From Text Maps to Memory Caps

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100 More Ways to Differentiate Instruction in K–12 Inclusive Classrooms

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About the Authors

Paula Kluth, Ph.D. is a former special educator who has served as a general education co-teacher, inclusion facilitator, and instructional coach. Her professional interests include differentiating instruction, active learning, and inclusive schooling. Dr. Kluth is the author or coauthor of eleven books including: "You’re Going to Love This Kid!": Teaching Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms, Second Edition; "A Land We Can Share": Teaching Literacy to Students with Autism; and "Just Give Him the Whale": 20 Ways to Use Fascinations, Areas of Expertise, and a documentary film titled "We Thought You’d Never Ask": Voices of People with Autism.

Sheila Danaher, M.S.Ed. is a consultant for the Christopher L. & M. Susan Gust Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting all students by creating inclusive school communities. She is a former learning specialist and administrator in the Chicago Public Schools, where she focused on supporting students with autism and differentiating instruction for all students. As a consultant for the Gust Foundation, Sheila continues her work in the Chicago area by providing teachers with ideas for curricular adaptations, differentiating instruction.

Purposeful Puzzles

Materials

• 36-piece blank floor puzzle
• 99-piece tabletop jigsaw puzzle

Description

Purposeful puzzles are named because they are first and foremost a fun activity, but they can also be put into classrooms to serve a specific purpose or teach a particular piece of content. Puzzles are an especially helpful support for students who might fidget a lot during class or need to be "doing something" when they are listening or participating in teaching.

Example

A student with Down syndrome was sometimes fidgety during his social studies class. A teacher provided a blank puzzle for him to work on, drawing lightly with a pencil on the blank puzzle page so that any errors can be changed easily. Then, color with markers or colored pencils to make the image easy to assemble. Be sure to add any important vocabulary words and facts.

Social Skill Slam Book

Materials

• Notebook or binder

Description

Did you have a slam book as a kid? We remember using slam books to share favorite things, classroom crushes, and recommendations for friends. If you are not familiar with slam books, the concept is simple. The owner of the book creates a roster on the front cover or first page of the book with a series of numbers and one name next to each one. Then, on each subsequent page of the book, a question is posted along with a numbered list.

Teachers can create social skill slam books for their students who need advice and guidance from peers on topics such as making friends and dealing with stress. To help visual learners, this format includes pictures of classmates instead of just their words of advice.

Directions

First, decide on the social skills you want to target and develop simple questions based on these skills. Sample questions include the following:

• How do you deal with anxiety?
• How do you start a conversation with someone new?
• How do you handle unfair situations?
• How do you cope with a low grade?

Then, ask your student with social challenges to choose a few peers he or she respects and would like to use as advisors. On the first page of your book, introduce the advisors by writing a few sentences about each and adding the participant’s photo. On each page thereafter, write one question on the left side of the book and three or four answers on the right side. Include a photo of each respondent next to his or her answer so the learner can visualize who is giving each piece of advice.

Give this book to the student to study proactively or bring it out during confusing or frustrating moments. Add new pages as challenges emerge.

Example

A high school student with Asperger syndrome often consulted with classmates about personal struggles, such as how to cope with anxiety and how to deal with the pressures of school, including choosing a college and taking standardized tests. His teachers helped him to create a slam book filled with ideas from the classmates who he viewed as successful and trustworthy.

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Keep in Mind

Some students may want to include respected friends or family members out-

Making Friends

Materials

• Paper, plastic, or Styrofoam cups

Description

Stackables are manipulatives that can be used to teach relationships between ideas, concepts, measurement (mile/yard/foot/inch), parts of a cell, and levels of government.

Directions

Create your stackables using any product you have available (e.g., Styrofoam, plastic, paper). Simply paste an image and word or phrase on each cup in the series. You may want to use a glue or sealant over the image to make sure that the graphics do not peel or move as students are stacking them.