What are the best active learning activities for students with disabilities?
Active learning is a teaching approach that engages students in meaningful tasks, such as problem-solving, discussion, or collaboration, rather than passive listening or memorization. Active learning can enhance students' motivation, retention, and application of knowledge, as well as foster their critical thinking and creativity. However, active learning also poses some challenges for students with disabilities, who may face barriers to participation, communication, or accessibility. How can teachers design and implement active learning activities that are inclusive and effective for all students? Here are some tips and examples to help you.
The first step to creating inclusive active learning activities is to know your students' strengths, needs, preferences, and goals. You can use various methods to gather information about your students, such as surveys, interviews, portfolios, or observations. You can also consult with their parents, caregivers, or support staff, if applicable. Knowing your students will help you tailor the activities to their individual abilities and interests, as well as provide appropriate accommodations, modifications, or supports.
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Remember, the key to success is knowing your students. The first step to creating inclusive active learning activities is to know your students' strengths, needs, preferences, and goals. Implement UDL principles to provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and action & expression. This approach ensures that learning activities are accessible and challenging for all students, regardless of their abilities. Implement UDL principles to provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and action & expression. This approach ensures that learning activities are accessible and challenging for all students, regardless of their abilities.
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First off, it is important to know that not all students with disabilities have the same challenges. Therefore, it is important to get familiar with the students' disabilities and their needs. When considering their needs, there are going to be individualized activities that you will have to complete to provide the accommodation or the modification to the lesson that they will need to access the lesson. Within the K-12 environment, it would be beneficial to collaborate with the students' parents, special education teachers, school psychologists, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, and any other professional who is more familiar with the students' disability and needs. At the college level, collaborate with the student
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In catering to students with disabilities, active learning activities should prioritize inclusivity and engagement while addressing diverse needs. Utilizing multisensory approaches and Universal Design for Learning principles ensures accessibility. Collaborative group work fosters peer interaction and support, while adapted materials and scaffolded instruction accommodate individual learning styles. Through these strategies, educators create inclusive and enriching learning experiences for all students.
The second step is to choose active learning activities that are flexible and varied, so that they can accommodate different learning styles, preferences, and paces. For example, you can use the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, which suggests providing multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement for learners. You can also employ the differentiated instruction (DI) approach, which involves adjusting the content, process, product, and environment of learning according to students' readiness, interest, and learning profile. Some examples of such activities are Jigsaw - a cooperative learning strategy where students are divided into groups and each group is assigned a different topic or subtopic to learn and teach to the rest of the class; Think-Pair-Share - a collaborative learning technique where students are given a question or prompt to think about individually, then pair up with a partner to discuss their ideas, and finally share their responses with the whole class; and Gallery Walk - an interactive learning method where students walk around the classroom and view different displays of information related to a topic or theme. All these activities give students time to process the information, practice their communication skills, learn from each other, as well as be exposed to diverse perspectives and stimulate their creativity.
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Multi-sensory instructional approaches can also be used to accommodate learners with different needs. This method is not just about talking or showing pictures, but it's also about getting hands-on and moving around. For example, we might use music or songs to help some students remember things better, while others might benefit from seeing visual aids like charts or diagrams. And for those who learn best by doing, we'll throw in some hands-on activities or things they can touch and feel.
The third step is to provide clear and specific instructions for the active learning activities, so that students know what to do, how to do it, and why they are doing it. You can use different formats to deliver the instructions, such as oral, written, visual, or auditory. You can also use examples, models, or demonstrations to illustrate the expectations and outcomes of the activities. You should also check for understanding and clarify any doubts or confusion before, during, and after the activities.
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Clear and specific instructions are necessary for all students, not just students with disabilities. Be prepared to breakdown the instructions into smaller parts. After each part, check for understanding. The students with disabilities, may need a particular part or step in the instructions repeated or rephrased. Such students may even need to repeat the instruction to you before the attempt to comply with the instruction. Additionally, depending on the students' needs, the instructions may need to be presented verbally, in writing, or with the use of visuals/graphics. Consider that a student with a disability, may have a preferred mode of responding. Be sure to find that out before designing the activity and instructions.
The fourth step is to monitor and support student participation in the active learning activities, so that they can stay on track, overcome challenges, and achieve their goals. You can utilize formative assessment to collect evidence of student learning and provide feedback, guidance, and adjustments to the learning process. This can be done through various tools and methods such as quizzes, polls, exit tickets, or self-assessment. Additionally, scaffolding can be used to provide temporary and adjustable support to students in order to help them complete a task or learn a skill. This can be done through prompts, hints, cues, or models. Lastly, peer support is an effective way of enabling students to help and learn from each other through collaboration, cooperation, or mentoring. This can be done through buddy systems, peer tutoring, or peer feedback.
The fifth step is to reflect and evaluate the active learning activities, so that you can assess their effectiveness, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and make improvements for future implementation. To do this, you can use student feedback to gather and analyze their opinions, perceptions, and suggestions about the activities. Teacher reflection is also important in examining and improving your own practice and performance in designing and implementing the activities. Additionally, action research can be used as a way of systematically investigating and solving a problem or issue related to the activities. All of these sources and methods can provide valuable insights for improving your active learning activities.
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