Post on 18-Jan-2016
Low Academic Achievement andPoor MotivationBy: Jennifer Barkevich
Elementary school-aged students• General education teachers• Special education teachers
Students with a Learning Disability Learner characteristics How the characteristics affect
performance How the characteristics are assessed Strategies
Focus on student self-management Accommodation and modifications
Learner Characteristics
Low academic achievement Cognitive
disability which affects the ability to understand information
Poor motivation Adaptive disability
which affects communication, socialization and activities of daily living
Problems with Low Academic Achievement Lots of variation among students with
learning disabilities regarding areas affected such as math, reading, and/or writing
Greatest difficulties with reading
Aversive to writing (handwriting, spelling, and creating compositions)
Problems with Low Academic Achievement Continued Difficulties with spoken language –
mechanics and social uses
Difficulties initiating and engaging in conversations (trouble with give-and-take and reading non-verbal cues)
Low self-esteem due to poor academic performance
Problems with Poor Motivation Motivation is either intrinsic or extrinsic
Key is to find out what is motivating to each individual student
Fear of making mistakes and hides behind his/her sense of humor
Inability to see how schoolwork relates to everyday life thinking the tasks lack meaning
Problems with Poor Motivation Continued Use lack of academic success as a way to
gain attention
Academic tasks are too difficult and require too much effort
Other difficulties can making learning an “unmotivating” experience
How to Assess a Student
Formal Norm-referenced tests
such as PASS Woodcock-Johnson Observer-rater
instruments to be used by teachers, parents, students, etc. using a checklist or rating scale
Measures of adaptive behavior
Self-report instruments
Informal Non-standardized
procedures such as those used to monitor progress including Curriculum-Based Measurements (CBMs)
Naturalistic observations
Interviews with students, parents, and other teachers
Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales A measure of adaptive behavior Useful for individuals ages 3-18 years old Evaluates:
Positive social behaviors (including but not limited to responsibility and engagement)
Behaviors that can interfere with the production of social skills (including but not limited to bullying and other external factors)
Academic competence as it relates to reading achievement, math achievement, and motivation to learn
Self-Report Instruments
Commercial instruments versus informal techniques
Primary means for assessing a students’ self-concepts and for identifying areas that cause students anxiety or concern
Reliant on students desire to give responses that are honest and accurate
Important Facts!
Over 50% of students with learning disabilities spend time in the general education classroom
Students with learning disabilities are exposed to a wide variety of instructional styles Students with diverse abilities respond differently
to instruction so be sure to respect their unique learning capabilities and modify instruction accordingly
Students with learning disabilities are their own best advocates so we have to teach them self-management techniques
Classroom Management
Create a happy, positive, organized, and engaging classroom
Establish rules that involve respect for others and be sure to follow them Model the type of behavior you expect your
students to exhibit
Communicate expectations and consequences
Periodically review rules and practice using role modeling techniques
Explicit Instruction
The teacher serves as the provider of knowledge and offers extensive support (scaffolding) to students to help facilitate learning Differs from implicit instruction where there
teacher assumes students are active learners Emphasizes student mastery
Model-Lead-Test Immediate praise and/or corrective feedback
Pair with Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) to teach students to self-regulate learning
Strategies
Use self-management techniques to foster student independence Small group instruction (Tier 2 of RTI) Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) Cooperative learning groups Mnemonics Positive reinforcement (leads to self
reinforcement) Opportunities for students to make decisions Contingency contracts Goal setting
Accommodations & Modifications Teach test-taking skills to reduce anxiety Read directions Present work in smaller amounts or spaced out Reduce difficulty of assignments/reading level Provide extra time on tasks and tests Increase wait time (3 seconds) between questions
and responses Using the computer or other technical enhancements Study guides Using a peer to assist with note taking and tutoring Portfolio assessments
The Key To Success
As a teacher, it is important to appreciate each student, including a student with a learning disability, for their own individual uniqueness.
Linking student success to their own hard work (diligence) and effort (determination) is crucial to the development of motivation. Reduces learned helplessness
The goal is to foster student independence and skill generalization.
So Very True…
“Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do.”
– John Wooden
“No one is perfect – that’s why pencils have erasers.” – Author Unknown
References
LD Online. (2002). Motivation: The Key to Academic Success. Retrieved from
http://www.ldonline.org/article/5730/
Luke, S. (2006). The Power of Strategy Instruction. Evidence for Education, volume 1
(issue 1). Retrieved from http://nichcy.org/research/ee/learning-strategies
Mercer, C., Mercer, A., & Pullen, P. (2011). Teaching Students with Learning
Problems (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Fuchs et al. (2007). Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies. Retrieved from
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/intervention_reports/WWC_PALS_071607.pdf