Write the CHARACTERISTICS of the identified disabilities and the INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
that work for them. The LEFT Column is for CHARACTERISTICS and RIGHT is for STRATEGIES.
Attention Deficit Disorder- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD- ADHD)
INATTENTION
a. Often fails to give close to details and
makes careless mistakes in schoolwork,
or other activities
b. Often has difficulty sustaining attention
in tasks or play activities
c. Often does not seem to listen when
spoken directly
d. Often does not follow through
instruction and fails to finish
schoolwork, chores, or duties in the
workplace (not due to oppositional
behavior or failure to understand
instructions)
e. Often has difficulty organizing tasks and
activities
f. Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to
engage in tasks that require sustained
mental effort (such as schoolwork or
homework)
g. Often loses things necessary for tasks or
activities (e.g., toys, school assignments,
pencils, books, or tools)
h. Is often easily distracted by extraneous
stimuli.
i. Is often forgetful in daily activities.
HYPERACTVITY
a. Often fidgets with hands or feet or
squirms in seat.
b. Often leaves seat in classroom or in other
situations in which remaining seated is
expected.
c. Often rubs about or climbs excessively in
situations in which it is inappropriate.
d. Often has difficulty playing and engaging
in leisure activities quietly
e. Is often “on the go” or often acts as if
“driven by a motor”
f. Often talks excessively.
IMPULSIVITY
1. Make directions clear and concise
2. Simplify complex directions
3. Sit student close to the front of the room
and teacher.
4. Assist student in starting his seatwork
5. Make frequent contacts with the student
6. Use multi-sensory approach to instruction
7. Adapt worksheets so that less material is
on each page
8. Provide student options to sitting long
periods of time
9. Communicate with parents often
10. Surround student with good role models
11. Avoid distracting stimuli (high traffic
areas, door)
12. Maintain consistency
13. Maintain eye contact
14. Communicate with student to ensure that
they comprehend what is being taught
15. Provide positive reinforcement
16. Test knowledge
17. Provide extra time for certain tasks
18. Assist the student in dealing with
frustration
19. Allow for peer tutoring
20. Use technology (computer aided
instruction)
21. Praise immediately
22. Teach child to reward self
23. Generally, emphasize quality of work
rather than quantity
 a. Often blurts out answers before questions
have been completed
b. Often has difficulty waiting turn
c. Often interrupts or intrudes on others
Autism
1. Uneven patterns of intellectual functioning
2. Difficulty in understanding and expressing
emotions
3. Behavior problems are often a result of luck
of communication skills
4. May repeat statements without understanding
what they have said
5. Tend to be visual learner
6. Have no real fear of danger
7. Difficulty generalizing, following directions,
sequencing and staying on task outside of
their area of interest
8. Disturbance in the capacity to relate
appropriately to people, events and objects
9. Significant difficulty in understanding social
relationships, language or communication,
and social behavior.
10. Absence, disorder, or delay of language,
speech, or meaningful communication
11. Unusual or inconsistent response to sensory
stimuli in one or more of the following areas:
sight, hearing, touch, pain, balance
12. Excessive attachment to objects
13. Can have aloof, standoffish manner
14. Resist change in routines
Dyslexia
1. Intelligent students who cannot read or spell
with no conventional explanation as to why
2. Confuse letter/word similarities, i.e., writes p
for b, was for saw, left for felt, etc.
3. Words may come out wrong, “basgetti” vs
“spaghetti” or in the wrong order, please up
hurry!
4. Confuses sounds similarities and sequences
5. Has difficulty with organization skills
6. Sense of direction or time may often get
1. Main instruction at concrete level
2. Use visual/picture cues and/or sign
language
3. Be consistent with verbal directions
4. Be consistent
5. Incorporate communication/language
instruction with all areas of learning,
especially with younger children
6. Use many hearing-impaired techniques
7. Keep instruction routine and predictable
8. Expose students to gen ed peers so that
they can model appropriate social
behaviors
9. Seat student in front of the class for better
concentration on visual presentation of
materials
10. Teach time and space concepts
11. Use pictures or words to reflect daily
routines or instruction
12. Use multi-sensory approach
1. Use a multi-sensory approach when
teaching
2. Need primary source of reading instruction
to be phonetic multi-sensory, however,
student can participate successfully in
discussion and group projects.
3. Teach phonetically, or part to whole, as
opposed to whole language
4. Use direct-concept teaching as opposed to
integrated approach
 mixed up
7. May have good coordination except when
using a pencil i.e., handwriting is irregular,
slow, cramped and hard to figure out
8. Has difficulty remembering whole words by
sight which pose problems with reading in
general education classes
9. It is quite probable that some other members
of the student’s family, through the
generations, have found language hard to
master
10. Often gifted in art, music and athletics
5. When appropriate, pair student with
another student to learn
6. Review via study sheets
7. Provide materials that are very clear and
sequential
8. Encourage the student to use outlines
9. Offer to read tests to student
10. Be prepared to assist student in
writing/spelling answers
11. Monitor student’s frustration level and
intervene with positive reinforcement
whenever possible
12. Allow student to tape classes because
auditory tapes can assist the students
learning
13. Avoid using timed tests
14. Individualized instruction and materials to
best address the student’s challenge
15. Ask the students what instructional
methods allow for his/her greatest success
16. Consult with other educational support
staff and parents to coordinate an
instructional approach that brings about
positive results
17. Shorten assignments
18. Allow students to use technology (word
processor, calculator)
19. Facilitate communication with the student;
encourage questions about instruction and
expectations.
20. Model steps as you teach
21. Constantly recognize student achievement