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Chapter 1-2 in the textbook introduce the IEP and a legal document that is formulated by a team. These two chapters emphasize not only what makes an effective plan. but also the needs and demands of a successful IEP team. These chapters provide explicit examples for how to bridge the gaps between home and school while engaging the student in a reflective and conscious look at their learning.

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This attachment includes pictures of the separate group activities that were assigned for chapters 1 and 2. Despite having different prompts, it is clear that collaboration and communication were the key points all groups saw within these chapters. The acrostics in particular include many key vocabulary terms that summarize the main points discussed.

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The following link includes a brief summary of chapters 3-7 in the IEP textbook. These chapters focused mainly on the need for explicit goals and a reminder for the legal aspects of FAPE and IEPs.

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This link includes examples of writing goals for IEPs that are commonly seen with students that have difficulty with written expression. As an ELA teacher, these are the goals I see the most, but will also be the ones I am focused on primarily as I transition into a co-taught setting.

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IEP Goals for Writing

Parents can certainly assist the IEP team with developing goals. One IEP area that I find parents and teachers struggle with is addressing the skill of writing. And by writing, I'm talking about content, not fine-motor handwriting skills.

If your child struggles with handwriting, I would read this post on dysgraphia or ask for an OT evaluation.

For this post, the IEP goals for writing will focus on writing as far as developing content, writing fluency, and written expression.

I have a large IEP Goal Bank that lists and links out to thousands of IEP goals. So if you cannot find what you are looking for here, I suggest you check there.

Written Expression IEP Goals

What's great about many IEP goals is that you can change the details of the IEP goal to suit any age, grade, or ability. This list of IEP writing goals examples can be edited for any writing ability.

I have a graphic below detailing how to make an IEP goal measurable.

1. When given a writing assignment, [student] independently creates a keyword outline. He will have the main topic and [number of] supporting points as a basis for the essay.

2. [Name] will use the keyword outline process to create a written composition that contains [number of] paragraphs of at least [number of] sentences each, an introduction, conclusion. [student] will include at least [number of] supporting points in [number of] separate paragraphs. [student] will demonstrate this ability in all content areas and all settings.

3. The [student] will independently develop his ideas for assigned essays. [student] will create five-paragraph essays with proper essay structure using [name of] software to dictate ideas to the computer. [student] will demonstrate the ability to use [name of] voice-to-text software to dictate essays in all class subjects.

4. [student] will write and edit a five-sentence paragraph that addresses a given subject in the general curriculum. Each paragraph will include a topic sentence, at least [number of] details, and a conclusion. [student] will earn a score of [desired score goal] or higher on a writing rubric for each writing assignment. There will be at least four writing assignments per quarter.

5. For each essay assignment, [student] will independently develop his ideas fully. [student] will write passages that contain well-developed main ideas. [student] will give at least [number of] details in each paragraph. [student] will demonstrate this ability in all content areas and all settings for all essay assignments in the general curriculum.

6. When given writing assignments in the general curriculum, [student] will edit his writing for spelling, punctuation, and grammar. [student] will have fewer than [number of] overlooked errors per [number of] words without assistance. [student] will demonstrate this ability across all settings.

7. The Student will increase writing skills to (grade/proficiency level) in the area(s) of (Ideas and Content, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions) as measured by (State Scoring Guide, analysis of writing samples, diagnostic survey, spelling inventory).

8. [student] will increase writing skills to __ (grade/proficiency level) in the area(s) of (Ideas and Content, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency and Conventions) as measured by (State Scoring Guide, analysis of writing samples, diagnostic survey, spelling inventory).

9. [student] will increase writing skills to (grade/proficiency level) in the area(s) of (ideas and Content, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions) as measured by ___ (State Scoring Guide, analysis of writing samples, diagnostic survey, spelling inventory).

Objectives to Support Written Expression IEP goals

1. Write the main idea with some supporting details on a topic.

2. Research and write to convey an understanding of a topic using at least one resource.

3. Write clear, focused main ideas and supporting details on a topic.

4. To develop a topic, write a multi-paragraph passage using details, examples, and illustrations.

5. Revise writing for the development of the main idea with supporting details.

6. Research using verifiable sources to develop and support the topic.

7. Research and write to convey a thorough understanding of a topic using two or more resources.

8. Include some relevant facts and details on a chosen topic.

9. Convey clear, focused main ideas and supporting details on a topic for various audiences and purposes.

10. Include appropriate facts and details on a chosen topic.

11. Use writing to generate a learning log and journals to record new information.

12. Use writing to generate diagrams, learning logs, journals, note-taking, outlines, and summaries.

13. Write the main idea with some supporting details on a topic.

14. Research and write to convey an understanding of a topic using at least one resource.

15. Write clear, focused main ideas and supporting details on a topic.

16. To develop a topic, write a multi-paragraph passage using details, examples, and illustrations.

17. Revise writing for the development of the main idea with supporting details.

18. Research using verifiable sources to develop and support the topic.

19. Research and write to convey a thorough understanding of a topic using two or more resources.

20. Include some relevant facts and details on a chosen topic.

21. Convey clear, focused main ideas and supporting details on a topic for various audiences and purposes.

22. Include appropriate facts and details on a chosen topic.

23. Use writing to generate a learning log and journals to record new information.

24. Use writing to generate diagrams, learning logs, journals, note-taking, outlines, and summaries.

25. Organize writing to address the audience and purpose in chronological and logical sequences (e.g., sequence, place, importance).

26. Write a sentence that connects related ideas that maintain a topic.

27. Research using verifiable sources to develop and support a topic.

28. Write stories with a beginning, middle, and end.

29. Demonstrate organization by developing a beginning, middle, and ending using transition words (e.g., first, next, then).

30. Demonstrate organization by developing an introduction, body of text, and conclusion with clear sequencing of ideas and transitional words and phrases.

31. Select an appropriate organizational strategy (e.g., outlining, identifying, and supporting topics, following a model, maps, and charts).

32. Organize paragraphs when writing from a prompt or on a topic.

33. Use paragraphs to organize structure within the text for a specific purpose of the content.

34. Write paragraphs in which sentences are related to the topic.

35. Write paragraphs containing a stated main idea and a closing sentence.

36. Write multi-paragraph passages (e.g., stories, reports).

37. Revise writing by adding or deleting text.

38. Change some text to improve clarity.

39. Revise writing to improve clarity and effectiveness by adding relevant details and changing or rearranging text.

40. Edit writing to organize sentences into paragraphs.

41. Edit writing to use transitional words and phrases to connect ideas in sentences and paragraphs (e.g., therefore, on the other hand).

42. Revise writing so it has a sequence (e.g., beginning, middle, end).

43. Revise writing so the paper has an order that makes sense, including details, ideas, sentences, time sequence, and paragraphs.

44. Classify words and topics into an organizational scheme.

Printable List of IEP Writing Goals

If you wish to print this list to have, here you go.

Further defining the IEP Goals

Note that you can add the following accommodations, or any accommodation, to the beginning of each goal. For example:

Using a graphic organizer, the student will [rest of goal]

Working with the student's assigned reading specialist/para, [rest of goal]

You can also add phrases such as "working independently" to define the goal further.

More on Writing:

Much has been studied about the value of being able to read and write and their connection to each other. If you are focusing on your child's writing skills, ensure their reading skills are also addressed. It is unusual to have issues with one and not the other.

" Those who write well are, in many ways, highly skilled individuals in their language. Writing is an extension of one's speech, an ally of communication, one that indicates one's intelligence, their level of education, among other things; it utilizes one's ability to consider and dissect relevant information for a purpose, and writing also makes use of one's critical-thinking skills developed in college. Critical thinking is the ability to actively and skillfully conceptualize, apply, analyze, synthesize, and/or evaluate information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. "

From K12 Reader:

Basically put: reading affects writing, and writing affects reading. According to recommendations from the major English/Language Arts professional organizations, reading instruction is most effective when intertwined with writing instruction and vice versa. Research has found that when children read extensively, they become better writers. Reading a variety of genres helps children learn text structures and language that they can then transfer to their writing. In addition, reading provides young people with prior knowledge that they can use in their stories. One of the primary reasons that we read is to learn. Especially while we are still in school, a major portion of what we know comes from the texts we read. Since writing is transmitting knowledge in print, we must have information to share before we can write it. Therefore reading plays a major role in writing.

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53 Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives for Writing and Written Expression

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Measurable IEP writing goals and written expression goals for all ages and grade levels, written content, reading and writing fluency; includes printable list PDF

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This link lists ideas and accommodations that are useful for assisting students with writing. Because writing is a multi-step process that can be overwhelmingly difficult for many students, it is important to have a variety of options in my toolkit for how to assist.

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Half of all kids with ADHD struggle with writing, which can make every assignment - from straightforward worksheets to full-length essays - feel like torture. Boost your child's skills with these 18 strategies for school and home.

ADHD student's notebook with pen, glasses, and textbook next to it

Studies suggest that more than half of children with ADHD struggle with writing. These students may have an overflow of creative ideas, but often struggle when it comes to getting these ideas onto paper.

Children with ADHD have a hard time getting started - and following through - on writing assignments because they have difficulty picking essay topics, locating appropriate resources, holding and manipulating information in their memory, organizing and sequencing the material, and getting it down on paper - all before they forget what they wanted to say.

But these hurdles don't have to stop them from writing. Discuss the following ADHD writing strategies with your child's teacher so you can work together to ease the difficulties attention deficit children have with writing.

Solutions in the Classroom: Guide the Writing Process

-Set up a note system. Ask the student to write her notes about a topic on individual sticky notes. She can then group the notes together that feature similar ideas so she'll be able to easily identify the major concepts of the subject from the groupings.
[Free Download: 18 Writing Tricks for Students with ADHD]
-Start small and build skills. Ask students with ADHD to write a paragraph consisting of only two or three sentences. As their skills improve, the students can start writing several paragraphs at a time.

-Demonstrate essay writing. With the use of an overhead projector, write a paragraph or an entire essay in front of the class, explaining what you are doing at each step. Students can assist you by contributing sentences as you go. Students with ADHD are often visual learners, and tend to do better when they see the teacher work on a task.

-Give writing prompts. Students with ADHD usually don't generate as many essay ideas as their peers. Help the children with ADHD increase their options for essay assignments by collecting materials that stimulate choices. Read a poem, tell a story, show pictures in magazines, newspapers, or books.

If the student is still struggling to get started, help him by sitting down and talking about the assignment with him. Review his notes from the brainstorming session and ask, "What are some ways you could write the first sentence?" If he doesn't have an answer, say, "Here's an idea. How would you write that in your own words?"
[How Teens with Learning Differences Can Defeat Writing Challenges]
-Encourage colorful description. Students with ADHD often have difficulty "dressing up" their written words. Help them add adjectives and use stronger, more active verbs in sentences.

-Explain the editing process. Students with ADHD have a hard time writing to length and often produce essays that are too short and lacking in details. Explain how the use of adjectives and adverbs can enhance their composition. Show them how to use a thesaurus, too.

Solutions in the Classroom: Use Accommodations Where Necessary

-Allow enough time. Students with ADHD, especially those with the inattentive subtype, may take longer to process information and should receive extended time to complete assignments.

-Don't grade early work. Sensitive students are discouraged by negative feedback as they are developing their writing skills. Wait until the paper is finished before assigning it a grade.

-Don't deduct points for poor handwriting or bad grammar. Unless an assignment is specifically measuring handwriting and grammar skills, when a child is working hard to remember and communicate, let some things slide.

-Use a graphic organizer. A graphic organizer organizes material visually in order to help with memory recall. Distribute pre-printed blank essay forms that students with ADHD can fill in, so they'll reserve their efforts for the most important task - writing the essay.

-Grade limited essay elements. To encourage writing mastery and avoid overwhelming students, grade only one or two elements at any given time. For example, "This week, I'm grading subject-verb agreement in sentences." Tighter grading focus channels students' attention to one or two writing concepts at a time.

Solutions at Home

-Encourage journals. Have your child write down his thoughts about outings to the movies, visits with relatives, or trips to museums. Add some fun to the activity by asking your child to e-mail you his thoughts or text-message you from his cell phone.

-Assist with essay topic selection. Children with ADHD have difficulty narrowing down choices and making decisions. Help your student by listening to all of his ideas and writing down three or four of his strongest topics on cards. Next, review the ideas with him and have him eliminate each topic, one by one - until only the winner is left.

-Brainstorm. Once the topic is identified, ask him for all the ideas he thinks might be related to it. Write the ideas on sticky notes, so he can cluster them together into groupings that will later become paragraphs. He can also cut and paste the ideas into a logical sequence on the computer.

-Stock up on books, movies, games. These materials will introduce new vocabulary words and stimulate thinking. Explore these with your child and ask him questions about them to solicit his views.

-Be your child's "scribe." Before your child loses his idea for the great American novel, or for his next English assignment, have him dictate his thoughts to you as you write them out by hand or type them into the computer. As his skills improve over time, he'll need less of your involvement in this process.

-Go digital. Children with ADHD often write slower than their classmates. Encourage your child to start the writing process on a computer. This way, she'll keep her work organized and won't misplace her essay before it's finished. Also, by working on the computer she can easily rearrange the order of sentences and paragraphs in a second draft.

-Remind your child to proofread. Let your child know that he'll be able to catch errors if he proofreads his rough draft before handing it in.

High-Tech Writing Helpers for Kids with ADHD
Portable word processor
These battery-operated devices look like a computer keyboard with a small calculator screen. Lightweight and durable, portable word processors can be used at school for note-taking and writing assignments. Back home, files can be transferred to a PC or Mac. Basic models cost about $20.
Speech-recognition software
Also called speech-to-text software, these programs allow students to read aloud into a microphone and see their words appear on a computer screen. Good programs include Dragon NaturallySpeaking , for PCs and Dragon Nuance , for Macs.
Word-prediction software
Software such as Co:Writer Solo ($325) helps with spelling and builds vocabulary, providing a drop-down list of words from which a student can choose. It also fills in words to speed composition. Some programs read sentences aloud, so the writer can hear what he has written and catch mistakes as they occur.
Electronic spell-checkers and dictionaries
Enter a word phonetically, and these portable gadgets define the word and provide the correct spelling. Talking devices read the words aloud. Franklin Electronics offers models beginning at about $20.
[The Common Problems that Lead to Writer's Block] Chris Zeigler Dendy, M.S., is a member of ADDitude's ADHD Medical Review Panel.
Updated on June 19, 2019

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How to Remove Hurdles to Writing for Students with ADHD

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Half of all kids with ADHD struggle with writing, which can make every assignment - from straightforward worksheets to full-length essays - feel like torture. Boost your child's skills with these 18 strategies for school and home. Studies suggest that more than half of children with ADHD struggle with writing.

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This blog post is a self-advocate's experience with audiobooks. She reports that audiobooks helped her understand and follow a plot to full completion. I am posting this in my notebook because this is a resource that I should be more proactive about finding for my students. As an ELA teacher, I assign reading in some form every night. Finding supports for the texts we are working with in particular is a major focus of mine before the Fall so that I can be consistent with this accommodation.

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ADHD Beth Harvey

Discovering Audiobooks

Okay, so this is a quick post about my new-found love of audiobooks. I recently wrote about my love of podcasts so I decided I should tell you how audiobooks have helped me renew my love of reading - giving me the ability to actually remember plots, and (most importantly) finish books.

Until this year, I thought of audiobooks as those expensive cassette tapes of Ruth Rendell mysteries that you'd buy your granny for Christmas ("her eyesight isn't what it used to be"). Or the bulky CDs that had their own section in the library. You know the one. The section you'd awkwardly stand next to when waiting for that person to move away from the books you actually wanted to look at.

Okay, maybe I'm just living up to British stereotypes here.

Listening to a Book is not Cheating

People can be snobby about actually "reading" the book. I really don't understand where this pretentious attitude comes from. The ultimate purpose of reading a book is to process the words, to understand the author's goal, to interpret the meaning, and to hold that knowledge. Bear in mind that traditionally, storytelling was spoken, not written.

We accept that people learn in different ways, so why is there still judgement about listening to a book? This is before I even get into ADHD, Dyslexia, and similar issues which may affect a person's reading abilities.

My First Audiobook

After listening to so many podcasts (and, inevitably listening to so many adverts for free trials of Audible on those podcasts), I finally decided to try out Audible in November last year.

I began by downloading Amy Poehler's book, Yes Please. I'm so glad I started with this one! It changed my perception of what an audiobook can be. Amy Poehler's narration and witty audiobook-exclusive remarks - as well as narration by Seth Meyers, Michael Shore, Carol Burnett, her parents, Kathleen Turner and Patrick Stewart, of all people.

Although an autobiography, Yes Please contains so many of Amy Poehler's words of wisdom (and really great words of wisdom, at that) that I go back to listen to re-"read" certain parts regularly, and plan to listen to it in its entirety in the near future. Poehler is one of those people who just makes you feel good. She says the kind of things you want a therapist to say to you (but they never do):

"I want to be around people that do things. I don't want to be around people anymore that judge or talk about what people do. I want to be around people that dream and support and do things" - Amy Poehler, Yes Please

She has the ability to say just what you need to hear, without ever having met you. Like, [hey Beth],if you start crying in an argument and someone asks why, you can always say, "I'm just crying because of how wrong you are".

Thanks, Amy. You know me too well.

I finished this book in just over a week, yet I'm sure that if I'd purchased the paperback version, it would have taken me much longer (if I'd ever managed to finish it at all).

In 2011, I read Tina Fey's Bossypants - a book you really should read if you haven't already - and it took me several months.

I got distracted.

I forgot about it.

I had to re-read parts to refresh my memory.

I started other books.

Then eventually, I sat down and read it properly until I completed it.

That was a lot of work and it was an awesome book. Just think what it's like for the tougher ones.

Last year I finished 2 books. This year I've finished 10...

Some were longer, some were shorter, but I finished them. As someone with ADHD who can barely get through a chapter of a book without having to re-read it several times, this was huge. It makes me wonder what I could have achieved if I had Audible back when I was studying for my degree in English Literature... but that's another story.

Now I can talk to people about the books I've read (and write blogs about the books I've read). So here goes.

7 Books I've Read This Year
(because I can say things like that now)

I've read two books by David Sedaris this year and he has quickly become one of my favourite writers.

The essays in Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls and Me Talk Pretty One Day, are hilariously funny. In the audiobook versions, several of these essays are performed by Sedaris in front of an audience, making the audiobook that little bit more insightful into his position as both a writer and performer.

I listened to both of these books and you should too!

I don't read much fiction and I could never work out why. I've just recently realised that I prefer non-fiction because I can tell people facts afterwards. (Sorry, people).

I'm a blast at dinner parties.

The Girl on the Train (not to be confused with the confusingly similarly titled, Girl on a Train) is actually pretty good. A mystery novel, it tells first-person stories from three women whose lives intertwine in a number of ways. Set in and around 2013-London, I guess it was a little too modern (and fictional) for my liking, but none the less, it was enjoyable!

And hey, it's nice to be able to say that! I managed to finish a book that I wasn't totally blown away by.

If you enjoy fiction, I imagine you'll enjoy this one!

Okay, I admit, I didn't have a clue about this book before I read it. I saw that Aziz Ansari had a new book and presumed it would be an autobiography of a similar style to those of Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, and Tina Fey. Plus, it's Aziz who is just the best. Modern Romance turned out to be one of the most interesting books I've read this year.

This is not an autobiography. Aziz Ansari worked alongside sociologists and psychologists to conduct actual academic research on how people form relationships in the 21st Century and how these have changed dramatically in such a short space of time.

It was absolutely fascinating and hilarious and you all must read it.

So Aziz does mock the audiobook listener on a several occasions for making him read it to you because we're lazy. But that's okay, Mr Ansari. One day you'll read this post and see the light on audiobooks.

I'll admit, when I read Wild I didn't know it had already been made into a movie with Reese Witherspoon. This is one of those books that fits into the winning category where it feels like fiction but is actually based on the real-life experiences, making me enjoy it a little more.

I guess this is one of those novels that fits neatly into the Eat.Pray.Love. existential chic-lit genre - a guilty pleasure of mine.

Okay, it can be a bit soppy at times, but because the book chronicles the true story of Cheryl Strayed's own hike on the Pacific Crest Trail from California to Washington state, it's actually pretty great! (Yes, I really don't like fiction. Is that an ADHD thing? Or just a Beth thing?)

Goodness, this was excellent... and long, but did I say it was excellent?

You think humanity is getting worse? We're becoming more selfish? More violent?

Wrong. Actually we're the best we've ever been and Steven Pinker provides so much evidence to back this up, that he leaves you feeling more optimistic and positive about the world we live in that you won't even doubt it.

Pinker has changed the way I think about our society and about, you know, the entire history of humanity.

Yes, it's a hefty book - it has to be to cover what he does - but it is genuinely worth the read (even if you don't have ADHD, you may prefer to listen to this one!)

Hyeonseo Lee is a North Korea defector who crossed the border to China when she was 17 (you may have watched her amazing TED talk).

This has been my favourite book so far this year. Like Wild, this is a first-person autobiographical account of an amazing story by an amazing woman (okay, a young girl defecting from North Korea alone is a little more astonishing than an American hiking the west coast of the US alone, but you know what I mean).

This book taught me a huge amount about aspects of North Korean culture I wasn't aware of - its version of a caste system, its relationships with China and South Korea, the lives of wealthier North Koreans.

Without a doubt, you need to read this intensely beautiful book.

Have you tried listening to audiobooks? Do you find it easier to concentrate? If you haven't already, you can download a free book on Audible using this link.

I'd love to hear what your favourite books are and if you've tried Audible or other audiobooks before. Do they help you process the information? Or are you a book nerd who never struggles with reading? (Maybe you are! You did make it to the end of this post, after all!)

Comment below and let me know!

P.S. If you haven't done so already, don't forget to join our private Facebook group where lots of awesome ladies can talk openly about their ADHD. Come join us on there!

Beth Harvey ADHD ADHD, Reading, Audiobooks, Audible

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ADHD and Me: Why Audiobooks are Wonderful (and not Cheating)

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People can be snobby about actually "reading" the book, but I really don't understand where this pretentious attitude comes from. The ultimate purpose of reading a book is to process the words, to understand the author's goal, to interpret the meaning, and to hold that knowledge. Bear in mi

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Many lists or resources for ASD are geared more towards younger children. This list was helpful and was general enough where I could see the application of it. "Choice Boards" is the idea I have never heard of and think would be a very useful tool in the ELA classroom given the flexibility and creativity that often comes with interpreting literature and writing. I will absolutely try to adapt this idea in the future!

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Center for Autism Research Autism Roadmap™

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Learn about autism, including common traits, how a diagnosis is made and how this may impact autistic individuals and their families. Get the latest information on interventions and other supports to help improve quality of life across the lifespan.

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Accommodations for Learners with Anxiety Disorders

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Accommodations for Learners with Anxiety Disorders

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During my first year of teaching, I encountered many students with anxiety disorders. Although many accommodations did prove helpful, many were not successful at helping students engage with their curriculum. After reading this article, I have a better understanding supports, such as videotaped presentations, that may assist me more should I have a student with these same needs in the Fall.

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As a general education classroom teacher transitioning into a special educator role, my experience-based toolkit is still slim. The following link listed a variety of classroom strategies just for students with ADHD. Because special education is not "one size fits all", I am locating a variety of supports to help log which accommodations I can utilize with different students or situations.

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Students with ADHD have difficulty with attention and self-control. And at school, that can look like inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and disorganization-all of which can get in the way of learning. What classroom accommodations can help students with ADHD? Here are some strategies teachers can try.

Setting Up the Classroom Environment

Use flexible seating, like wiggle chairs, standing desks, foot rests, seat cushions, or resistance bands on chair legs.

Increase the space between desks or work tables.

Designate a quiet work space in the classroom.

Set up preferential seating close to the teacher and/or away from high-traffic areas.

Post a written schedule for daily routines and rules. When possible, let the student know ahead of time about schedule changes.

Building Organization Skills

Use an assignment notebook or an electronic calendar.

Provide an extra set of books to keep at home.

Provide folders and baskets of supplies to keep desk organized.

Color-code materials for each subject.

Provide typed notes or an outline of the lesson to help with taking notes.

Teach note-taking strategies, like using graphic organizers and mind-mapping software.

Have a buddy take notes for the student.

Give directions out loud and in writing, and have the student repeat them.

Provide a lesson outline that details instructions and assignments.

Keep instructions simple, clear, and concrete.

Use pictures and graphs to help create visual interest.

Provide a rubric that describes the elements of a successfully completed assignment.

Help the student break long assignments into smaller chunks.

Completing Tests and Assignments

Allow understanding to be demonstrated in different ways, like oral reports, posters, and video presentations.

Provide different ways to respond to test questions, like saying the answers or circling them.

Minimize the number of questions and problems per worksheet.

Schedule frequent short quizzes, rather than one long test at the end of each unit.

Give credit for work done instead of taking away points for late or partial assignments (with a plan for moving toward completing assignments).

Grade for content, not for neatness.

Give extra time and quieter space for work and tests.

Use a behavior plan with a reward system.

Use a nonverbal signal (like a sticky note on the desk or a hand on a shoulder) to get the student's attention and indicate the need for things like taking a brain break.

Talk through behavior problems one-on-one.

Check in frequently to monitor the student's "emotional temperature" or frustration level.

Do you have a student who you think has difficulty with attention and self-control? See a fact sheet about ADHD.

About the Author

About the Author

Amanda Morin&nbsp

worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. She is the author of The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education. Two of her children have learning differences.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ginny Osewalt&nbsp

is a dually certified elementary and special education teacher with more than 15 years of experience in general education, inclusion, resource room, and self-contained settings.

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Students with ADHD have difficulty with attention and self-control. And at school, that can look like inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and disorganization-all of which can get in the way of learning. What classroom accommodations can help students with ADHD? Here are some strategies teachers can try.

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This article from EdWeek details a 5th grade co-taught classroom and lists things that have been effective in their context. As I am new to this role, I am trying to absorb everything out there on the topic. A few things that stood out to me are the mention of "parity" in the classroom, communication, and trust. This article said that it is important to not frame the classroom as if there was a lead teacher and a "helper" teacher, rather to position the teachers as equal. One way to do this is to sign emails as a pair, post both names etc etc.

The list of ideas to pull from this article is extensive and helpful. I am putting this in my notebook as a "goldmine" resource for my viewing pre-Fall!

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In Lauren Eisinger and Kara Houppert's co-taught 5th grade classroom, every instructional choice requires a lot of planning.

When Eisinger, a special education teacher at Naples Elementary School in upstate New York, and Houppert, a 5th grade teacher, wanted to start a class book club last year, they knew they would have to think creatively to accommodate reading levels spanning 2nd to 6th grades.

So they did a "book tasting," giving students a choice among several different, appropriately-leveled texts. Once they grouped students, teachers ran the activity like "more of a guided reading," said Houppert, with both of them reading aloud to different groups to support special education students who struggled with fluency and decoding.

"You need to be very flexible, and underneath everything, you need to trust each other," said Eisinger, who co-teaches 1st and 5th grade classes at Naples Elementary. "If you don't have that kind of mindset-that you're both there to do the best that you can for your kids-I think it would be really difficult."

Co-teaching, in which a special educator and a general educator share the responsibility of instructing and assessing students, has long been a standby in inclusion classrooms, which encompass both general education students and those with disabilities.

When done well, co-teaching should enable students with disabilities to receive the general education curriculum and special services that they need in the same setting, said Sara Cook, an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, who researches special education.

But for it to work, teachers need the time, training, and resources to effectively integrate their distinct instructional expertise, said Marilyn Friend, a co-teaching expert and professor emerita of education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

"Co-teaching used to be called a professional marriage, and I'm kind of tired of that metaphor," she said. "It really needs to be more like a business partnership."

Research Is Mixed

Co-teachers should have parity in the classroom, Friend said. And in Eisinger and Houppert's 5th grade class, they co-sign all emails to parents; both of their names and pictures are displayed in the classroom.

But even though they're equals, co-teachers shouldn't perform the same roles, Friend said. While general educators are the experts in the curriculum and content, special educators devise and implement a plan for addressing students' individualized education programs.

It's difficult to determine how many students are in co-taught classrooms nationally or how popular co-teaching is in comparison with other inclusion models.

The federal government collects data on special education students' instructional environment: In 2015, a little more than 60 percent of students spent 80 percent or more of their day in a general education classroom. But there's no information included on how students are receiving services, Friend said.

Still, she said, there's evidence that co-teaching is becoming more popular. "A lot of states with high populations are really actively encouraging this as a service model," said Friend, citing Texas, which revised its co-teaching guidance this year, and California, which has scaled up its co-teaching efforts over the past several years.

Findings on co-teaching's effect on student outcomes are mixed, said the University of Hawaii's Cook. (The Center for Exceptional Children's 2018 practice recommendations for co-teaching, which Cook co-authored, suggests that educators proceed with caution.)

"It is hard to determine, from current research, what may make some co-taught classrooms more effective than others as co-teaching is not always clearly described in studies," Cook said. The strategies and interventions used aren't always explained, she said.

"Research should look at what's happening in the co-taught classroom," Cook said. "Are teachers using evidenced-based practices in the classroom to meet the individual needs of students?"

Time: The Key Component

The Naples school system, where Eisinger teaches, doesn't yet have comprehensive results regarding whether co-teaching has raised student achievement, said Katie Piedici, the director of pupil-personnel services in the nearly 700-student district. But the model has helped the district put more students in the least-restrictive environment, she said.

To meet student needs in their classes, Eisinger, Houppert, and 1st grade teacher Brittany Ritz use different strategies from day to day and lesson to lesson.

In the 1st grade classroom, for example, one teacher sometimes leads whole-group instruction while the other provides support, or students will break into teacher-led math and reading groups.

"I have some kids right now who struggle with just knowing that they have five fingers on each hand," said Ritz. Still, she's able to keep the pacing of the general curriculum consistent, she said, as Eisinger can work with students who need modifications to master foundational skills.

To do this kind of collaboration, all three teachers said, they need time-to plan together, to debrief lessons, to talk about how they want the classroom to run.

Eisinger shares one 40-minute planning period a week each with Houppert and Ritz, a scheduling triumph she attributes to her school leaders intentionally making time for co-teachers to work together.

The district has communicated the expectation to building leaders that co-teachers need this time, Piedici said. Pairs also have a half day they can take during the year to catch up on planning, and new co-teaching partners undergo summer professional development.

It's important that school systems have a plan for how to prepare, schedule, and set norms for co-teachers, said Friend. "It doesn't matter how good the teachers are: If there's not an administrator really actively supporting [co-teaching], it's really difficult to implement and sustain."

District-sponsored training was Ritz's main introduction to co-teaching-she doesn't remember her general education preservice program covering the model in any detail.

Source: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Some general education programs offer courses that address co-teaching, like Syracuse University, which requires all elementary teacher-candidates to get dual certification in special education. But many programs at the middle and high school levels don't cover the method, Friend said. "It varies wildly."

The Naples district sent Ritz and two other co-teachers to a conference, and she also attended workshops in the district. She learned how to use different co-teaching methods-parallel teaching, team teaching, small-group instruction. "Before then, I really had no idea what those even meant or would look like," said Ritz, who has taught for eight years at the school.

As the sole classroom teacher, "You don't really need to communicate to someone else what you're doing or how you're thinking," Ritz said. "You just do it." Looping in a co-teacher on all her plans was a hard adjustment to make at first, she said, and something she still struggles with occasionally.

During especially busy weeks, co-planning periods can get taken up by other tasks-like prepping for parent-teacher conferences, Houppert said. In those instances, she and Eisinger rely on the professional relationship that they've built. It's important, said Houppert, that she knows Eisinger will be able to jump right into a math lesson with just a two-minute briefing about what they're doing that day.

"It takes a lot of communication, and realistically, it does take a lot of trust in one another," Houppert said.

Related Video

Two Baltimore-area school teachers explore what it's like to share a classroom every day:

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Published in Print: December 5, 2018, as Co-Teachers Combine Forces on Strengths and Specialties

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In Lauren Eisinger and Kara Houppert's co-taught 5th grade classroom, every instructional choice requires a lot of planning. When Eisinger, a special education teacher at Naples Elementary School in upstate New York, and Houppert, a 5th grade teacher, wanted to start a class book club last year, they knew they would have to think creatively to accommodate reading levels spanning 2nd to 6th grades.

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This video is informative both professionally and personally. In my context, co-teachers frequently complain about the lack of common planning time. The first challenge that the video's speaker mentions is the lack of "administrative understanding" about what efforts are necessary for making co-teaching great. Similar to the IEP process, communication is the foundation on which everything else oscillates. Without common planning time, co-teaching is not being treated as a support outlined in a legal document, rather just as a normal planning block for a teacher. This video makes it clear that issues arise when co-teachers are not on the "same page", operate as separate units, and lack time to plan effective lessons with each other's feedback in mind.

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This video explains some basic behavioral Dos and Don'ts of IEP meetings while simultaneously reminding the viewer of what it is: a confidential, legal document. This video is helpful because it visually represents situations that are feasible working in schools. It is important to remember to remain professional, collaborative, and punctual throughout the IEP process so that there is established comfort, communication, and trust on behalf of all members that comprise a student's team.

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The Basic Do's and Dont's of IEP meetings - produced by Julia Clark

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This video breaks down the basics of the IEP and a brief overview to the process. I selected this for my notebook because it uses very clear vocabulary to explain what an IEP is meant for and how it helps provide services for the student. The speaker's explanation is helpful because I myself may need to explain the same details to families who may not have much background information.

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What Is an IEP? | Individualized Education Program Explained

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This video visually represents various models of co-teaching, plus some "tidbits" of advice where appropriate. As I gear up for my new position as an ELA co-teacher, I am looking for different models and ways to divide the tasks of teaching. This video is helpful because it shows not only how the teachers would be divided, but also the students. This is a good video to view with my co-teacher in order to plan how we want to teach our classes.

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Co Teaching Models: Strategies and Planning

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This attached link is the breakdown of the IEP process according to the MA laws and regulations. This is helpful to have not only because it details the steps taken or procedures associated with each portion, but also lists the explicit timed deadlines.

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603 CMR 28.00: Special Education - Education Laws and Regulations

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Consistent with state and federal special education law, the Team shall establish whether a student has a disability(ies) as defined in 603 CMR 28.02(7), determine the type(s) of disability(ies) and shall ensure that the student's inability to progress is a result of the disability(ies) and not a result of an inability to meet the school discipline code, limited English proficiency, social maladjustment, or lack of instruction in reading or math.

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This is a blank IEP form template for future use. I am adding this to my Electronic notebook not only because it is a helpful file to keep, but also to have as a study resource to draft ideas on or to practice with case studies prior to writing real plans for students in the Fall.

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This link provides access to the MA Special Education Laws and Regulations. Many are different and provide more services to students at a younger age (14). Section 28.05 goes into the IEP process and is the most helpful more a new Special Educator.

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603 CMR 28.00: Special Education - Education Laws and Regulations

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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law passed by Congress protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities. This law was penned to reduce barriers that exist in order to foster equal access and promote more opportunities. Under the ADA, individuals with disabilities cannot be discriminated against in areas of employment or government and must be provided with public accommodations (i.e transport, ramps) and communication relay services where applicable. This video goes over the basics of ADA.

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Overview

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Section 504 prohibits the discrimination on the basis of disability on all levels within public spaces. Under this civil rights law, all students are given access to the same education their peers are getting. Section 504 requires teachers and other educational personnel to meet the needs of those with disabilities adequately and equally to their students without disabilities.  This video gives a brief overview of the necessary basics.

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IDEA states that all public schools are required to provided specialized services to all of their students with disabilities. Coverage under this law spans from birth-age 21 in order to grant equal access to education. Individualized Education Programs, better known as IEPs, are created to define specific supports for student's with defined disabilities and agreed upon with school staff, families, and the student themselves. These plans identify required supports, but also highlight a student's growth, strengths, and goals for the coming school year.  This video gives an overview of the basics.

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IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: History and Summary