• Recognize that LD is a neurological condition that is beyond the control of the student. 
  
• We are also the sort of learners who are able to bound up those “steps of learning” in twos or threes.  We need to be able to help students drag themselves up one step sometimes!

• We are part of the top 2% of the population measured in academic terms!

• To be able to envisage precisely just how many different steps are required in order to complete a task successfully – learn a topic – write an essay etc needs to be carefully considered.

• We also need to provide “plateaus” – where they can “have a rest” – before we start again!

• LD students might have difficulty with such organizational tasks as keeping their things tidy at school, getting dressed, remembering their PE kit, looking for something they have lost, packing their school bag and organizing the equipment needed for homework.

Plastic pockets – are one of the greatest aids to learning!

Encourage their use.

You can write on them in felt pen – with the worksheet untouched inside – and then wipe them clean.

They keep work looking good.

All reference materials need to be filed in them

• Some students may benefit from coloured plastic overlays thought by some to enhance symbols and to give depth to printed page.

Needs an ophthalmologist's assessment

• For the student who has difficulty writing, a battery cassette recorder could be provided for the student to dictate answers to tests or written lessons.

Give them alternatives as to how to produce written work - sometimes we will be their secretaries - loan a lap top - use a tape recorder. Dictaphones are wonderful and I get them from Office World at £19.99 and they last for at least three years.

• Help the student set up a system of organization using colour coding by subject area, especially with materials that need to be stored in a school locker during the day.

Colour coding subjects on timetables to correspond with the colour of subject files - text books put colour tabs on text books e.g. Maths-yellow, geography-green. This may make it easier to read/follow and prepare school bags ready for the next day and  bring the right things to each lesson.

• Don’t make a LD student rewrite work

Generally speaking – the least effective use of their time

• Allow students to use highlighters to mark key points/words/instructions.

Use pictures as triggers in the margins as well.  Marking a text book is this way can really aid learning and is an argument for a personal copy that is retained permanently by the student should be considered.

• Students with learning disabilities need a lot of structure.  Lists of the day’s routine and expected behaviours can help.

Make lists for what is required for each day – for each lesson – check and prepare what is needed the night before.

• Recognize self-esteem/depression problems.

Refer any suspicions onwards to the appropriate member of staff

• Allow the student to experiment with different types and shapes of writing tools.

But generally speaking – BAN BIROS!  They are able to make a mark with the least amount of hand manipulation – fountain pens or roller balls mean that a definite shape must be made and presentation skills and legibility generally improve.

• Encourage the use of computers to help the student get over the hurdle of producing text, but remember that not all students relate to technology.
• There are programmes that will scan and read a page of text to the student within 30 seconds of starting – voice recognition systems that take dictation – predictive systems for poor spellers – in fact you name it – and there is a programme to respond to the need – generally at many levels.

The use of a computer and associated technology is of prime importance for those students with literacy difficulties.

Keyboarding is a prime skill that should have a place in the early years of education for ALL students. There are excellent programmes – Kewala – Type to Learn, Fingers for Windows. 

Planning software should be available for all students.

• Understand the intermittent nature of pupil’s performance and attention.  Part of the LD profile is that the student’s work will be inconsistent and erratic.

• Choose only those accommodations and interventions that are the most needed. Attempt to select low-level accommodations and interventions before moving to more supportive or high-level accommodations and interventions. If high-level accommodations are necessary, choose them with the goal of slowly removing them whenever possible. The objective should always be to provide support while encouraging growth with these strategies to foster independence and self-advocacy.

• Have the daily routine in writing where it’s easy to see, on the board, on the wall, or taped inside the student’s books or desk.

• Make a second set of books and materials available for this student to keep a back-up set at home.

• For students with short term memory problems - i.e., do not remember mathematical facts, but understand the computation process - a table of math facts and other visual aids, and a printing calculator could be provided.

• For students with difficulty reading, or the very slow reader, the "read along technique" with taped textbooks and workbooks might be used in the classroom, at home, and in the resource room. Talking books may be acquired from Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic http://www.rfbd.org/.

• Prepare the student ahead of time for any change in schedule, and keep reminding until the change has occurred.

• Allow the use of any learning tool necessary, such as a tape recorder, spell checker, laptop, or calculator.

• Provide alternatives such as lined paper (large feint) or a word processor to aid students with overly large, cramped , laborious or illegible handwriting

• Students with spatial awareness difficulties might find it useful to work “BIG” for a while.

• Give older students a plastic-coated card which can be shown to teachers that details their special needs

• Make sure the student is always provided opportunities for physical activities. Do not use recess as a time to make-up missed schoolwork. Do not remove daily recess as punishment.

• Designate one teacher as the advisor/supervisor/coordinator/liaison for the student and the implementation of the student’s plan, and who will periodically review the student’s organizational system and to whom other staff may go when they have concerns about the student.  This teacher would also act as the link between home and school.
• Students having organisational assistance need  to check-in with their advisor first thing each week (Monday mornings) to plan/organize the week and last thing each week (Friday afternoons) to review the week and to plan/organize homework for the weekend.

• For students with memory problems, or unable to take notes in classroom, a fellow student might share notes by using carbon paper or photocopying, or the teacher could provide a copy of the class lesson or allow the student to tape record lessons.