Teacher Tips

Article Downloads

Dr. Naramor has published a series of articles(found here) which are available for republication in newsletters and online provided credit is given to Dr. Naramor and www.acorntooak.com.

Teacher Tips

• How can I help a student who is having difficulty with organization?
• What do I do to assist a student with limited memory skills?
• How can I help a student who cannot complete tasks or activities that require listening?
• What do I do when a child has difficulty understanding abstract concepts?
• What do I do when a child tries to avoid class work and responsibilities?
• What do I do when a child distracts and annoys students around him?

• How can I help a student who is having difficulty with organization?
  • Write a list of materials the student will need for each of the day’s activities.
  • Remind student verbally what items he will need for the current task.
  • Allow time for students to get organized at beginning of activities.
  • Give a storage place for the student to organize her things and model how the space should be organized.
  • Offer verbal and written reminders for organization often (list of items to bring for next day’s activities, chart of materials for weekly tasks, etc.)
  • Establish routine which includes time for organization and preparation for next activity.
  • Designate areas for each activity and keep materials for each task within designated areas.
  • Keep number of materials to be stored at student’s desk to a minimum.
  • Remember that some students find different methods of organization more helpful than others. One student may understand written instructions, another verbal, and another may best understand when a procedure or plan is modeled directly.
  • Demonstrate conservation of materials so that students have less waste to organize and sort through.
  • Do not reinforce student for losing materials—provide used materials or copies for neglected or uncared for items.
  • Put less organized students in areas with reduced stimuli away from distractions.
  • Interact with student often for prompting and monitor quality of organization.
  • Only assign one task at a time.
  • Have classroom rules and refer to them often.
  • Require students to rework assignments which have been completed incorrectly.
  • Communicate to parents your strategies and how they can reinforce organization at home.
  • Offer positive reinforcement for organization and preparation. Increase the number of times between reinforcement as the student is successful.
• What do I do to assist a student with limited memory skills?
  • Be sure the student’s hearing and vision have been recently checked.
  • Make sure the student asks when directions or explanations are not clear. Provide an environment where this is a positive experience.
  • Review morning and afternoon activities and have student repeat sequence. Increase length of list as student improves.
  • Reinforce student for remembering materials needed for activities.
  • Read a short story. Ask student to identify parts of the story such as sequence of events, main characters and outcome.
  • Give directions and explanations through several methods-verbal, visual, auditory, etc.
  • Assign a peer to help the student with memory activities via games, following directions, etc.
  • Have student write out directions as or after he hears them given verbally or on tape.
  • Assign tasks to students to enhance short term memory (group leader, messenger, teacher assistant, etc.)
  • Informally test a student’s auditory and visual short-term memory and use stronger method to present information to her.
  • Practice repetition.
  • Teach student to break information into smaller parts. For example the number 601591 may be more easily remembered 60-15-91.
  • Show a picture for a few seconds. Have the student recall specific pieces of the item pictured.
  • Teach the student to pick out key words and phrases to aid short- and long-term memory.
• How can I help a student who cannot complete tasks or activities that require listening?
  • Make sure the student doesn’t have a physical limitation (has had a recent hearing exam).
  • Seat the student towards the front of class or near the source of instructions.
  • Be sure you have the student’s attention before giving instructions. Maintain eye contact. Be sure the student’s hands are free of writing materials and other deistractions.
  • Silence competeing sounds when giving directions.
  • Give an early signal like blinking the classroom lights or hand signals before announcements and directions are given.
  • Call the student by name before giving directions.
  • Provide announcements in writing.
  • Have the student verbally repeat instructions.
  • Teach the student how to improve listening skills be taking notes, asking for clarification, and waiting until all instructions are given before beginning the task.
  • Give directions in a variety of ways.
  • Demonstrate directions as they are given orally.
  • Use pictures and diagrams.
  • Present one concept at a time.
• What do I do when a child has difficulty understanding abstract concepts?
  • Be sure to use tangible objects when describing abstract concepts (such as larger, smaller, square, round, etc.).
  • Play Simon Says to help understanding of abstract concepts.
  • Teach shapes using common objects.
  • Evaluate whether a child is at an appropriate age to understand abstract concepts.
  • Repeat physical demonstrations of abstract concepts (near, far, close, large, small, etc.)
  • Review daily concepts previously taught.
  • Use direction-following assignments (go to the farthest chair, etc).
  • Help student by noticing spatial relationships that occur in nature (that dog is under the tree, the boy is sitting on the bench,etc).
  • Use right and left when giving directions.
  • Avoid giving mirror directions by standing next to the student when giving directions.
  • Have student practice following directions on paper.
  • Label abstract items in the classroom.
• What do I do when a child tries to avoid class work and responsibilities?
  • Have the student question directions he does not understand.
  • Be sure to include tasks the child enjoys.
  • Do not reinforce complaints or excuses (such as leaving to use the restroom, get a drink, or at the end of period).
  • Allow the student to help plan curriculum and other activities.
  • Limit and reduce emphasis on competition.
  • Require student to finish any work not completed during class time during recess or after school.
  • Help adjust the student’s environment to minimize stress and distraction.
  • Give positive feedback and help student feel valuable and capable of completing tasks assigned.
  • Give student opportunity and acknowledgement for many social and academic successes.
  • Assign more desirable assignments after less desirable ones. Require the student to complete the first assignment before moving on to the next.
• What do I do when a child distracts and annoys students around him?
  • Interact often with the student to keep him involved in the activity.
  • Reduce lag time between given activities so student has less opportunity to distract others.
  • Have the student question instructions he does not understand.
  • Tell the child what he is doing wrong and what he should be doing instead.
  • Give positive reinforcement for good behavior.
  • Establish classroom rules. Reiterate and reinforce rules.
  • Teach students to respect others, their space and their belongings.
  • Identify a peer to act as a model for good behavior.
  • Communicate with parents about child’s behavior so they can help reinforce behavior at home.
  • When a problem arises, intervene early.
  • Remove student from group intil he can demonstrate appropriate behavior.
• Article Downloads - Links are to a .doc file for your use.
  • Time-In vs. Time-Out
  • Self Regulation
  • Schedules of Reinforcement
  • Authoritative Parents
  • About ADHD