When students have learning difficulties, it often takes them more time to complete assignments. Shortened assignments that still provide necessary practice allow the student to complete work in a reasonable period without undue pressure and frustration.
- Identify terminology, concepts, and skills that are most important and require that these items be completed first.
- Star the essential items, allowing bonus points for other items completed.
- Reduce the number of questions or problems to be done at one time. Shorter assignments made more frequently provide the same amount of practice.
- Shorten time spent by allowing alternate formats to showing work. Allow the student to tape responses or give answers to a classmate who can write them for the student.
- Give slower readers modified or related stories that teach the same concepts.
- Cut a long worksheet into smaller segments and give the student one segment at a time. When one segment is completed, hand out the next. Follow this procedure until all segments are completed. When tasks are long or complex, many students have difficulty completing them,
- Create a card file for the student that contains definitions of frequently used words.
- Providing photocopies with fill-in-the-blank tasks can shorten assignments as well as promote learning of new words.
- Have student create a mind map / graphic organizer as an alternative to one or more assignments. This is an especially effective strategy for concept association.
- Look for alternative ways to assess student learning. For example, have students create a piece of art or write a poem that gives evidence for a level of understanding.
Always determine the purpose of shortening assignments for a particular student first in order to determine the most effective way to provide that accommodation.
~Thanks to KPBSD school psychologist, Dr. Terese Kashi for providing the information for this series of newsletter articles.