Practical Strategies For The Special Education Classroom

In my school, we are doing a lot of teacher team meetings and collaborations to help ALL students (including those with special needs) reach their optimum potential. There are several regular education teachers who personally consult me for strategies and accomodations that they can do for special needs students mainstreamed in their classroom.

There are many practical strategies that are effective in the classroom. It is up to the classroom and special education teacher to ensure that appropriate strategies are being used in the classroom to assist individual learning styles and provide success to all students with special needs. It is recommended that a multi-modal approach be used, visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile for optimum success. Here are some of them:

- Classroom Environment

- Time Management and Transitions

- Presentation of Materials

- Assessment, Grading and Testing

- Behavior Management

Delivering an academic program to a room full of unique students is certainly a challenge. Implementing some of the listed strategies will provide a comfortable learning place for all students regardless of their academic abilities.