Actually, no you still aren't clear enough to find a specific
strategy that will work because, as I said, this is a big
umbrella. The causes for an SLD in written expression, reading
comprehension, organizational skills, etc that are either in a
general education setting with support or without vary. While one
student may have deficits with different types of memory, another
may have deficits in visual processing skills or auditory
processing skills, or have ADHD to name a few. Some may have more
trouble getting the information in and storing it, while others may
have trouble getting the information out to show that they know
it. Some may take it in and file it incorrectly.

While I do understand your frustration, how you deal with each
student needs to be different. What will work with one won't
necessarily work with the other. It is all dependent on the
student and that students individual needs. That is why so many
special education students across the years have failed. Even
though they have an IEP, there really is no 'I' about it.

Here is an example regarding what I am saying. I remeber a teacher
at my school who complained for 6 months because her student wasn't
making any progress because she (special education teacher to boot)
kept giving this student visual aids like all other kids because
she felt that all kids with a reading disability had auditory
problems and needed to emphasize the visual. She moaned and
complained that the student didn't try because he didn't respond to
what she was doing. Turned out that his problems were primarily
visual in nature. She found out after calling mom in to talk about
the lack of progress, motivation, and failure to do the work
presented (in a method the student didn't understand).

I'm not saying that you are blaming any of your students. I want
to be very clear regarding that. My example only goes toward using
the wrong method with a student with a disability.

Sorry if I sounded crass. I didn't mean to offend, but the fact
is, without knowing the specifics of the disability and trying
different methods with a student, you cannot tailor a strategy to
help the student. You also cannot find one thing that will work
with most. Sounds like you are not being properly supported or
trained to deal with the specific students disabilties.

Hopefully your special education staff will have more knowledge
regarding the weaknesses that each student has, but if my school is
any example, good luck with that. I say, start with finding out
what the disability is (visual, auditory, memory, processing,
motor, language, etc) From there you can build better strategies
for each student.

On 6/28/09, Max wrote:
> Let me be more explicit. I'm not referring to cognitively
> disabled students, nor emotionally disturbed students, nor multi-
> handicapped students. I am referring to those students with one
> or more areas identified in their IEP---written expression,
> reading comprehension, organizational skills---that identifies
> them with a severe learning disability. These students would be
> in inclusion classes with or without a SLD tutor or intervention
> specialist with them in the regular classroom. These students
> will be expected to perform at levels of performance on state
> tests comparable to regular ed students (although certain
> accommodations would be permitted---a reader, extended time, a
> scribe, etc.).
>
> Now, hopefully I've made myself a clear as possible. Does
> anyone have strategies that have proven successful in getting a
> significant percentage (greater than half) of your SLD students
> to pass a state mandated social studies achievement test
> (preferably in grades 5-9)?
>
> Max

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