Monday, November 5, 2012

Accommodations in an IEP are just as important as Services

By Dennise Goldberg from Special Education Advisor Blog

When we talk about IEP’s, many times we focus on what services a school should be providing; however, the appropriate accommodations are just as important for children with disabilities. Many of them struggle with staying on task in school, completing homework assignments, remembering to turn in homework assignments, have difficulty understanding the material, etc…and the list goes on and on. A simple accommodation in an IEP could help a child become a successful student.

For example, let’s look at what happens when a child has difficulty staying on task; basically, a short attention span. I receive phone calls about this all the time from parents and the first question I ask is “where does your child sit in class?” Some parents do not know the answer; others might say the class is quite crowded and their child sits in the back or off to the side. I cannot stress how important it is for students who struggle with focus to sit at the front of the class or close proximity to the teacher. The further away from the teacher, the greater the chance the student will not be paying attention in class. This can prevent daydreaming, doodling or any other type of distraction. If this accommodation is not written in your child’s IEP, make sure you add it….if it’s there, make sure the teacher is following it! It will make a huge difference in their ability to pay attention in class.

Read more HERE.

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