Classroom Strategies

ORGANIZATION:

For some students, staying organized is a struggle. These students may have trouble finding their materials, making sense of the task just assigned, or following through with completing a task. By adjusting the way you present the information and/or instructing the students on how to complete work, students can learn to be successful in you classroom. Below are some tips you may find helpful when working with students who have difficulty staying organized.

Environment:

- Give student a seat up front, close to the teacher.

- Give student extra work space

- Seat away from distractions (the door, noisy heaters, ac units, or high traffic areas.

- Limit visual distractions

- Reduce noise level during tasks requiring concentration.

- Seat among well-focused students.

- Use study carrels or privacy boards during seatwork and test-taking.

- Display models of completed projects for student reference.

Organization:

- Write assignments on the board as well as presenting orally.

- Assist student with recording of assignments (student buddy, aide, or

teacher).

- Clarify assignments to students at the end of class/day.

- Provide students with handouts that are already 3-hole punched.

- provide assistance with organizing materials.

- Color-code books, notebooks, and/or materials

- Tape "Things to Do" list to desk.

- Break down long assignments into smaller chunks/increments.

- Limit the amount of materials/clutter on the student's desk.

Instruction:

- Increase the amount of modeling, demonstration, and guided practice.

- Make sure students are ready to work along before assigning independent tasks.

- Make goals, objectives, and expectation explicit.

- Review previously taught skills.

- Use graphic organizers with students to show relationships among concepts.

- Provide additional practice with writing prompts

- Permit students to dictate responses/someone else transcribes.

- Give directions in small distance steps.

- Minimize disruptions, distractions, and interruptions.

- Have student repeat directions/instructions prior to starting assignment.

- Provide ongoing, specific feedback and progress (homework, class assignments, etc.)

- Allow extra time for taking/completing tests.

- Alter type of examination

- Provide student with color-coded, highlighted text.

- Use a variety of questioning techniques/allowing for more response opportunities.

- Allow student to use learning aids (Franklin Speller, calculators, reading markers).

- Provide handouts that are clean, and easy to read.

- Have student read assignments in pairs.

Collaboration:

- Provide daily or weekly progress updates to parents.

- Communicate more frequently with parents about student progress.

- Communicate concerns with support staff at the informal level.

- Involve your site consultation/student study team.

- Buddy up with another teacher for discipline and/or team-teaching.

- Have parent initial or sign-off homework after student has completed the assignment.