferences in designing instruction. The expectations we project can influence student progress. Develop and maintain high, but reasonable expectations for students of all abilities.
• Facilitate experiments that provide multiple ways for students with impairments to access, explore, and gather information.
• Design assessments appropriate for the student's disorder (written, drawn, or oral.)
Although this site briefly mentions the strategy of using “concrete materials” it goes on to suggest that the teacher “proceed in small sequential steps and review each frequently.” Aside from this sentence, this article doesn’t really emphasize many of the techniques on how people learn. Using the cognitive learning theories to understand our students and inform our teaching is a crucial component in helping our students learn concepts effectively.
Also, carrying out instruction using “small sequential steps” reflects an inaccurate view of the nature of science. Doing so indirectly teaches students that science is a step-by-step process, yet I feel that in some cases this level of support in performing experiments may be necessary for students depending on their level of impairment. On the other hand, even students with severe levels of intellectual impairments can still participate in some form of non-linear exploration of a concept. And the teacher could perhaps just limit the level of depth of the concept development and application phases of learning about a particular subject matter.
Science Education for Students with Disabilities. Intellectual Disorders – Strategies. Retrieved from: http://www.sesd.info/idstrategies.htm
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