Teaching Strategies:
1.Use simple commands with as few words as possible, having the child then carry out that instruction. Follow this with the next brief command. Too much verbiage is often overwhelming for a child with learning disabilities or ADD. He is likely to remember only the first few words spoken, if that, when given a lengthy explanation preceding an assignment.
2.Demonstrate chores or tasks rather than relying on verbal explanations alone
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3.Use concrete materials, manipulatives, experiments, and charts to aid instruction.
4.Include practical applications of academics regularly, including life-skill tasks: measure ingredients in a recipe, determine the number of gallons of paint needed to paint his bedroom, read the map at the shopping mall and navigate to the store of his choice, etc.
5.Use a multi-sensory approach to introduce or practice a concept rather than limiting instruction to whatever appears to be the child’s learning style—visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Studies of the brain suggest that the more senses and variety involved in learning something, the more avenues a person has for retrieving that information.
6.Keep in mind, you will probably spend a great deal more time feeding him information—showing him examples, making explanations—before he is able to understand than with a child without a learning disability. Therefore, plan to stay with him or nearby in order to provide immediate feedback when his attempts are incorrect. Show him again, so that he doesn’t end up with a wrong habit that will have to be remedied later.