Graduate Education Assistance

Engineering a classroom that works for all Classroom management tips for students with learning differences

Both of us have had a lot of experience teaching in classrooms with students who have a wide variety of needs, including students with learning disabilities, attention deficit dis- order/attention deficit hyperac- tivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), speech/language impairments, autism, and emotional and be- havioral disabilities (EBDs), as well as English language learners (ELLs) who face language barri- ers. What we have discovered is that if we can identify and adopt

management strategies that sup- port all of these students, as well as the other students in our class- es, everyone is able to put their best foot forward in approach- ing the content of our courses. We have found that there are multiple strategies that support students with special education needs, as well as ELLs. Here are just a few research-based strate- gies that we have employed in our own classrooms to create positive, productive, and effi- cient learning environments.

Create a structured classroom environment with predictable routines and procedures If you want your students to be able to achieve their greatest potential in accessing the con- tent of your course, they must feel safe in their environment, meaning that they should know exactly what to do and when to do it, from the moment they walk into your classroom. Pre- dictable routines and procedures in the classroom allow students to focus on what they are learn- ing that day, rather than trying to figure out what is going on around them (Cornelius 2015; Linsin 2017). For example, have the homework and class opener in the same place on the board each day, and tell students that they are expected to copy these when they walk into class.

One of Janey’s coteaching col- leagues projects the slide includ- ed in Figure 1 on the board each day. The slide let’s students know that when they enter the room, they are expected to find their seat, copy their homework, and

| FIGURE 1: Class Starter slides

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then begin their class opener. As a result, students do not have any downtime at the beginning of class to wander around and talk to their friends. Less down- time in a middle school class- room is always a good thing, because downtime is usually an invitation for off-task behavior!

Other procedures that should be routine in your classroom in- clude when and where to turn in homework and return graded work. Both Kaitlyn and Janey use labeled bins (with visuals) where students turn in home- work and other graded assign- ments. If your classroom allows, Janey also recommends creating a space with mailboxes or bins for each of your students. A picture of Janey’s mailbox wall is included in Figure 2. When- ever work is graded, Janey will return each student’s assign- ment to his or her mailbox. She instructs her students to make a habit of checking their mail- boxes the moment they walk into class. This is helpful for two reasons: It saves valuable class time, and it maintains student privacy.

Regardless of the routine you want to establish in your classroom, it is important to reinforce the expectation daily. This can be done with simple verbal prompts and reinforce- ment, such as, “Thank you to all of you who got started right away with the class opener.” A statement such as this, made at the beginning of class, positive- ly reinforces students to follow

your expectations, while re- minding them of another class- room routine.

Keep your instructions short and concise ELLs and students with special education needs—especially those with ADD/ADHD, dif- ficulties with listening compre- hension, or speech/language impairments—need instructions that are short and direct (Cor- nelius 2015). Avoid giving di- rections that list multiple steps at once because your students will likely only catch the first thing you say. Also, try to avoid statements that are sarcastic or idiomatic, because these kinds of figurative expressions can be confusing, and sometimes of-

fensive, to these students. For example, avoid statements such as, “Time to put the pedal to the metal and clean up your bea- kers, wipe down your lab tables, put your lab sheets away in your science folders, and then take a seat.” A figurative and multidi- rectional statement such as this would give anyone anxiety! Instead, we recommend list- ing short and concise directions with visuals on the board, such as those seen in Figure 3, when multiple directions are needed. That way, all you need to say is, “Please follow the directions on the board to get cleaned up. You have five minutes.” This way, you have provided a visual model as well as a resource for students to refer to when they may have forgotten what they

| FIGURE 2: Janey’s mailbox wall

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are expected to do next (Pesce 2015).

Whenever possible, use visuals Any time you can present direc- tions in multiple modalities, es- pecially in a visual form, ELLs and students with learning dis- abilities will thank you. Visuals are helpful because if an ELL, for example, cannot remember what a triple-beam balance is or what it looks like, he or she should be able to match it with the picture on given directions for an activ- ity. We recommend including vi- suals on labels in your classroom, including ones for lab equipment and procedural equipment such as the work-to-be-graded bin, as seen in Figure 4. Visuals provide a much-appreciated safety net for students who may not under- stand or are unable able to read what has been written (Pesce 2015).

Repeat and reinforce It is always a good idea to make a habit of repeating your directions multiple times after delivering them. In our experience, there is always a handful of students who did not catch them the first

time. Also, do not make your stu- dents feel bad about asking you to repeat directions. We know that it is sometimes frustrating to have a student ask, “What are we supposed to do?” after you have delivered the same instruc- tion twice, but they really might not have caught it the first two times, especially if they strug- gle with focus, as many middle school students do. Often in this case, another student will chime in and give the direction him- or herself and spare you the effort. After repeating the directions, positively reinforce students who are following directions by saying, “Thank you, Amin, for ________.” They will remember being positively recognized for following the direction and will continue to do it in the future, be- cause all students want to please.

| FIGURE 3: Sample short, concise, multiple-directions slide

| FIGURE 4: Work-to-be-graded bin

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Creating classroom rules to benefit students with emotional and behavioral disorders Students with EBDs can be among the most challenging populations with whom to work. These stu- dents can seem “aggressive, dis- ruptive, or off-task” during class, and if not handled with care, the behaviors they exhibit can throw your whole class off track (Koste- wicz, Ruhl, and Kubina 2008, p. 14). These behaviors are particu- larly worrisome in a science class- room, where lab activities could result in injury if directions are not precisely followed. Students with EBDs often have difficulties with receptive and expressive lan- guage, which make social interac- tions and academic situations par- ticularly complicated for them to navigate (Kostewicz et al. 2008). By creating classroom rules, you can foster a structured, safe envi- ronment that allows all students, and specifically those with EBDs, to succeed. When creating rules specific to your classroom, the fol- lowing tips may be helpful.

Create your own rules Although you may have heard in the past that it is beneficial for stu- dents to be involved in the rule- making process, this is not typi- cally effective for students with EBDs. Not only do they often lack the social awareness to coopera- tively participate in rule-creation, but these students also thrive in structured environments with

clear expectations. By establish- ing what is and is not acceptable in your classroom, you are elimi- nating the time that students with EBDs might use to test boundaries as they wait for rules to be created (Meador 2017).

Phrase rules positively It is important when creating classroom rules to phrase them in a positive manner, reinforc- ing what you want students to do, rather than stating what they are not allowed to do. Often, it is easier for us to focus on the nega- tive behaviors that we do not want to see in class, and it is fine to begin this way. However, once you have established the undesir- able behavior, try asking yourself, “What is the behavior that I’d like to see?” Then, rephrase your rule

(Denton 2014). See Figure 5 for how to change rules from nega- tive to positive wording.

Be specific It is easy to fall into the trap of creating general rules and assum- ing students all understand what it means to “Be a good neighbor.” Unfortunately, every student comes to school with different background knowledge and may have different interpretations of what a “good neighbor” is. In addition, research has shown that the ideal number of rules to have in the classroom is between three and five. For these reasons, it is essential to carefully choose your wording when deciding on classroom rules. If you want stu- dents to be responsible, be sure to explain what that looks like

| FIGURE 5: How to rephrase classroom rules from negative and general to positive and specific (Kostewicz et al. 2008, pp. 16–17)

Negative Positive/general Positive/specific Don’t forget your supplies.

Be ready to learn. Arrive on time and have all necessary materials for class.

No touching anyone.

Be respectful. Keep your hands, feet, objects, and negative comments to yourself.

No calling out. Participate in class. Raise your hand to participate in class discussions or gain the teacher’s attention.

Don’t break things.

Take care of classroom equipment.

Use all classroom equipment in the manner in which it should be used, according to teacher directions.

No goofing around.

Follow directions. Stay focused on your work, and give your best effort in class.

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(Kostewicz et al. 2008). See Figure 5 for examples of how to phrase rules specifically.

Clearly communicate classroom rules Beginning on the first day of school, have your classroom rules posted in a prominent location where students are likely to see them when they walk in (Meador 2017). This visual reminder will keep the expectations of your classroom fresh in their mind, so all students, especially those with EBDs, are more likely to adhere to them. In addition, take time on the first day to review rules with students and answer any ques- tions they may have. Remember, in middle school, students are more likely than not transitioning from another classroom where the expectations may have been very different, so it is important to set the tone of your classroom the second they walk through the door. To further reinforce these classroom rules, include visual representations of them, either through pictures that accompany the words or by having students act them out through examples of following and not following each rule. As silly as it may seem, this extra reinforcement will make the rules stick in your students’ heads. In addition, students with EBDs, ELLs, and students who struggle with focus or memory

Kaitlyn McGlynn ([email protected]) and Janey Kelly ([email protected]) are middle school special education teachers and certified reading specialists in the state of Pennsylvania, working in suburban Philadelphia in the Upper Merion School District and the Methacton School District, respectively.

will benefit from the kinesthetic practice.

You may be wondering wheth- er students with EBDs need a separate set of rules to succeed in your classroom, and the answer is no. By phrasing rules positively and specifically, and clearly re- viewing and reinforcing them with students, you are setting all of your students up for success, including those with EBDs.

Bringing it all together Classroom management is one of, if not the most important thing to consider when determining how your classroom will run in the upcoming year. To ensure all students meet success, establish predictable routines and proce- dures, give concise directions, use visuals, and use repetition and re- inforcement regularly. All of these strategies will help your students, including those with learning dis- abilities, ADD/ADHD, speech/ language impairments, autism, and EBDs, as well as ELLs. In ad- dition, create a clear set of class- room rules that are positive and specific, and clearly display them in your classroom. This will par- ticularly benefit students with EBDs. Follow these tips, and you are certainly engineering a great start to your school year! • REFERENCES Cornelius, S. 2015. 5 classroom tips to

support ELL students. http://blog.

edmentum.com/5-classroom-tips- support-ell-students.

Denton, P. 2014. Reinforcing, reminding, and redirecting. Responsive Classroom. www. responsiveclassroom.org/ reinforcing-reminding-and- redirecting.

Kostewicz, D.E., K.L. Ruhl, and R.M. Kubina, Jr. 2008. Creating classroom rules for students with emotional and behavioral disorders: A decision-making guide. www.pent. ca.gov/cdr/f10/classroomrules.pdf.

Linsin, M. 2017. Why routines make classroom management easier; plus one great idea. Smart Classroom Management. http://bit. ly/2rqextf.

Meador, D. 2017. Why a structured classroom is a successful classroom. ThoughtCo. http://bit. ly/2rquMGO.

Pesce, A. 2015. Top 7 visual aids you simply must use with your ESL kids. Busy Teacher. https://busyteacher. org/23118-esl-kids-top-7-visual- aids.html.

Do you have a question about science for all? If you have a classroom situation that you’re having trouble finding a solution for, send it their way. You can contact Kaitlyn and Janey at [email protected] with any questions you may have or suggestions for future columns.

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