Teaching Students with Learning Differences

It’s no secret that not every student learns in the same way or at the same pace. So while learning independently can be hard for some, it may benefit certain bright students in your classroom. Self-directed learning can help your students retain information and stay engaged, just at their own pace. Engaged students learn better as there is no room for distractions. The switch to a student-centered classroom can take some time, but it will allow your students to be more effective at critical thinking, asking questions, and staying attentive to the tasks at hand. All of these things will benefit them in their studies and in the real world, too.

Types of Learners

We all have a way in which we learn the best. Chances are that every student in your class will have a different learning style. This can make it hard for you to ensure that the entire class retains each lesson. By incorporating different teaching methods into your classroom, you will be able to help students retain more information.

There are three major learning systems:

Visual: Visual learners prefer to see or observe things. They like to see things on a projector or chalkboard. They also often like to highlight or color-code their notes to organize them.

Auditory: Someone with this learning system likes to listen. They like to engage in conversations about the subject matter or to watch videos about the topics at hand. If you want to share additional resources with them, make sure you have the right tools to send large videos .

Tactile/Kinesthetic: This type of learning requires a physical experience, such as a science experiment. They will like to perform a task related to the topic. One of the most interesting experiments in technology could be building projects with a Raspberry Pi 4 , which allows students to show their creativity. They require a more hands-on learning approach.

Make your classroom a safe zone for investigating and asking questions.

Student-centered learning requires more than just a change in the way that you teach. It requires students to become active participants in their learning. Encourage your students to ask questions. Help them to understand the information that is available for them. Listen to their ideas and guide them to other topics that correlate with these thoughts. Encourage them to do their own research and to report back to you.

Set learning goals.

Learning goals help your students create their own path to achieving excellence. Give them a list of tasks, a timeline for completion, and discuss some goals for the unit that they’re studying. You can also provide resource materials for each of the goals, like videos on a variety of science topics. After each goal is completed, provide feedback and give suggestions on how they can grasp the topic more freely. If they have mastered it, lead them to the next task.

How to engage students in the learning process

As learners. your students to understand their own needs in a self-directed learning environment. Have them discuss what instructional methods they like the best and the qualities they like about their favorite teachers. This opens up the door to knowing what to incorporate into your own classroom to create a positive and engaging learning environment.

In addition, suggest extracurricular activities to help your students be more confident and perform better at school. This way they will be more eager to participate in lessons.

Deep Approach to Studying

A deep approach to studying is ideal in a self-directed learning environment. It allows students to understand things for themselves and to apply the knowledge to real life. Variety keeps things interesting, so students will feel more excited to come to class with minds open to learning.

Working Memory Limitations

Working memory is a system that temporarily holds information while it is being processed. This is where we will store data that we don’t need anymore. However, some children with learning differences may not be able to properly store this information, which can lead them to be distracted during class. It can also affect their ability to be able to remember instructions, get started on an assignment, or even copy information from the board to their notes. To ensure that your class can retain information more effectively, keep instructions as simple as possible.

Implement Prevention Strategies

Most classroom management pertains to prevention, and includes routines, rules, and structure. Rules should be simple, and your routines should include regular breaks. Utilize a variety of activities that will engage different learners in your classroom. Recognize strengths in each of your students and celebrate that with them. This will help all students to feel empowered, regardless of their learning differences and/or struggles with their lessons.

Empower your class

By creating a positive, fun, and engaging learning environment, your classroom of different learners will have a more successful experience. They will retain more information, perform better and be more engaged in the topics at hand.