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Manage Peer Interactions for Students with Learning Differences

Tags

Social-Emotional Learning Special Education (IEPs & 504s) All Ages Strategy

Skills

Social Awareness

Manage Peer Interactions for Students with Learning Differences

If your student has an IEP or 504 Plan and is sensitive about asking for help or being behind peers or has difficulty with peer interactions

How To Apply It!

  1. Students with diagnosed learning disabilities will appreciate teachers recognizing that they might not want their classmates to see them struggling and a teacher's sensitivity to peer relationships.
  2. Privately discuss a student's concerns and decide if and how peer-to-peer interactions should be modified so as to make the student comfortable. Students might be uncomfortable sharing with specific students because of differences in their skills or for social reasons. If the request is reasonable, try to honor it.
  3. Take into consideration a student's learning disability when calling on him for class participation. For example, for a student with dyslexia, a teacher might not have that student read aloud to the class. Alternatively, provide advance notice so the student has time to prepare.
  4. Be sensitive to group pairings, particularly when sharing written work. For example, students with dyslexia might also be uncomfortable trading papers with peers if they have weaker writing or spelling skills. Consider having them trade with an understanding friend or trade with the teacher.
  5. In larger groups, teachers might want to assign project roles to be sure that the student can make use of his strengths.

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

Students learn best when they feel safe and secure. Embarrassing students in front of their peers is almost never an effective strategy. While all students will need to be pushed out of their comfort zones at times, teachers need to be conscious of the importance of how peer interactions can impact learning, particularly for students with learning disabilities.