Teaching Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Accommodations are intended to "level the playing field".  They in no way guarantee success nor should they compromise the integrity of the course.   Please remember that the following are only suggestions.  Faculty/Staff are not required or expected to provide all of these accommodations.

Before the Start of the Semester

  • Make required book lists available to allow students to begin their reading early, or consult with Disability Support Services to make arrangements to have their books put on tape
  • Provide students with a required reading list. This allows them the much needed extra time to read the materials without affecting the timeline you have established for the semester
  • Provide students with chapter outlines or study guides that cue them in to key points in the reading

During the Semester

  • Clearly define course requirements, the dates of exams, and when assignments are due. Provide advance notice of any changes
  • Provide instructions in both written and oral formats
  • Assist the student with finding an effective, volunteer notetaker from the class
  • Allow the student to tape-record class lectures
  • Provide handouts and other visual aids
  • Read aloud the material that is written on the blackboard or that is given in handouts or transparencies
  • In laboratory situations, clearly labeling equipment and materials can be very helpful. In addition, providing students with an orientation to the laboratory and relevant equipment can minimize student anxiety
  • Encourage students to attend office hours with outlines and rough drafts of essay-type assignmentsDecember 6, 2006 for these students
  • Multiple choice questions where a number of similar, but different statements are offered are often very difficult for students with learning disabilities
  • The use of concrete examples has been shown to be very effective in helping students synthesize and recall information
  • Allow time at the end of class for the clarification of directions, assignments and other essential information
  • When in doubt about how to assist the student, ask him/her
  • Break information down into small steps when teaching many new tasks in one lesson (state objectives, review previous lessons, summarize periodically)
  • Allow the student the same anonymity as other students (i.e. avoid pointing out the student or their accommodations to the rest of the class)

This information was adapted from the WebPages of Northwestern University and The Australian National University.