Tate J.

Hedtke

Sped 606

Assignment #3

Standard #7

Cross Categorical/ Learning Disabilities

 Providing Positive Academic Feedback and Establishing Respectful, Constructive Report

with Special Education Students

Providing positive academic feedback can be extremely difficult for those with special

education needs, especially those with a learning disability. These students are typically those

with little self-confidence, those who have felt inferior to other students for some time, or have

little interest in their academics as a whole. Great care, and caution must be taken when

addressing these students in regards to their academic work. Educators must find the balance

between being honest, yet steering the discussion in a manner which is positive in nature and

motivates students to perform better in the future.

First and foremost, the most important thing to remember when discussing academics

with special education students is to focus on the positives. These individuals, regardless of

disability or level of severity of their disability have spent a significant amount of time feeling

inferior to their classmates. Focusing on the positives of an assignment right from the beginning

of the discussion is going to make an individual proud of something, and happy with their

performance right away. In regards to my assignment working with Native American Culture,

perhaps students missed the focus of the assignment, and completed only a few of the tasks at

hand, but they drew and colored their maps in a very neat and well organized manner. Beginning

a conversation focusing on something as minor as neatness can gain the students trust, and help

induce responsiveness.

It is also important next to touch on areas that need improvement. Never single the

student out when you do this, or make them feel they are at fault for their lack of performance on

assignments. (This obviously stands within reason. As an educator, you learn a students abilities

and can tell when their performance is related to lack of effort, or their abilities). A student may
have had little understanding of what you asked of them on an assignment, and therefore missed

the purpose of it. Special education students rarely wish to be singled out in a group setting,

therefore will not ask for assistance when they lack understanding.

Going along with the previous topic, special education students often lack awareness of

their shortcomings, or the specific areas in which they have difficulties or lack social faculties.

An EBD student may have no concept of proper manners, and therefore not recognize the

rudeness in his own actions or behaviors. When discussing with a student their academic

achievement, effort on an assignment, or behaviors in class, try and avoid making things seem

student focused in a negative light. If a student is behaving in a way that is disruptive, or is not

giving their best effort on an assignment, do not point out their behaviors as negative actions of

their own. Instead, focus on the positive things you would like them to start doing instead.

Instead of berating a student who frequently turns assignments in late, find a way to spin the

conversation to make it focused on yourself. An educator hoping to create positive report with

students instead could say something along the lines of the following:

Jim, I have a difficult time keeping track of things in the gradebook when they come in

late. I have a problem with forgetting to grade assignments, and I might even lose some

of them. Its this old man brain inside of me thats turning to dust.

Taking focus of a students shortcomings, and instead turning them around onto yourself, and in

a humorous fashion, will prevent an EBD student from the shutting down phase they so

frequently reach when frustrated.

Finally, when providing feedback to students make sure to end with a positive comment

as well. Frequently known as the positive sandwich, this will prevent students from dwelling

on the negative aspects of their academics and will reinforce in them that they are capable, they
are in fact doing something right. Yes, the positive sandwich may seem a bit clich and old

fashioned, but as this educator learned about it while teaching swimming lessons to very small

children, it really does work! Beginning a conversation with a positive sets the tone of a

discussion, gets the kid on your side, lets them know that you are not going to yell at them or

berate them. The middle section of the sandwich allows an educator to say the hard facts, the

sometimes unfortunate truth they need to divulge. The positive piece at the end will instill trust,

and respect between the two and help establish greater relations in the future between educator

and student.

Switching gears towards initiating self-awareness in students, that is in the areas of self-

instruction, self-assessment, and self-correction can be a bit more difficult. How does one teach

a student to teach themselves? Teachers go to school for years in order to learn how to teach,

how can we expect those with learning disabilities to teach themselves?

The most important thing a teacher of special education can do is model. Model, model,

and model some more. In my lesson regarding culture, settlement and the differences in

Indigenous Peoples of North America, I built in periods of time where I could model skills

repeatedly if necessary. This method would differ slightly from a regular education classroom

where not as much modeling would be necessary. Teach students exactly how to follow the steps

to solve a problem, or complete an assignment and allow them to become comfortable with it.

Ask students questions, gently guide them through their academics and school work rather than

hold their hands to the destination.

Special education students can be a tricky group to work with, especially seeing as how

there is no true definition. Every student with an IEP has a slightly different disability and

emotional functioning level. That is, they are going to respond to criticism in different ways.
When educators focus on the positives, and avoid criticisms that are student focused however,

they can create a wonderful report, and facilitate an extremely positive, and respectful learning

environment.

I have learned this lesson partially through observation, and partially through practice

through my first 11 weeks working in the Medford Area School District. I have an EBD student

who has no concept of manners, or appropriate behavior. He is a senior, in his fourth quarter,

who just give a you know what any more. But there have been little gains, he has started asking

me for help on his algebra work so he can graduate, and make his deployment date in the

Marines. He goes about it, in the worst possible way. He frequently walks into class when I am

teaching, or interrupts while I am working with others. Instead of yelling, or being negative with

this student, I chose to praise him for his efforts and his desire to succeed in school. After the

initial praise, I made it clear that I needed him to do something else for me, and that was find me

when I wasnt in class, because I get off task, and I have difficulties doing two things at once.

And then I continued to praise him for truly wanting to do better. It has worked like a charm so

far, we (I cannot take all the credit) have raised him from five Fs, to passing all of his classes

with something as simple, and elementary, as the positive sandwich method.