Supporting Students

in the General Ed. Classroom

During Teacher Lectures/Instruction
❖ Circulate if it won’t be distracting during the
presentation
❖ Stand where all students can be observed
❖ Use proximity to help ANY students needing refocusing
❖ Make sure ALL students have the materials out they
need
❖ Take notes in case students: don’t have a copy, don’t get
all the notes written down, or in case a student is absent,
or if it is information that might be useful in the creation
 Guided & Independent Practice
❖ Allow the students a chance to initiate the task
➢ If the student does not initiate:
■ Ask the student to restate the instructions
■ Explain the directions a different way
■ Draw the students attention to examples or other
visual stimulus that may help them get started
➢ If the student initiates:
■ Walk away
■ Make sure ALL the students starting
 Guided & Independent Practice Cont.
❖ Once the students have started the task:
➢ Circulate to make sure directions were followed
➢ Read what the students are writing
➢ Give positive feedback* along with corrections, if
needed
➢ prompt students who have “drifted from the task”
 Guided & Independent Practice
❖ If many students have questions, go around
and help the teacher answer questions.
➢ If many students have the same question, bring it to
the teachers attention
➢ If you don’t understand something, don’t be afraid to
ask the teacher in front of the students. The
students are probably confused too!
➢ It is okay if you can’t answer all their questions and
need to refer them to the classroom teacher.
 When Students Finish a Task
❖ Encourage students to:
➢ “Self-check” that directions were followed
➢ Talk with you about their work
➢ Read over what they wrote/check answers
(Many students need to be taught this skill)
➢ Ask if their name is on their paper
➢ Remind the students what to do next or where that
info. can be found
 Group Work
❖ Give students a chance to get into their
group without your assistance
❖ Circulate to make sure all students have a
task in the group
❖ Encourage good listening
❖ Encourage students to write down their
responsibilities in the group
 Group Work
❖ Don’t nag LC students!
➢ Give a prompt and walk away
➢ Encourage all group members to make sure the work
is evenly/fairly* distributed
➢ Direct questions to the whole group, not just the LC
student
➢ Illicit responses from different group members, not
just the “leader”
 Modifying Assignments
❖ Kid-friendly rubrics
❖ Length
❖ Presentation options
❖ Format
❖ Outline/plan
❖ Sample/example
❖ Due date
 Projects
❖ Ask the LC students to explain the
assignment
❖ Guide students to record the assignment and
due date in their planner
❖ Ask students to share with you their plan of
action and guide them if needed
❖ Make sure students know how to access
resources
 Assessments
❖ Studying:
➢ Provide study guides/materials/resources
➢ Make sure students know when assessments are
coming
➢ Make sure students write down dates
➢ Help students make a study plan
➢ Email parents, if needed
 Assessments
❖ Modifying/Accommodating Tests:
➢ Eliminate questions that are redundant or non-
essential
➢ Give word banks
➢ Diagrams
➢ If a test item contains more than one question, use
an indicator to draw the students attention to each
question or part of the question.
 Assessments
❖ Administering Assessments:
➢ Allow lists/bullet points/pictures in place of short
answers/essays
➢ Give the test in parts
➢ Allow oral responses
➢ Have students dictate written responses*
 The Little Things
❖ Have extra pencils, erasers,pens,
highlighters, paper, & a pencil sharpener
❖ Know where teachers’ basic supplies are
❖ Walk around and make sure students have
their names on their papers
❖ Help students organize their notebooks
❖ Write nurse & library passes for teachers
 The Little Things cont.
❖ Do a task analysis on students
❖ Write down different things you observe
about the students/class to share with the
teacher
❖ Reinforce classroom rules*
❖ Remind/help students with formatting, and
writing conventions
 Be Proactive
❖ Find out ahead of time what the lesson is.
➢ What will the students have to do?
➢ Are there manipulatives or tech. that would be
helpful?
❖ Ask teachers if their is something specific
you can help with or particular concerns
about the lesson.
❖ How will the info. be presented?
 Be Proactive
❖ Get copies of notes or presentations and handouts
before the lesson.
❖ If students use three-ring notebooks, make sure
handouts have holes punched before giving the papers
to students-saves time!
Most importantly, communicate with
the classroom teacher. Establish your
role together.