Students with intellectual impairment, different cultural backgrounds or those on the autism spectrum may focus on literal meanings and be less familiar with sarcasm and double meanings. They may struggle socially as they are unable to understand slang and informal language conventions used by staff and peers
Supplement written language with visuals where possible.
Allow for cloze and short answer questions- students may have difficulty formulating responses.
Focus on new or technical vocabulary.
Include questions in written material to encourage higher order thinking and engagement with the material.
Directly teach (tell the student) what non-verbal cues mean. Model and have student practice reading cues in a safe setting.
Do not use sarcasm, inference or ambiguity.
Explain metaphors and double meanings.
Give instructions one at a time in the order you’d like them carried out.
Highlight the most important parts of a lesson. Students may have trouble identifying key ideas.
Include frequent revision to compensate for any gaps in knowledge.
Explicitly model elements of reading- identifying the main idea, using context clues etc.
Incorporate background knowledge into lesson introductions. Personalise with examples if appropriate.
Check early progress on assignments to ensure that students have understood the question.
Encourage students to paraphrase, repeat or explain instructions at the commencement to an activity.
Include Yes/No responses in tests to alleviate stress from composing extended responses.
Avoid dispensing information through gestures and facial expression. These may not be understood.
Students may fail to alter their language for peers. Children with Asperger’s Syndrome, for example, may sound like a ‘little professor’ causing social problems.
Address inappropriate communication precisely rather than punitively.
Create a quiet environment for listening to maximise success.
Collaborative activities to promote discussion allow additional processing time.
Assign key roles in group tasks which are not dependent on creating responses.
Encourage student discussion to reiterate meaning of texts and activities.
Incorporated visuals, graphics and illustrations in written work?
Adapted assessment materials to include multiple choice and short-answer questions?
Included word banks, glossaries and highlighted key terms?
Arranged for choice in assessment and presentation of information?
Incorporated frequent revision activities and study notes?