PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES OF TEACHING AND DESIGNING IEP FOR LEARNERS WITH

DIFFICULTY REMEMBERING AND FOCUSING

INTRODUCTION

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) makes teachers of students with special
needs responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring educational plans to help the
students succeed in school. The IEP describes the goals set for a student for the school year,
and any special support needed to help reach those goals.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this discussion by students will able to identify define and appreciate

1. Identify learners with difficulty remembering and focusing and teaching strategies

2. Define teaching strategies that can help the learners in remembering and focusing

3. appreciate students and help them to conquer their difficulty in remembering and focusing

At the end of the lesson the students are ble to:

ABSTRACTION

STRATEGIES OF TEACHING WITH DIFFICULTLY REMEMBERING AND FOCUSING

The memory demands for school-age children are much greater than they are for adults. As
adults, we have already acquired much of the knowledge and skills we need to function day to
day. Although the knowledge base for some fields such as technology changes rapidly, the new
information is generally highly specific and builds on existing knowledge.

The following ten general strategies are offered to help students develop a more efficient and
effective memory.

1. Give directions in multiple formats

Students benefit from being given directions in both visual and verbal formats. In addition, their
understanding and memorizing of instructions could be checked by encouraging them to repeat
the directions given and explain the meaning of these directions. Examples of what needs to be
done are also often helpful for enhancing memory of directions.

2. Teach students to over-learn material

3. Teach students to use visual images and other memory strategies

Another memory strategy that makes use of a cue is one called word substitution. The
substitute word system can be used for information that is hard to visualize, for example, for
the word occipital or parietal. These words can be converted into words that sound familiar
that can be visualized. The word occipital can be converted to exhibit hall (because it sounds
like exhibit hall). The student can then make a visual image of walking into an art museum and
seeing a big painting of a brain with big bulging eyes (occipital is the region of the brain that
controls vision). With this system, the vocabulary word the student is trying to remember
actually becomes the cue for the visual image that then cues the definition of the word.

4. Give teacher-prepared handouts prior to class lectures

Class lectures and series of oral directions should be reinforced by teacher-prepared handouts.
The handouts for class lectures could consist of a brief outline or a partially completed graphic
organizer that the student would complete during the lecture. Having this information both
enables students to identify the salient information that is given during the lectures and to
correctly organize the information in their notes. Both of these activities enhance memory of
the information as well. The use of Post-Its to jot information down on is helpful for
remembering directions.

5. Teach students to be active readers

To enhance short-term memory registration and/or working memory when reading, students
should underline,highlight, or jot key words down in the margin when reading chapters. They
can then go back and read what is underlined, highlighted, or written in the margins. To
consolidate this information in long-term memory, they can make outlines or use graphic
organizers. Research has shown that the use of graphic organizers increases academic
achievement for all students.

6. Write down steps in math problems

Students who have a weakness in working memory should not rely on mental computations
when solving math problems. For example, if they are performing long division problems, they
should write down every step including carrying numbers. When solving word problems, they
should always have a scratch piece of paper handy and write down the steps in their
calculations. This will help prevent them from losing their place and forgetting what they are
doing.

7. Provide retrieval practice for students

Research has shown that long-term memory is enhanced when students engage in retrieval
practice. Taking a test is a retrieval practice, i.e., the act of recalling information that has been
studied from long-term memory. Thus, it can be very helpful for students to take practice tests.
When teachers are reviewing information prior to tests and exams, they could ask the students
questions or have the students make up questions for everyone to answer rather than just
retelling students the to-be-learned information. Also, if students are required or encouraged
to make up their own tests and take them, it will give their parents and/or teachers information
about whether they know the most important information or are instead focused on details
that are less important.

8. Help students develop cues when storing information

According to the memory research, information is easier retrieved when it is stored using a cue
and that cue should be present at the time the information is being retrieved. For example, the
acronym HOMES can be used to represent the names of the Great Lakes — Huron, Ontario,
Michigan, Erie and Superior. The acronym is a cue that is used when the information is being
learned, and recalling the cue when taking a test will help the student recall the information.

9. Prime the memory prior to teaching/learning

Cues that prepare students for the task to be presented are helpful. This is often referred to as
priming the memory. For instance, when a reading comprehension task is given, students will
get an idea of what is expected by discussing the vocabulary and the overall topic beforehand.
This will allow them to focus on the salient information and engage in more effective depth of
processing. Advance organizers also serve this purpose. For older students, Clif Notes for pieces
of literature are often helpful aids for priming the memory.

10. Review material before going to sleep

It should be helpful for students to review material right before going to sleep at night.
Research has shown that information studied this way is better remembered. Any other task
that is performed after reviewing and prior to sleeping (such as getting a snack, brushing teeth,
listening to music) interferes with consolidation of information in memory.
DESIGNING IEP FOR LEARNERS WITH DIFFICULTY REMEMBERING AND FOCUSING

Individualized Education Programs (IEPs): Tips for Teachers

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) makes teachers of students with special
needs responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring educational plans to help the
students succeed in school. The IEP describes the goals set for a student for the school year,
and any special support needed to help reach those goals.

Who Needs an IEP?

Students who are eligible for special education services require an IEP. Students could be
eligible for many reasons, such as if they have:

learning disabilities

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

emotional disorders

cognitive challenges.autism

hearing problems.vision problems

speech or language problems.

developmental delay

physical disabilities

What is an IEP?

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), public schools that receive federal
funding are required to create a personalized plan of study for students who receive special
education services. These programs are known as Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and
if you've noticed your child's ADHD is impairing his or her ability to focus and succeed in school,
such a plan may be the solution you've been looking for.

How does an IEP for ADHD work?

For legal reasons, only certain people can create an IEP.

a parent or caregiver

the child’s teacher

another specialist who could be a child psychologist

a representative who is working in special education services

Accommodations include changes that help a child learn, for example, allowing breaks during
lessons to help ease hyperactivity symptoms.

Modifications change what a child will learn. For example, if a child with ADHD is struggling
with grade 3 spelling, it does not make sense to move them to grade 4.

More examples of accommodations for ADHD include:

giving a child two sets of textbooks so they can never leave one at school or at home

giving a child a foldout shield they can place on their desk when there is a lot of activity
happening in the class

taping an area around their desk where they can walk if they feel the need to move

Other things an IEP includes are:

available services, such as special educational lessons, for example, extra reading classes

timing of services, when they happen, and how long they will last

any changes to the child’s learning environment

format of class tests and exams

inclusion in class and other school activities

EVALUATION

What are the strategies of teachers in teaching students with difficulty remembering focusing
How are the teachers design IEP for students with difficulty remembering and focusing?

REFERENCE

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/iep-teachers.html

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/10-strategies-enhance-students-memory