Empowering Students with Disabilities: Effective Teaching and Tutoring Strategies

All students can learn with the right attitude, strategies, and dispositions of their tutor.

Question: How do I empower students with disabilities?

Answer: The best learning strategies are suitable for all learners.

Break Learning Tasks Down into Smaller Parts

Students with disabilities often have trouble with multi-step directions and concepts with lots of parts. It is critical to break concepts down into the smallest possible parts to ensure mastery of each sub-concept before moving on to the next.

Present Information in a Variety of Ways

Students' brains process information differently, so it is important to present information in various ways to accommodate these differences and deepen students' understanding of new concepts.

Assess Frequently and Provide Specific Feedback 

Because students with disabilities often have difficulty self-assessing their need for assistance, teachers must build in frequent opportunities to assess student understanding and give low-risk specific feedback. These assessments should be informal and provide growth opportunities, not just for grading.

Eliminate Distractions Proactively

Students with disabilities can be especially prone to distraction, so it is important to be highly organized and to use tools such as visual timers to help students stay on task.

Build Relationships and Resilience

Students with disabilities commonly experience failure and behavioral issues at school. A positive relationship with their teacher can help them develop a growth mindset and improve their learning.

Focus on Strengths

Students with disabilities are often hyper-aware of their own shortcomings, but identifying their strengths can open new avenues for learning and encourage the student to use those strengths to create new successes.

Be the Adult

Teachers should try to find a way for every student in their classroom to learn, and if the teacher can find joy in the pursuit of knowledge even in the face of challenges, then the students will follow.