Series VII-Part II-Nine Ways to Adapt Instruction

Size

Time

Level of Support

Adapt the number of items that the learner is expected to learn or complete.

Adapt the time allotted and allowed for learning, task completion, or testing.

Increase the amount of personal assistance with a specific learner.

For example: If student is to know the fifty states, have students only be responsible for remembering a certain number at a time. This would be dependent on the student’s level of disability

For example: Allow student additional time to complete timed assignments. However, if the total project is due by a particular time, have the student complete each portion of the project over various intervals with the required finished project due at a later time.

For example: Allow for peer teaching. Pair the slower students with the more advanced students in order to provide support. Offer some sort of incentive to the more advanced student for assisting others. Design some type of contract with students that they could show to their parents indicating completion of their work and the assistance they are giving to others. Offer this as a bonus to their grades.

Input

Difficulty

Output

Adapt the way instruction is delivered to the learner.

Adapt the skill level, problem type, or the rules on how the learner may approach the work.

Adapt how the student can respond to instruction.

For example: Provide students with a audio and/or video tape of the lesson. Allow for field trips, guest speakers, peer teaching, computer support, video productions performed by students, Incorporate lesson in other subjects areas

For example: Allow the student to be creative providing that task is completed according to instructor’s specifications. For example the student may draw a picture of the assignment, do an interview, etc. depending on subject. Allow the student to come up with the idea. Accept any reasonable modifications.

For example: Allow students to draw pictures, write an essay, complete specific computer software program relating to lesson.

Participation

Alternate

Substitute Curriculum

Adapt the extent to which a learner is actively involved in the task.

Adapt the goals or outcome expectations while using the same materials.

Provide different instruction and materials to meet a student’s individual goals.

For example: Tailor the student’s participation in a task to his or her abilities, whether intellectual or physical.

For example: In a writing assignment, alter the expectations for a disabled student who takes longer to write a paragraph.

For example: Instead of discussing the reasons for the civil war, have the disabled student work on a puzzle showing the Union and Confederate states.