We all have times when you need extra time to understand concepts or ‘get our heads around’ a task. When that occurs for our students, we need a plan in place. A chart of suggestions students can refer to on their own becomes a self-directed learning experience.
1. Reread the directions.
2. Ask yourself, “What am I expected to do on this task?”
3. Ask another student to explain the directions.
4. Team up with a partner to get started.
5. Do the first few parts and ask to have that work checked before you work on.
6. If time is ending and you are not finished, ask if you can do the rest of the task later.
In some instances, the supervising adult can intervene and reduce the student’s anxiety/stress by:
— circling the most important parts and asking the students to do them first.
— drawing a line part way down the task and making that portion the goal for that session.
— asking the student to orally explain his/her thinking process instead of writing them down (and counting that as their grade-able answer).
Accommodations need to be part of our thinking. Remember when you were ‘lost’ or confused by a task. You probably made your own accommodation. Help students understand that getting help can look like a variety of things and help them find acceptable ways to get help. Also, teaching them that asking for assistance is not a sign of failure or stupidity; it’s a sign of knowing what you don’t know and asking for direction so you can learn it.