ideas wanted

[Unregistered]

I'm in my 3rd year teaching a developmentally delayed 3rd grade class. My problems is I rarely get kids that are actually classified "LD" they tend to have other problesm, issues IQ's that are too high for basic life skills yet really too low for my program yet they come to me! My class's IQ scores range from 56 - 100 and I'm super frustrated this year!

I have 2 students in particular that are giving me more grief than normal.
1 still is confused with his numbers to 20 and can't read a thing sight words included (even is, in, it) he only knows 10 letters and maybe 10 sounds of letters. Any ideas on getting him to know anything? He has to take CRT's in March. Is going nowhere fast in reading and language and spelling but improving very very slowly in math.

The 2nd has FAS and is used to doing whatever he wants whenever he wants and is continually out of his seat, blurting out, inapropriately touching others, crying, refusing to work etc. When he does --he never follows directions and does again as he pleases. I've had him on so many programs and plans I'm beat. I've done over correction -- when he insisits on doing things his way when asked to do it another way I make him do it the way asked even if it takes several restarts. He will throw his papers, write huge, refuse to write, scribble or cry. He loses many recess times by not doing anything during class time but also needs to get out and move. He needs to know that he needs to do something while at school now whatever he wants to do whenever he wants to do it. Especially as he's getting older.


HELP thanks
twoschues@aol.com

[Unregistered]

The second child that you mentioned, sounds very much like one of my students who is 10 years old. One programme that I have trialled with him and with some success, has been a reward system in which he carries a small notebook with a daily timetable set out in it. Each day he would refer to his timetable which would outline all the tasks that need to be completed such as mat time, spelling, maths, reading, putting equipment away etc. For each of those tasks that he completes without being asked to and without disrupting another member in the class, he earns a "smiley". Once he has four smilies in his notebook, he earns "responsibility" which means that he can choose a 20 minute outdoor game or activity for the class.

Over time, as his behaviour improved, the rewards were then made a little more difficult. I changed the four smilies reward to six smilies, eight smilies and so on. He is now off that reward system and participating in class activities. While I know that each child is very different, perhaps something similar to this could be worth a try?

[Norwegian idea.]

Our modern life could be very boring in the long run.
In order to have new expeience and inspiration, go out in nature
with animals like horses and so on and teach these boring letters
and math problems with link to practical things.

Regards,
Per