Examples of Overall Difficulties:

Short-Term Memory

• Difficulty remembering multi-step directions

• Problems remembering a series of information

• Difficulty with the initial mastery of material

• Difficulty with vocabulary development

• Problems copying information

• Weaknesses in transferring information from source to source

• Difficulty retaining and synthesizing information presented

Working Memory

• Failure to use strategies while studying

• Difficulty paraphrasing and summarizing information

• Confusion and comprehension problems can exist during extended explanations or multi-step instructions

• Students may raise their hand only to forget what they were going to say or lose their train of thought while speaking

Overall Strategies

• Use a stepwise approach to studying

• Use rehearsal strategies (rhymes, acronyms, anagrams, associations, and/or mnemonics)

  1. Rhyming can be used to help students remember words and facts (Columbus in 1492 and ocean blue)

  2. First letter mnemonics-(HOMES to remember the great lakes)

• Model retelling, paraphrasing, and summarizing

• Use lists, notes, checklists, or memory plans

• Agenda books/calendars

• Apps available: Wunderlist, Nudge, and BugMe!

Accommodations

• Provide copies of notes and outlines for notes

• Write on tests or materials to eliminate transfer errors

• Write important information on the board

• Deliver information in smaller units or portions

• Use multimodal presentation of information (visual, tactile, and auditory)

• Have fewer problems to complete, focusing on accuracy

Examples of Math Difficulties

Short-Term Memory

• Difficulty recalling math computation facts

• Difficulty reproducing numbers, shapes, etc.

• Difficulty retaining story problems that are dictated

• Difficulty remembering formulas, algorithms, and procedures and processes to perform on assignments, tests

• Difficulty remembering math rules

• Difficulty telling time

Working Memory

• Difficulty with multi-step problems

• Difficulty holding parts of the problem in head while working on the problem

• Difficulty sequencing and retaining sequential information

Math Strategies

• Teach a stepwise approach to studying

• Teach rehearsal strategies (rhymes, acronyms, anagrams, associations, and/or mnemonics)

  • Rhyming can be used to help students remember words and facts (Columbus in 1492 and ocean blue)

  • First letter mnemonics-(HOMES to remember the great lakes)

• Model retelling, paraphrasing, and summarizing

• Teach how to use lists, notes, checklists, or memory plans

Accommodations

• Provide copies of notes and outlines for notes

• Write on tests or materials to eliminate transfer errors

• Write important information on the board

• Deliver information in smaller units or portions

• Use multimodal presentation of information (visual, tactile, and auditory)

• Have fewer problems to complete, focusing on accuracy

• Agenda books/calendars

• Apps available: Wunderlist, Nudge, and BugMe!

Examples of Reading Difficulties

Short-Term Memory

• Difficulty acquiring letter and word identification skills

• Difficulty recalling phoneme/grapheme relationships

• Difficulty with story recall

• Difficulty remembering and summarizing what is read

• Difficulty readily connecting what is read to background knowledge while reading

Working Memory

• Problems with simultaneously remembering a comprehension question and integrating information from the passage

• Difficulty recalling the beginning of a sentence while reading words at the end

• Difficulty with comprehension and remembering information from the top of the page while reading the final paragraph

• Difficulty sequencing and retaining sequential information from text

Reading Strategies:

• During reading comprehension tasks, use active reading techniques such as: Underlining, Using a highlighter, Rereading, Marking important parts, Writing in margins of books, Using sticky notes while reading

• Have students take turns making/asking questions and responding to questions about material being taught

• Model and encourage thinking out loud and/or subvocalizing

• Use kinesthetic tracing of letters and numbers patterns

• Teach the use of Graphic Organizers

■ Tree diagrams

■ Time-Sequence

■ Problem-solution

■ Topic organizers

■ Venn Diagrams

■ Flow charts

■ Concept webs

■ Compare and contrast charts and matrices

■ Learning frames-summary frame, definition frame, argumentation frame, problem-solution frame

Accommodations

• Review prior knowledge before teaching new information

• Check for comprehension at strategic points

• Present information with a retrieval cue-such as category labels

• Provide handouts that are clearly written, uncluttered, and have space for work

Examples of Writing Difficulties

Short-Term Memory

• Struggles remembering the correct spelling of words

• Difficulty copying information from the board or text

Working Memory

• Difficulty tracking what the student is writing

• Problems organizing thoughts in writing

• Problems integrating organization and grammar

• Difficulties sequencing ideas

• Difficulty remembering all the steps required in the written language process (spelling, punctuation, spacing, organization, clarity, etc.)

• Difficulties with note-taking

• Difficulty contemplating the meaning of written material while applying prior knowledge

Writing Strategies

• Teach student to use the COPS strategy (a proofreading strategy where the student completes each step separately (rereads their writing four times prior to completion)

  • Capitalize the first word of each sentence

  • Organize the information by reviewing topic sentences and double check paragraph breaks

  • Punctuation

  • Spelling

• Teach the student to use a Self-monitoring rubric that includes: Ideas, Organization, Work Choice, Conventions, Audience Awareness

• Pre-writing (using graphic organizers)

• Drafting (use model to take notes and model how to organize in a text form using topic sentences)

• Revising (second draft emphasizing content, elaboration of ideas, and making connections)

• Editing (rereading for capitalization and punctuation errors)

• Publishing (peer assisted strategies and teaching students to give and receive feedback based upon a writing rubric)

Accommodations

• Have a word bank available

• Use a recorder to record ideas prior to writing them down

• Assistive technology