Special Needs Differentiation by Kaylie Lukomski

Step 1: Recognize the Need

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The first step in addressing special needs in any classroom is recognizing which students are struggling. This can be done in a variety of ways, but the most simple method, and the one I typically use, is to observe my students during individual or group work time and see who is less engaged or appears confused. Looking at patterns in assignment or test performance can also be a helpful indicator of a student that may be struggling and needs a little extra assistance in some way. This step must be completed before attempting to classify the nature of the need.

Step 2: Differentiation

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As the chart shows, if one of the behaviors is observed in a student, further trials can be conducted to differentiate between the two causes.

For example, in my English as a foreign language classroom, if a student doesn't understand the instructions I give in English...

I, or the Japanese Teacher of English (JTE), can repeat the instructions in Japanese. If the student then understands after that, we can conclude that it was a language misunderstanding rather than a different cause.
If the student still doesn't understand, or doesn't carry out the instructions properly, then we can assume there is another underlying learning need present.

Learning Disability

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Some behaviors the student displays may be characteristic of either a language or special need, or both. Therefore, more information must be gathered in order to gain a full-picture understanding and accurately classify the student's need.

Language Need

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Step 3: Classification

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Further steps to differentiate

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In order to distinguish a learning need from a special need, a student's overall academic and social performance should be considered. We can observe...

the student's grades in classes other than English. At my school, every other subject is taught fully in Japanese, so if the student is only struggling with a language need, their scores in other subjects should reflect this.
the student's proficiency level/rate of reading and writing in their native language, Japanese, compared with English. This will clearly display if there is a pattern of struggles, or if the students merely lacks the knowledge and skills in English. This step can be carried out in collaboration with the student's other subject teachers or homeroom teacher, as they would help to build a clearer understanding of the student's performance overall, as opposed to the limited observations I can make only in their English class.
the student's social functioning. How does the student interact with other students and teachers? Does the student participate in any club activities outside of class? These observations will help determine if the student is struggling with an area of development other than only language.

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After we have determined whether the student is struggling with language or a different learning need, our approach can become more individualized and involved.

For example, we can administer further evaluations or tests to determine the exact nature of the learning need (medical exams, school counselor intervention, family consultation, etc).

This step must be carried out with lots of care and sensitivity, as my school, like in many Asian countries, has some stigmas and neglect when it comes to special learning needs. Therefore, ensuring the information is kept private, but also encouraging an open, accepting environment around the child is crucial to support them through the evaluation and diagnosis processes.

Step 4: Implementation

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For a learning need...

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After the student's specific need is identified, we can construct a collaborative plan of action moving forward in order to best support the student.

Options include...

specific special needs schools in Japan, if the need is severe enough for the student to require a school focused on addressing them individually.
additional support resources such as assistive technology devices or programs.
supplementary time spent with a teacher to address the problem areas.
referral to a specialist for further assistance if the nature of the need exceeds the school's capabilities.

For a language need...

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If the student was determined to have a language need, then my role as an English teacher can be more involved.

I can...

suggest or offer additional study resources to the student depending on their need (vocabulary lists, workbooks, online listening practice, etc).
meet with the student outside of the classroom for personalized tutoring.
be more aware of the student's need in the classroom, making sure to explain directions clearly and repeatedly to them, and checking in on their progress frequently throughout the class. Also, utilize higher-level students for group or pair work assignments as guides.