Chapter 11 from Koch was such a great reminder of the importance of making our classrooms user-friendly for all our diverse learners. Not only must we make learning accessible to our "average" student, but we must also make learning accessible to students who might have difficulties. Technology plays a great role in accessibility. Assistive technology is a tool we must take advantage of if it means giving our students the opportunity to perform the tasks they would otherwise find difficult or impossible to perform. As teachers, it is our responsibility to help all our students with whatever resources we have.
This also includes our own teaching methods. By understanding our students and their obstacles, we will be better equipped to assist them. For instance, if our student has attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactive disorder, one of the tools to help the student is to offer them activities that will keep them engaged. We must understand that they might need to be paced differently than other students. Directions provided must be clear and straightforward. And whenever possible, the student should be allowed to interact with the activity. This, of course, is just one example. It is important that we get to know all our students so that we can accommodate to their individual needs as much as possible. We must provide them an equal opportunity to access the materials and content.
I love that this chapter provided a brief explanation of some common disabilities or impairments our students might possess and methods of dealing with them - a great source for the future. =)
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