Learning Disabilities and the Classroom

Learning Disabilities and the Classroom

There are a lot of teachers out there who dedicate their lives to working with students who are struggling and who have various kinds of learning disabilities. These teachers have a lot to handle, because they have to plan for classroom management in a way that teachers of mainstream students do not. Management areas can include scheduling, grouping, homework assignment, lesson plans, instructional materials, and lesson plans. These require more thought when they deal with LD students, because there can be various disabilities in the classroom that have to be handled. When Mary Williams (2009) talks about her work and the children she teaches, it is easy to hear how dedicated she is. But she also worries that she will not be able to do everything she wants to do in order to help these children. Some of them are more reachable than others, and some of them can be moved into traditional classrooms if they advance far enough.

Her school has a goal of including as many of the LD students in the general education classroom as possible. This, it is believed, will give these students a better sense of belonging in the school. Williams (2009) is concerned, though, that some of these children are being mainstreamed when they should not be. This could hurt their ability to do well in school over the long-term, and could ultimately lead them to fail where they would have otherwise succeeded. Mathematics is the biggest area where this worry surfaces, because the mathematics that are taught in LD classrooms are much different -- and far less advanced -- than what is taught in mainstream classrooms. The instructional materials that Williams (2009) selects are designed to stimulate the brains of the LD children she teaches. It gets them interested in mathematics and challenges them without making them feel as though they cannot learn what is being asked of them.

This is critical, because LD students often act out inappropriately when they cannot master a task. If the task it too easy it will not hold their attention, and if the task is too complex they will give up and become frustrated. Either one of these things can lead to acting out. The students in her LD classroom are often grouped together during specific tasks, so they have others to talk to and work with. This helps them to be less frustrated and keeps them from feeling as though they are the only one who cannot understand a particular task. Sometimes, they can talk out their issues with a particular task with other students, and that lets them feel a sense of camaraderie and accomplishment. Keeping records can be more difficult this way, but scheduling these times of group interaction seems to keep the students interested, according to Williams (2009). These students are also more likely to pay attention to lesson plans and keep up with their homework because they know they are 'accountable' to their peers as well as their teacher. Williams (2009) believes grouping has made a big difference in her classroom.