By: Adam DeAngelo, M. Ed. consultspecialed@aol.com
My son Dylan and I have gone through a routine lately of watching the Discovery Channel on television. We’re both mesmerized by the visual information they provide and take their tagline of “Explore Your World” literally as we “travel” to different parts of the world to learn about history, animals, science, explorers and much more from the comforts of our living room. Their programs enhance IQ-Intelligence Quotient and EQ-Emotional Intelligence as well as provide a starting point for many educational extension activities that could be investigated at home or school.
As a student I never made the conscious choice to “Explore My World” for much of my academic career. I became interested in subjects like History and Science as I got older and always chalked up my increased interest over time to maturity. No doubt maturity played some role in the diversity of my interests but as a student who learned differently I began to question whether or not I was even ABLE to access the History and Science curriculums in school let alone explore them.
There are many excellent History and Science teachers who have a passion for these areas of study and attempt to maintain the goal of making the curriculum come alive for their students. I do not believe that this enthusiasm is lost on students who learn differently but as with any new undertaking there is a skill set that needs to be in place for the student in order to have the confidence and interest to begin a new area of study. Difficulty with reading, attention, social perception, emotional regulation, and sensory integration are just a few challenges that may impact that introductory skill set needed to access the content areas of Science and History.
The concrete and non-fiction format of many History and Science concepts tends to be very comforting to students who learn differently. They are predictable and apply to real life in most cases. I’ve read many “Interest Surveys” over the years from 4th graders and Middle School students who learn differently that invariably always have either History or Science listed as a favorite subject. Knowing this, I think we fall short of encouraging these early interests and allow far too many curriculum casualties as the material gets more complex in the upper grades. The educational community knows far too much about specially designed instruction these days to allow this to happen.
So how do we use the Discovery Channel’s mantra for making Science and History “come alive” and help students with special needs “Explore Their World?” As with many areas of Special Education there is not a one size fits all solution but the following areas should be considered in order to level the playing field and help develop self-directed learners:
Technology
Assistive technology is a very productive way to augment History and Science instruction for students. Scan to read programs, iPods, Textbooks on CD, Reading Pens and Video Games such as Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution for Nintendo PlayStation and Sony Xbox 360 are just a few ways in which technology can help fill in gaps for the student. Cyber Charter School curriculums are also a wonderful investigative resource as their upper level Science and History lessons are amazing in their use of technology to teach, explore and apply new knowledge.
The Pen is Mightier Than The Sword
Some of the most effective accommodations that I have seen for History and Science have been done with a pen and a pack of Post-It notes. In my experience the biggest roadblock for students who learn differently is the presence of an extraordinary amount of text in the content areas. Even students who are proficient readers have difficulty organizing and using all of the data that they receive. Chunking important sections with a pen, writing a word bank on a test to trigger memory retrieval and underlining key words in each paragraph all help to create focus and consistency. Using Post-It notes to adjust the visual layout of a page or to cover up certain sections to help the student avoid becoming overwhelmed is also a simple but influential intervention.
Note Taking
Taking notes is where it often falls apart for the student who learns differently. The dynamics of the task itself, which incorporates at least 5 different steps, often doom students before they even begin. Note taking is a skill that students have to learn to become proficient with as the task itself gains greater importance over time. I’ve personally moved away from predominantly adult intervention for this portion of the Content Areas and have developed a series of accommodations that not only help with note taking but also foster independence. Teacher-student note contracts, voice notes and podcasts are just a few of these accommodations that have really worked to make this task a student endeavor.
As I look back over my own experiences of school I really wish I would have had more guidance and an appreciation of History and Science. Both subject areas have so much to offer students who learn differently. The stories of the past can be inspiring and scientific application serves to remind us of the beauty of life. Both subjects can be mental puzzles of the past, present and future when put together create a mural of earth and its trials and tribulations. Students with special needs have been attempting to put these puzzles together far too long with pieces missing.
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