What Are Classrooms Like for Students with Learning Disabilities?

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Classrooms can be perilous in a number of ways for students with learning disabilities. Here are some tips to remember when working with students with LD.

How do general education classroom environments respond to individual differences and needs? How readily do teachers alter their forms of classroom organization; how readily do they modify approaches?

Common classroom conditions can and do affect many students adversely-to some degree, at one time or another, in one way or other-but, some students are especiallyvulnerable to classrooms' hazards (e.g., children of poverty, nonnative speakers, those with attention deficits). Students with learning disabilities are among the mostvulnerable-at chronic risk for "not learning" under the aforementioned conditions, for long-term academic and social problems, and for lifelong debilitating side-effects of their classroom experiences.

Classrooms can be perilous in a number of ways for students with learning disabilities. Remember:

Crowded
Classrooms are crowded environments, arranged to maximize general, not close, observation of students. Being a member of a crowd is hazardous to Keesha's learning; she fades into the woodwork.

Busy
They are busy places, filled with rapid interactions. Rapid verbal exchanges leave Dan with a consistent residue of confusion and misunderstanding (and he equates asking questions with being stupid).

Time-driven
Mostly driven by clock time, they rarely operate in the flow of time. And yet, despite time pressure, much of students' classroom career is spent either waiting or being interrupted. Transitions and interruptions batter Nicholas' already fragile orientation in time and space. His frustration flares up when he loses his grip in time/space and, what's more, he is convinced that you take pleasure in constantly not letting him finish what he's doing.

Public arenas for students
For students, classrooms are public arenas. The public spotlight can, at any moment, bare this child's failings (or that one's worthiness), making clear the official pecking order. Jose experiences the spotlight of public attention as shame, even though you have no such intent. This perception determines his behavior during anything he senses is intended to "teach" him. Avoiding exposure is habitual now and has stunted his willingness to try.

Private for teachers
For teachers, classrooms are private domains, rarely encroached for any length of time or depth of observation by another adult. The privacy of a teacher's domain confines what can be seen about what's going on. More adults, seeing from more angles, might notice that Daniel has extraordinary powers of concentration, except during reading and spelling (when he has attention deficits and behavior problems).

Teachers talk
Teacher talk predominates in classrooms, especially during times of intentional teaching. Student talk is minimal, especially during times of intentional learning. In order to understand and remember content area information, both Dan and Jose need to talk a lot, formulating, rehearsing, and verbalizing the steps of study tasks. They need to talk just when their teacher believes that they should be quietly "working." Further, they require coaching in how to do this.

Whole-group instruction
Overwhelmingly, classroom instruction relies on whole group instruction, accompanied by large amounts of loosely overseen seat work. Without frequent clarifying interchanges, Keesha and Nicholas are left in the dust of group-focused lessons and semi-supervised seatwork.

Activity-focused
The instructional focus is largely at the activity level, with teachers' expressing satisfaction when "things are going well," with students enjoying themselves. When the teacher's focus is on the activity flow, it is not evident that Jose is mentally on the fringes, not learning much of anything. He is terrific at engaging in an aspect of an activity that doesn't push his edges. Notably, Jose loves copying.

Progress is monitored
Checking in on students' performance is frequent, but uneven; probing individual students' understanding, providing instructive feedback or monitoring individual progress is rare. It is crucial to give Dan corrective feedback as he practices reading words and to keep weekly track of his word reading progress. Because advancement is slow and in smaller than-common steps, both Dan and the teacher need to see the tangible traces of his learning in order to stay motivated.

These students' particular needs get inadequate attention in most general education classrooms as currently constituted. Common, often central, characteristics of classrooms are at odds with the kinds of activities, interchanges, and consistency their learning requires. While it is possible to remold classrooms to respond more effectively to Dan, Jose, Nicholas and Keesha, there are a number of sizable barriers to such change. One has just been outlined: "not seeing" how particular classroom features are directly affecting what happens (and doesn't happen) throughout the school day and, importantly, how changes in these features can alter classroom dynamics and learning.

Differentiation and the "fairness doctrine"

Another barrier is the common belief that "including" students with learning disabilities is fundamentally a matter of ensuring that the student "fits in." By and large, teachers in general education classrooms aim for their students with learning disabilities to be well accepted, for them to feel comfortable and to "not stick out." This translates into not wanting to treat them differently — a problematic predicament, to say the least! To even begin approaching these students' learning needs requires treating them considerably differently. For example, it will be important to:

  • Ensure that Keesha and Dan actively contribute and ask questions during discussions. This will require teaching them how to ask questions, as well aschanging their beliefs about the act of questioning in school (i.e., that it is mostly proof of their stupidity or a rude challenge to the teacher).
  • Situate Nicholas in time with a personal timer and time chart, altering how you approach him. (Perhaps: "Nick, we have Art in 5 minutes, could you set yourtimer for blast off?") Also, unlike others, he needs a buddy to navigate the halls, as he gets lost easily. Further, his severe math difficulties require him to work at a foundation level, with materials and procedures not used by the other students.
  • Handle Jose with extreme care to avoid his becoming wallpaper for the rest of his schooling. He may well need you to treat him very differently, making bargainsabout different assignments, using private hand signals to gain his assent before calling on him, arranging a period a day of unpressured work that he chooses,having a daily private conference with him.
  • Work intensively with both Dan and Jose on reading skills that your other students acquired with ease three years ago, as well as on explicit strategies fortaperecording their essays and using taped books to keep up in social studies.

These are a diverse lot of instructional strategies for a mixed bag of difficulties, strategies tailored to particular youngsters and it is a partial listing, at that. If the goal is for these youngsters to "fit in," such an array of adaptations and alterations is unnecessary. In fact, making these accommodations will expose Jose and company to increased public view, with attendant discomfort and embarrassment.

But, what if their learning requires these? Fitting in and learning may be at odds … not an easy situation. These students' learning requirements seem to go well beyond what is possible for one teacher to run around and meet, given the other students and priorities in the general education class. So it is understandable that teachers do not add many such adaptations to their already full plates.

In fact, teachers in general education classrooms, even those viewed as "the cream," make minimal accommodations for students with learning disabilities and tend to sustain only those they feel benefit their entire class (e.g., graphic organizers make a topic clearer for all, extra practice helps everyone). There is a prevailing belief that treating students differently is somehow detrimental — either bad for the individual, not good for the group, or both-voiced with particular concern for "fairness." This "fairness doctrine" has the ring of one of those cultural assumptions, worthy of closer examination, given the unfair factsof classroom life.

In actual practice, neither instruction nor discipline is evenhanded in classrooms, differing along lines of gender, race, class, and more. Different students are, in fact, treated substantially differently in all classrooms. Some of this is intended, as when one student spends much time parked outside the principal's office, while another goes there only on high-prestige errands. But much is unintended, even unnoticed. As but one example of such unacknowledged differential treatment: students with learning disabilities receive decreasing academic challenges over time in general education classes. Eventually many of their teachers settle into unspoken agreements with them — "I won't demand of you, if you don't bother me." Thus, "achieving" youngsters receive a continuing diet of cognitive challenges, while many of their classmates who have learning disabilities are dished up less and less.

By high school, the latter are often like phantoms, sliding in and out of classes with little effect. And frequently this complicity is neither desired nor fully "seen" by either teacher or student.

So, in fact, fairness, in the sense of sameness of instruction, or equity of instruction, or even in the sense of "each challenged to near capacity," is not very operative in classrooms, certainly not as much as we might like to think.

So, why the staunch resistance to purposefully treating the Dans, the Joses and the others differently, resistance in the name of fairness? I'll hazard that this concern, voiced by many teachers, has to do with some implicit "rules of the game" that have been handed down via the culture of schools and probably also by the culture at large. School participants, enculturated beings, "feel" when these rules are being violated, and will commonly rush to uphold them-even when they are not in the best interests either of the individual learner or the " rest of the class." Put another way, for classrooms to more fully accommodate students with learning disabilities, it may well take a cultural shift in the current way of "doing school," a more fundamental shift in how the enterprise operates overall, not only for those few. Now that is a tall order and one requiring approaches from multiple directions.

But, wait a minute!

What about the special educators in general classrooms-the consultant teachers, team teachers, collaborators- aren't they doing the needed individual adapting? Well, that certainly is the intention, with the assumption that the special educators' "close-up kid view" will complement as well as rub off on their colleagues. As it turns out though, evidence points in the other direction: special educators, set down in the midst of general education classes, adapt to the prevailing focus on activity, activity flow, and the group's overall engagement and responsiveness. They become supportive regular classroom teachers, even generalizing their "special" advice in stereotypical, rather than kid-specific, terms.

For example: "Semantic maps help kids with learning disabilities."

Instead of "Dan really has to organize his studying into semantic maps, with color cues. He can do it for stories now, but not for information, like Science News. Also, we need to get him to verbally rehearse his maps-then he really remembers! But you know, I've been watching Nicholas — and he's thoroughly confused when you put students' ideas into semantic maps on the board. We need to walk him through these on his own, making the thing very explicit verbally."

The surprising evidence that special educators in regular classrooms do not maintain this sort of student-specific focus suggests that there are sizable "cultural" forces pulling on classroom participants.

Ideas to investigate

The first step is to look with new eyes at what actually may be there to see. Special and general education colleagues could alternate roles as observer and observed to gain new views. Here are some ways that might work.

Idea 1: For one week, each take notes on how "different strokes for different folks" is both beneficial and problematic for your students. In addition to noting these when you happen to notice, also take five-minute respites from "doing," and just "be" eyes and ears noticing: Who is doing what-when-for how long? Who is actually getting how much of what? Wait till week's end before comparing notes and chewing over what you've each seen.

Idea 2: Together select just one student — Keesha, for example. Uncover what she is actually learning and how she "sees" things at various times during the day. Observe her during whole-class discussions, during paired work, and as she works on her own. But also remember to interview her, caringly probing for what she actually came away with from a discussion, what she remained confused about. Assume that up until now you have only seen 10 percent of who she is and what she's learning. Try constructing a fuller portrait (80%?) of Keesha as a learner. Again, share your notes at week's end. Does your new picture point to changes you can make for her?

Idea 3: If everybody is to learn and make their best progress, then they will all need somewhat different amounts and somewhat different ingredients. Learning and progress are the goals that your students need to buy into. Brainstorm (with colleagues and/or your students) ways to re-orient classroom activities so that "different strokes for different folks" is viewed as a value in pursuit of learning. Try one of the ideas for six weeks, supporting one another as the experiment unfolds.

In conclusion

Currently, many general education classrooms make little adaptation to the individual characteristics of students with learning disabilities. It seems that adding adaptations as "one more thing you have to do," is largely unworkable. Some broader change or restructuring of how classrooms operate seems called for. But, remolding classrooms is not simple, involving something like a "cultural shift." Formidable, though not impossible, this is rather like rearranging the living room with an invisible elephant in the middle-the more you "see" where it is, the less it tramples your efforts.

Garnett, K. (2010). Thinking About Inclusion and Learning Disabilities: A Teachers Guide, pp 7-12. Division of Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children.
 

For more information about teaching children with learning disabilities, visit TeachingLD.

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Comments

I disagree, I was a student with a LD and i hated feeling singled out, I was taken out of the classroom and put with the rest of the students with LD, all i wanted was to be in a normal classroom and have the normal work that my peers were given. I craved it.
so therefore, i respectfully disagree

I find a lot of value in this article. I have seen how disabled youth can get lost among their peers because of the lack of differentiation in their classrooms alongside how special education teachers and para professionals are not always qualified to be working with students with such needs. UNICEF outlines the struggle of all disabilities including physical, social/emotional, and behavioral and how each of these groups are categorized and treated among caregivers, school personnel, peers, and community members. Worth a read!

UNICEF. (2013). The state of the world’s children: children with disabilities (2013 ed.).
New York, NY: United Nations Plaza.

This section really goes into depth the different factors that contribute to or detract from a student's ability to learn. Mnay of these things may be things that go unnoticed by teachers, as pointed out in "Private for teachers" subheading. With only one person in the room teaching a large amount of students, individual needs can easily fall by the wayside. By having a full team of faculty members in place to take notice of student's individual needs both inside and outside of the classroom, it can be easier to provide some of the acomodations listed above. As a school counselor, it is important to understand the key role counselors play in this team. According to Vernon (2009), "counselors must understand the characteristics and needs of these students and their families and seek out training and supervision in diagnosis and treatment from colleagues from a range of disciplines". School counselors must be very knowledgable in what each student needs and who can provide those resources. As well, school counselors are always advocating for their students. As mentioned in this section, often times educators think that by placing special needs students in mainstream classrooms, they avoid singling them out as being different. However, this might not always be the best solution for every student. As school counselors, be able to identify that and advocate for the needs of each student.

Sources: Vernon, A. (2009). Counseling children and adolescents (4th ed). Denver, CO: Love Publishing Company.

One of the most important aspects of one's learning is the environment that they afforded to learn in. I enjoyed this article because it talked about different issues relating to the accommodations given to students with disabilities. This article brings up the age old battle of equality vs. equity. Some students will need more support than others in order to achieve the same results academically. This is why programs like Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) exist to account for those students and to level the playing field. However, many students with disabilities wish not to be treated differently because it isolates them among their peers. Trying to create a balance between additional assistance through accommodations and blending your classrooms with students with and without disabilities is a tricky thing to manage. I believe as this article mentioned, it's important to make bigger, systematic changes than to try to create that balance on a small scale. For example, maybe a school hoping to blend their classrooms would utilize smaller class sizes to accommodate and avoid some of the oversight with what certain students need in order to succeed. I appreciated this article also talking about the different factors that can affect students with disabilities. As school counselors, we will consistently be advocating for our students, even to their teachers. If we feel like a set-up might not be suited for a student, we would be able to work with the teacher in tandem to ensure that changes are made to create a healthier learning environment. That type of partnership would create positive change in an efficient manner and would greatly benefit the students attending the school.

I greatly appreciated this section on “What Are Classrooms Like for Students with Learning Disabilities.” It is a helpful reminder for us all to consider the various factors students with learning disabilities experience in a school setting. This also prompts us to intentionally think and act on how we can better create an environment that supports our students. The three “Ideas to Investigate” provide beneficial steps we can take to observe and examine what’s going on in our classrooms and with each student. This investigation is vital for us to understand what the needs of our students are and how we can help them. Idea 3 is a step that I feel some people might struggle doing. It requires time, effort, an open mind, adaptability, and flexibility. However, if educators can understand the benefits these actions have on their students my hope is that they can commit to this positive progress in their classrooms.

Educators are not alone. Counselors are there to consult and collaborate on ways to assist students with learning disabilities. Some suggestions from counselors may include ways in “identifying specific academic techniques, implementing classroom accommodations, and developing motivational approaches” (Vernon, 2009, p. 217). Counselors can also provide insights on how to address social and emotional issues and ways to include the caretakers’ support for the student.

Vernon, A. (2009). Counseling children and adolescents (4th ed). Denver, CO: Love Publishing Company.

This article is one that has great value for all teachers and something like this should be required reading for veteran teachers and educators in training, alike. One issue I, and many others, have with this topic is the feasibility of making these adjustments and accommodations for a few individual children in a general education class made up of, say, 25 or even 30 students. Is it realistic to ask a single teacher to use these strategies and create customized learning strategies for all these students simultaneously? I am not sure, though, of course it is ideal. I think this is where having a second teacher in the classroom, or a teacher's aide, would enable these students to receive the extra attention and accommodation they need and deserve. Nevertheless, articles like these are extremely valuable for everyone working in the field of education to read and be aware of, in order to gain a sense of understanding of how children with learning disabilities experience the classroom setting. Just as we ought to be asking students to aim high and equip them with skills and support to meet these expectations, so should educators be aiming high, as well.

Great article! I believe it is always a good refresher for an educator of any experience to read. It is so tempting to fall into a pattern of teaching but it is so important not to get to comfortable. There is a way to each educator but it is crucial to remember that each student is different and it changes every year. One of the most important aspects to being an effective teacher is to set your your classroom for learning mastery. This can range from the way your classroom looks, how you present material, noting each students primary learning method, arrangement, engagement, question formatting, and so much more!

Another important factor to recognize is that each person may fit in differently. It is important to notice the differences in students. Just like being color blind sounds good on paper, it also sounds good to not draw attention to a students learning disability or struggle, but it is so important to address the issue and work with it as opposed to around it for the better being of the students learning. Isn't that what teaching is about!?

I appreciated this section that highlights what classrooms are like for students with learning disabilities and promoting the fairness doctrine. It is important for everyone in the building (including other students and their parents) that fair does not mean everyone gets the same thing, but everyone gets what they need. I believe this is crucial when it comes to students who have trouble reading because they fit into the group of students who need extra help, and that needs to be identified. As school counselors we must know that if a student is acting out, or not doing well, a need is not being met. As we can see from above it is obvious students with a varying amount of learning disabilities may feel overwhelmed, ultimately making them feel as if they are doing something wrong if they aren't performing like everyone else in the class. When a student is struggling in reading (or anything) it is important to enter that students "world" and validate their feelings so they understand they are not doing anything wrong, and understand they will receive help in the area in which they need.
The following link is to a series of videos produced by Fat City. They do a great job demonstrating what its like to be a student struggling with a learning disability, as it is a series of tasks and demonstrations with educators, so they understand through their own thoughts, actions and activities what it feels like to be in specific situations where they are struggling. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBF2260837E105D3B These videos are a great resources so us as educators can see first hand what it is like for these students to be in a classroom everyday, and what must be done to help them.

I think this article offered several thoughts for teachers to consider when setting up their classroom and structure of their class. I think as a teacher it is important to know how all your students experience your class and how you can make simple changes each year to make students better able to succeed. I also think the author was fair in acknowledging the realities of what a teacher must accomplish as well as their demands outside of instructing the students. In order to implement more change, there does indeed need to be “cultural shift” on what happens in schools. Perhaps reaching out to state representatives, union representatives, and others can help have the voice of the hard working teachers heard. It is an injustice to the students to continue on the current over populated workloads and classrooms. Wonderful ideas, and food for thought for advocacy and change!

As a school counselor in training, with no experience in the education field just yet, I am appreciative of an article such as this one. While my role doesn't necessarily call for my presence in a classroom to work directly with a student with an LD, it broadens my view for how to better support them. I agree that there is no simple way of meeting the different needs of every student based on learning styles and strategies. However, we do know that students achieve when we set high, not impossible, expectations for them and this is true of students with learning disabilities. It is a fine line to determine precisely what that is, but I believe that collaborative efforts between different departments would increase the success we see in this portion of a school population and would help diminish the “fear factor” in the idea of fairness we strive for in classrooms.

The suggestions and descritpions of real classroom workings, is vert helpful for novice educaors and thier instructors/mentors. I can see where this information will assist me as I serve as a mentor for student teachers.

Remolding the classrooms is not only not simple, it's not realistic. So many great ideas are simply un-practicable in the current climate and culture of education. As a classroom teacher who thoughtfully and intentionally considers, assesses, reteaches, reflects, believes every single child must have the best chance to be successful, acts upon the passion for teaching children to be learners, is often the lone voice of dissent in the constant clamor to jump through the next hoop -- I know that although articles like this sound good, until someone does something to make caseloads reasonable for EC teachers -- nothing will change.

Great article -- do you know where I could by the book this is excerpted from? Thanks!

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