Cognitive processing difficulties that children with different disabilities may have, and how a teacher might accommodate such difficulties in the classroom.

 

Children with difference disabilities may have their own cognitive processing difficulties. It is crucial for teachers to recognise all of these difficulties. Why? These cognitive processing difficulties are what hindering children in learning and listening to instructions from teachers. Therefore, without recognising these disabilities, teachers may not have understanding on children’s conditions which leads to failure in reaching out and connecting with them.

School-age children who have ADHD and other learning disabilities may experience issues with cognitive processing. Signs of cognitive delay can include, difficulty paying attention, even for short periods, inability to sit still for any length of time, taking an extraordinarily long time to complete tasks, such as homework or writing tests. Poor memory when recalling learned facts or multi-step written instructions. Weak listening skills and difficulty in remembering oral instructions. Difficulty with reading, spelling, vocabulary and comprehension. Problems with abstract concepts in math and struggling to plan and prioritize.[1]

Besides that, they still have poor grades despite significant efforts. For assignments, they always need regular, step-by-step guidance. Since they do not understand tasks or the reasoning behind them, they do not recall problem-solving steps. Have a weak recall of material spoken or written. Having trouble mastering duties or moving academic knowledge to other duties. Over time, skills and facts cannot be recalled. They have good general knowledge but cannot read as in dyslexia, write as in dysgraphia, or do math as in dyscalculia at that stage. Have difficulties with communication and language comprehension, verbal and responsive. With school and homework, they can get really irritated. Have limited self-esteem.

Some common behaviors also boredness and carelessness. Disinterest in learning or refusal to go to school. Withdrawal in the classroom. Disorganization, lack of focus. Teachers can see some homework seems to be sloppy or badly done. Slow to answer or response to questions from teacher. Some may show physical signs of stress, such as headaches or stomach aches.

A teacher can accommodate such difficulties in classroom by providing oral instruction for students with reading disabilities. Test and reading materials must be present in an oral format so the assessment is not unduly influenced by lack of reading ability. Teachers must frequently check the disabled student’s progress. Inform them of how well they are progressing toward individual or learning goals. Make tasks brief and succinct, wherever possible. Long drawn-out projects are particularly stressful for a child with a learning disability. Learning young people with disabilities have trouble learning abstract words and definitions. Provide them, wherever possible, with concrete objects and events—things they can touch, hear, smell, etc. If required, intend to repeat instructions or include information in both written and verbal formats. Once again it is important that children with learning disabilities use as much of their sensory modalities as possible. Using a particular language. Instead of saying "do quality work," set out clear goals. For example, if the teacher's rating is based on proper punctuation, pronunciation, and inclusion of specific points, communication between teachers and children is crucial to meet the expectations. Provide students with learning disorders with a multisensory approach to learning. To help these learners enjoy, understand and learn, take advantage of all the senses.

Next, ask for a scoring guide. Teachers should create a scoring guide, share it with learners, and include examples of models of each performance level. Clearly outline the guidelines for this. Lessons should provide detailed, step-by-step instructions that are specifically given by the instructor and modeled for the student. Build models of quality work that can be used and studied by students. Include both spoken and written examples as to how work meets academic standards. Using the graphics organizers. Help students understand the connection between concepts. Have the student repeat the instructions once again. Fix any miscommunication before the actual work starts. Check back on the student as he works to make sure he does the job correctly. Prompt him when appropriate to make sure he corrects any errors before he finishes. Offer immediate feedback to students with disabilities. They need to easily see the link between what has been taught and what has been learned.

Teaching young people with learning disabilities will present teachers with several distinctive and special challenges. These students will not only take more time and patience; they will also require specialized training techniques in a structured environment that will promote and improve their learning ability. It is important to note that students with learning disabilities are not students who are disabled or unable to learn; rather, they require distinct teaching adapted to their distinctive learning skills. Hence, it is crucial for teachers to utilise these acceptable methods for students with disabilities.

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[1] https://blog.brainbalancecenters.com/2015/09/signs-of-cognitive-disorders#:~:text=What%20Are%20the%20Signs%20of,attention%2C%20even%20for%20short%20periods.