Instruction for Children with Special Needs

I have a student who sits in class and never seems to be paying attention. He doesn’t take notes during the lesson and when test time rolls around; he seems unprepared and ends up doing poorly on the exam. How can I help him follow along with the lesson in class?

As a math teacher, I must have students practice new problems daily. We typically use paper or worksheets I have prepared. When this part of class begins, I have some students who just sit and do not participate. They are not disruptive but there is also no attempt to try the problems. I know they can probably do the work – or at least attempt it. I do have a few other students who just start talking during this part of class. Is there any way to change these behaviors or motivate them to try the problems?

I am a paraprofessional who works with a student in regular education settings and in a Support Room. He has a very hard time working. I’ve learned many strategies and have used them with some success but sometimes he will just groan and refuse to work. The other day he was doing so well and had finished 3 papers but refused to do the last one. I know he could do it but he just wouldn’t think and fill in the answers. What do I do in those cases?  I hate to just say he doesn’t have to do it – that seems like going backwards and giving in.

I am having difficulty finding time to teach my students goals/objectives. How can I get this accomplished?

I lose many of my students during instructional time that is teacher directed and includes longer time spans of discussion and lecture. How can I hold the attention of my students who may have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or students with a Learning Disability?

I have a great team in my classroom but sometimes we are not on the same page when it comes to providing preventative or consequential interventions with students. One person might talk too much to a student, giving attention to behaviors of concern and inadvertently increasing the behavior, while another person may not do enough. Sometimes the basics of student interactions are just not there. What can I do to make us a more cohesive team with our interventions?

I am a Learning Support teacher and I am looking for some ideas to share with a Regular Education Science teacher to check if our shared students with disabilities are grasping the key concepts in his class. Sometimes when I review with them they have no idea of what was discussed!

I am a Learning Support Teacher, and when I observe my kids in the general education class, they don’t seem to participate at all. While other kids raise their hands often, my students tend to just sit there doodling or daydreaming. How can I get the regular education teachers to engage them more?

I teach a Life Skills class and was just told that I am getting a new student who reportedly is very difficult to teach. He has bitten and hit his teacher and destroyed his work area at his last school. I am nervous and want to know what activities would be best to have him complete his first day in my classroom.

We have many double periods of math throughout the week. It makes it very difficult for some of my students to continue attending. What can I do to help them (and me) get through these times?