Every child brings special talents to the world. Some children do better in a traditional school setting than others. To help students who may struggle, accommodations can give all students the opportunity to have a full school experience. Accommodations do not change the content of instruction or give students an unfair advantage. With accommodations, students with learning disabilities are provided with equal access to all the things school has to offer.
Accommodations help students access the curriculum in the regular education classroom, also known as “leveling the playing field.” Accommodations support students in many ways based on their individualized needs as well as the collected data that supports the appropriateness of each accommodation. Accommodations differ from Services in that Services are targeted instruction to improve a specific skill and Accommodations provide a change in the classroom or during testing that removes barriers. Accommodations do not change what a child is learning, but HOW they are learning.
Whether your child has a formalized education plan (IEP or 504) that mandates accommodations within the school setting, or your child’s teacher is providing accommodations, it is important to familiarize yourself with the different types of accommodations available.
Types of Accommodations for Learning Disabilities
Presentation Accommodations
Changes the way information is presented so students can use instructional materials in a way that works for their needs. Some presentation accommodations include:
- Listen to audio recordings instead of reading text
- Learn content from audiobooks, movies, videos, and digital media instead of reading print versions
- Work with text in a larger print size
- Record a lesson, instead of taking notes
- Get class notes from another student
- Get a written list of instructions
Response Accommodations
Changes the way kids complete assignments or tests so students may be permitted to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in alternate ways. Response accommodations might include:
- Give responses in a form (spoken or written) that’s easier for them
- Dictate answers to a scribe who writes or types
- Use a word processor to type notes or give answers in class
- Use a calculator or table of “math facts”
Setting Accommodations
Changes the location in which a test or assignment is given to accommodate a more appropriate setting. Settings accommodations might look like:
- Work or take a test in a different setting, such as a quiet room with few distractions
- Take a test in a small group setting
- Use sensory tools such as an exercise band that can be looped around a chair’s legs or fidget tools
Timing/Scheduling Accommodations
Change the length of time allowed for completion of a test, project, or assignment, or the way time is organized, to accommodate the time a student may need. Here are some examples of timing/scheduling accommodations:
- Take more time to complete a task or a test
- Have extra time to process spoken information and directions
- Take frequent breaks, such as after completing a worksheet
- Take a test at a specific time of day
My child needs accommodations but they don’t have a formal diagnosis – what do I do?
Formalizing accommodations is an important first step to helping your child get consistent and committed assistance in the classroom. Teachers may be providing special assistance in the classroom that often goes unwritten. When your student transfers schools or a grade level, those accommodations will not follow your student if no plan exists. This is why formalizing those accommodations are so important. But it may take a diagnosis to formalize accommodations.
If you are wondering how to get your child help without a formal diagnosis, the first step is often to talk with your child’s teacher for more information. Are they also seeing the need for accommodations in the classroom? A 504 plan can be requested if there is a documented need. Some schools may also request a 504 evaluation to provide additional documentation of the need.
Please reach out to our team at Herrera Psychology to schedule a consultation if your child is struggling with mental health needs in the classroom.
