<p><em><strong>How it feels to see your child with intellectual disability succeed</strong></em></p><p>She came home smiling. “Guess what happened in the L.A. final today?” she asked. “I took the final by myself,” she announced, before I even had a chance to guess.</p><p>“There wasn’t a [paraprofessional], but I told Ms. H I could do it without one. I told her I was ready and could do it on my own.” </p><p>My heart was pounding, but I stayed cool. “That’s awesome,” I said. She was still smiling. “I told Ms. H, ‘I got this.’” Apparently, she did.</p><p>It was her moment: one of growing confidence, of developing context, of learning through literature. The ninth-grade language arts final was on Shakespeare’s <em>Romeo and Juliet</em>. We had spent several hours reviewing the nonmodified study guide. It had straightforward questions about who was who, and it also asked students to make inferences and to share their opinions and thoughts about complex concepts such as motivation, responsibility, and jealousy. </p><p>My daughter is 15 and a freshman at our neighborhood high school. This is the first time she has taken a final that was not modified. And the first time that I understood why that was exactly the best choice, even though it was not planned. </p><p>My girl said her first word at three years old. She learned the letters in her name when she was five. At 10, she could read at a first-grade level. She reads at a beginning sixth-grade level now. Every year of her schooling, her work is modified to her level. It seemed to make sense, but now I am not so sure.</p><p>Several factors played into this wonderful success. I can’t really say which is most important; it’s the cumulative effect that made this test doable.</p><ol> <li><strong>Teacher time.</strong> It took us most of the year to figure this out, but once we did, it catapulted her comprehension and engagement. Most weeks, my girl went to see the teacher during the teacher’s office hours, and they discussed what my girl understood and what she needed to work on. The teacher, not the paraprofessional, or para, spent time instructing her.</li><li><strong>Context.</strong> My girl was ready to engage in a story about teenagers in love. She was interested in romance and boyfriends and relationships. She had the comprehension skills necessary to follow the story and to make some inferences to present-day teen issues. She was comfortable sharing her thoughts and opinions in classroom discussions.</li><li><strong>Appropriate materials.</strong> Ms. H also made sure all her students had access to the materials they needed to understand <em>Romeo and Juliet</em> as literature and as a story and history. She suggested we get a No Fear Shakespeare version of the book and watch movie versions, and she used the school website to post study guides and supplemental materials. In short, she was an excellent teacher!</li><li><strong>Confidence.</strong> My girl had a good working relationship with the teacher, an understanding of the material, and a sense of herself, which led to the confidence she needed to easily take on the final exam. She also took the regular physical <a href="https://esme.com/resources/c/education" target="_blank" class="wordlink">education</a> final without support. Both the science and U.S. Government finals were also not modified, though she did have a para read her the questions and guide a bit too.</li><li><strong>Desire</strong>. My girl wants to be able to do what her peers can do. She used to hate her brain for not learning as well as others, but she has moved into an acceptance of who she is and how she learns. She could be taught in segregated special-education classrooms, but she wants to be in the same classes as her friends. She does take a special-education math class, as her math skills are at about a third-grade level. She is fine with that because math is very challenging for her and algebra is too big a stretch. My girl has told the paras to help only when she asks, as she wants to try to do what every other student is expected to do. </li></ol><p>My girl knows she has disabilities. She uses the term “learning disabilities,” which is functionally true, though it is because she has an intellectual disability and significant speech delays. My girl also knows she is funny, kind, thoughtful, and a good friend. She has passions and goals. She will be on the swim team next year and has joined two clubs. And she wants to go to a school dance. I have a feeling I will be sharing that story soon.</p><hr><p><span style="font-size: 11px;">Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com</span><br></p>
<p><strong><em>Understanding the type of help your child needs in the classroom</em></strong></p><p>Accommodation and modification are often used interchangeably, but they’re completely different in meaning and approach in the classroom. Knowing the difference between the two makes it easier for you to choose one or the other, or even both, as an appropriate learning support for your child. An accommodation aims to address the manner in which a child learns academics in school. For instance, when a teacher accommodates during the lesson, the focus is on how a learner will gain an understanding of what’s being taught or demonstrated in the classroom. Unlike an accommodation, a modification involves altering what your child is taught or expected to learn. We’re talking about adjusting the lesson or curriculum so that your child understands the central topic or message of the content, which will be different from their peers. </p><p><strong>Who receives accommodations and modifications?</strong></p><p>Like every child, yours has a broad set of skills and specific talents that are meant to be honed by effective educators in school. Solo Moms need to be wary of the one-size-fits-all style in <a href="https://esme.com/resources/c/education" target="_blank" class="wordlink">education</a>. It never works. Honestly, it’s a highly unfair approach to teaching any content to a learner. Children with <a href="https://esme.com/resources/c/special-needs" target="_blank" class="wordlink">special needs</a> require specific methods for learning such as accommodation and modification in an approach to learning new concepts in the classroom. When this is the case, one way that school systems meet the variant needs of its learners is with an Individualized Educational Program (IEP). This program is developed through a meeting with the parent, child, special education team, and general education teachers. If your child has an IEP, certain accommodations and/or modifications are created so that nothing less than academic success is achieved in the learning environment. For more information visit, the Department of Education’s <a target="_blank" href="http://idea.ed.gov/">Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) page</a>.</p><p><strong>Accommodation and modification in the classroom</strong></p><p>Whether learning happens through a lecture, technology, or visual aid in the classroom, the idea behind accommodation is that your child’s needs are always being met with the <em>how</em> factor in mind. Specifically, a teacher will consider questions like these: How do I assist a child during the learning process? Or how will I model a new concept so that the learner can apply it in a real world setting? A teacher must also regularly check for understanding through observation or a test to know if the accommodation is working for your child. Some other examples of commonly used accommodations include providing clear directions, rewards for positive behavior, and extended time during tests. However, accommodations in the classroom aren’t limited only to instruction. A quiet and organized classroom, one that allows for movement when the need arises for your child, is also an accommodation routinely used in schools. </p><p>Modification works differently in that it focuses on modifying what’s taught in the classroom. Let’s say a child who’s a struggling reader is required to learn grade-level vocabulary. For a child who doesn’t read that level, this can be quite difficult. The child will probably struggle to comprehend the words in context. With a modification, the teacher will simply choose a book on an easier level and use vocabulary that’s similar in meaning in order to help the learner get it. For instance, a teacher might use the word “throw” to replace “launch.” Modification allows for shorter assignments, grades based on effort, and open-book tests.</p><p><strong>Advocate for your child’s needs</strong></p><p>The best way for Solo Moms to ensure that their child receives the proper accommodation or modification in the classroom is to stay in regular contact with the head of the special education department and the child’s teachers. Familiarize yourself with the <a target="_blank" href="http://www2.ed.gov/programs/specediep/index.html">process of an IEP</a>. The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be when the time comes for a review of your child’s individual needs. You can request advance notifications for benchmark and mandated state assessments from your child’s general education teacher. Be sure to request that all correspondence be sent in a manner that is convenient for you and provide your current contact information to the school. Set up a time to visit the school and sit in for a class session or volunteer to be an aide in the classroom. Monitor your child’s grades through progress reports or online access to teacher grade books. Laws and regulations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) protect the rights of those who receive special services. Under no circumstances can a teacher fail a learner who has an IEP. When you spot a poor grade, immediately inquire about it and hold school officials accountable for providing quality and fairness in educating your child. Trust me when I say, teachers need your support with accommodations and modifications. Your involvement is essential to gaining a positive educational experience for your child.<br></p><hr><p><span style="font-size: 11px;">Image via Shutterstock.com</span></p>
