Teachers, I see you. 

Classrooms today are not easy to manage. Many students are coming to school with greater needs: inattention, low frustration tolerance, and weak social skills. They seem to be worse than what teachers were seeing a few years ago. Unfortunately, these issues often result in misbehavior. 

When students are distracted, impulsive, or quick to push back, traditional classroom management is often not enough. That doesn’t mean you are doing anything wrong. It means we need practical, proactive systems that reduce power struggles, increase structure, and help students function more successfully at school. 

This article offers strategies you can use to support behavior, strengthen focus, and make the classroom feel more workable again.

Setting the Stage for Success

Each of us has our own preference for class structure, consistency, and management. I believe it is important to understand that we need to be free to be ourselves and have our own styles of running our classrooms. Yet, some teaching styles seem to lend themselves well to today’s inclusive populations, where others are more challenging for both students and teachers.

Consider these approaches for a successful classroom environment:

• Consistency without rigidity

• Firm discipline without power struggles

• Reasonable flexibility without lax standards

• The goal of the lesson rather than the specifics of the process

• Learning as the goal, rather than focusing on just that test grade

Physical Structure and Environmental Variables

Before we address behavior directly, I always suggest looking at the physical environment.

Consider Classroom Seating Options

Can we change student seating? I try to move students who struggle to self-regulate closer to the center of instruction, closer to me, or away from distractions. Consider allowing a student to choose a new seat as part of a win-win behavior plan. This ensures the student owns the behavior and the solution. 

The Personal Office Solution

I’ve also found DIY study carrels to be valuable.

I first saw them in use in a fifth grade classroom. I wasn’t sure they would be well received when I introduced them to my high school students, yet some of the students loved them. They provide a space free of distractions as well as a secure personal space. I did not force these on students. It was an option I provided. 

For example, I might say, “You can choose a different seat as well as a ‘personal office’ or you can choose to stay where you are sitting. However, that seat does not appear to be working for you. Make a good choice for yourself.” 

The Spacing Solution

Increase the distance between desks and provide more space if possible. Scan the room frequently and stay alert to what students are engaged in at all times. Okay, I know you don’t have eyes in the back of your head and there are times when you can’t see everything. Try to stay with me. You may find these ideas are worth considering. Some of the classrooms I’ve observed in the past few years are crowded. I’m empathetic to the challenge educators face when they are trying to teach thirty students all at once, often in a multi-ability classroom. 

The Grouping Solution – Mixed Ability Groups with Role Models

Finally, we should avoid seating students who struggle academically together as a permanent seating arrangement. It singles them out for stigmatization and creates a situation where they may feed off each other behaviorally.

The Technique that Changed My Teacher Life: Proactive Behavior Plans

I have found this approach to be highly effective with adolescents. It is based on a proactive choice model, and the goal is to teach young people how to take control of their own lives, make more effective choices, and develop the strength to handle daily problems. 

At its foundation is the belief that all humans choose behaviors in an attempt to fulfill basic needs like belonging, freedom, fun, power, and survival. Because human behavior is internally motivated, the only person’s behavior we can control is our own. Each of us fulfills these needs differently. 

Our goal as educators is to get students to evaluate their present behavior and determine whether it is actually meeting their needs.

In one example, we might ask a student if their behavior is getting them what they want. If the student is talking constantly in class and loses a privilege, the student who wants belonging or fun is not getting what he wants through their behavior. 

On the contrary, they are losing the thing they want and need. If the student is not getting what they need with their present behavior, making a specific plan for change is required. They must make a plan and a commitment to follow through with that plan. In my experience, students would prefer to be kicked out of class to sit in the office (which many find more entertaining than being in class) than sit with me and make a plan for better behavior!

As an adult, I do not do the choosing for the student. I may offer suggestions to help the student come up with solutions. Ultimately, the student must make the choice and commit to it. In this way, the student owns his behavior.

Guidelines for Discussion: The Win-Win Discipline Plan

*My work in this area was significantly influenced by Glasser’s Control Theory and Choice Theory philosophy and Kagan’s Win-Win Discipline framework. 

When having these discussions, I find there are four key questions we need to address: 

What were you doing that was unacceptable? 

I found that asking “What is the problem?”  which was how I learned the approach from Glasser’s work, often led to an answer like “I don’t know. I wasn’t doing anything wrong!” For me, “What were you doing that was unacceptable?” is a more direct, less vague, and more productive question. The purpose here is to focus on the specific behavior that’s causing the problem. Try to avoid confronting values or attitudes and just stick to the behavior.

Whose expectations are not being met? 

This needs to be a part of the discussion. If it is the student’s own expectations, I might start with, “I am concerned”. If it is my expectation regarding rules, I simply state, “Part of my job as a teacher is to keep you safe” or “to create a safe environment. When you poke the student in front of you with scissors, that’s not safe.” 

What do you want as a result of the conversation? 

State what you want and word it in the form of a solution. Tell them, “I want to figure out a way that we both win”. Do not get sucked into arguing about the problem. Students are often skilled at avoiding responsibility. They resort to bantering, badgering, and blaming to get out of trouble. 

What will the resolution include? 

The resolution might include a plan for the future or logical consequences. Most importantly, the plan must include a commitment. If it does not, a new plan must be worked out that the student can commit to. When children are resistant to planning, I simply tell them that they will continue meeting with me after school (or another time) until we work it out and create a plan that we both feel comfortable with. 

Yes, this took a lot of my time in the beginning. By January, Students knew that if they didn’t follow the rules we created and agreed to as a class, they would be stuck sitting with me to make a behavior plan. They felt that was worse than other consequences. I realize that some children are so attention starved they may want that time with you. That’s where you get to be creative in how you implement the framework. 

Conclusion

I believe one of the most important things we can do is stop thinking about behavior only in terms of consequences and start thinking more proactively. When we make small changes to the environment, stay consistent without turning everything into a power struggle, and help students take ownership of their choices, we set everyone up for more success. This does not mean students should not be accountable. It means we address behavior in a way that is more likely to teach, support, and actually change it.If you are looking for more practical strategies you can use right away, I invite you to visit my free download page. I’ve put together additional tools and ideas to help you support struggling learners and make your classroom feel more workable again.

FAQ

What are proactive behavior supports in the classroom?
Proactive behavior supports are classroom strategies designed to prevent behavior problems before they escalate. Instead of reacting only after a student misbehaves, teachers use structure, consistency, seating adjustments, clear expectations, and problem-solving routines to help students stay regulated and successful.

How can classroom management support struggling learners?
Classroom management supports struggling learners when it reduces distractions, avoids unnecessary power struggles, and gives students tools to make better choices. Small environmental changes, flexible seating options, consistent routines, and behavior plans can help students focus, participate, and take more ownership of their behavior.

What is a win-win discipline plan?
A win-win discipline plan is a proactive problem-solving approach that helps students reflect on their behavior, identify what is not working, and commit to a better plan. The goal is not just punishment. The goal is to help the student make choices that meet their needs while also protecting the learning environment.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post Classroom Management Strategies That Work: Proactive Behavior Supports for Struggling Learners appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

The Shift: Why One Way is No Longer Enough

Classroom accessibility in the general education classroom requires more than differentiation. It requires structured choice. This approach helps teachers reach diverse learning styles and improve student engagement without changing the core standard.

The “Talk-and-Test” era was simple. Say it. Assign it. Test it. This method assumes every student processes information the same way. We know that isn’t true.

If I teach one way, I get the kids whose learning preferences match that way.

If I teach a concept in multiple ways: I get almost everyone. That is the goal.

When we rely on one method of teaching and testing, we measure compliance. We do not measure learning. We are just seeing who can handle our specific style of teaching. If we want to reach every student, we have to change how they get to the content.

NOTE: I understand that some educators reading this just balked at what I wrote with these thoughts, “But, my [fill in the blank – principal, department head, supervisor, etc.] says that I have to follow the script in the teachers manual provided by the X,Y, Z publisher. 

Please read the rest with a problem solving mindset. Can you incorporate any of these ideas into your teaching and still maintain the fidelity of the lesson plan you are required to teach. 

The Instructional Shift

Traditional One-Way Instruction

• Focuses on “say it, assign it, test it.”
• Measures how well a student follows a method.
• Works for some students but leaves most behind.
• Relies heavily on talk-and-text delivery.

Multi-Modal Access

• Provides multiple ways to access the same idea.
• Measures the student’s actual understanding.
• Accelerates learning for almost every student.
• Varies how students interact with the work.

This shift starts with the students in the room. You have to look at the students sitting in front of you in your classroom(s).

Identifying Learning Strengths: The Nine Student Learning Preferences

Every student has a way of working that feels natural to them. These preferences are tools for expansion. They are not labels for pigeonholing children. When you recognize these clues, you open the door to the work necessary to reach all learners.

• The Word Kids (Verbal Learners): They tell stories and explain ideas. Their strength is remembering what they hear or read.
• The System Thinkers (Logical Learners): They ask how it works and hate pointless worksheets. Their strength is finding patterns and solving problems.
• The Movers (Kinesthetic Learners): They fidget and tap to stay focused. Their strength is showing what they know through action.
• The Visual Learners: They doodle to stay with you. Their strength is understanding a drawing faster than a page of text.
• The Rhythm Learners: They hum or tap while they work. Their strength is remembering through patterns in sound.
• The Talkers (Collaborative Learners): They need to say it out loud to understand it. Their strength is collaborating and leading others.
• The Quiet Processors: They prefer to think first and talk later. Their strength is being reflective and self-aware.
• The Detail Seekers: They notice things others miss. Their strength is connecting lessons to practical, real-world systems.
• The Big Picture Thinkers: They disengage if the work feels pointless. Their strength is connecting learning to a larger purpose.

These learning preferences help us see that students are not being difficult. They are just trying to process what we are teaching. When they can’t, that’s often when we lose them. 

From Chaos to Structured Choice

Many teachers worry that giving options leads to chaos. It doesn’t. Structured choice is not the same as having no plan.

You do not need to create 27 different lesson plans. That is impossible. You only need to adjust student access to the same educational standard.

When we open up options, we stop fighting the students. We start helping them do the work.

Instead of asking, “Which students can handle my lesson?” ask, “How many ways can students access this idea?” Next, ask yourself, ‘How many of these ways can I sprinkle into my lesson plan and stay sane.’ I realize teachers often have ridiculous demands on their time and these ‘options’ may seem overwhelming. Take baby steps to incorporate different learning preferences into a lesson plan. Once those first steps become part of your teaching repertoire, then try others. 

Theory is fine. But teachers need to know what to do when the bell rings on Monday.

The Monday Morning Strategy Guide

You do not have to overhaul your entire curriculum at once. Start small. Give students two or three options for an assignment. Use these low-prep strategies to get started.

1. For Word Kids: Let them write a script or an article. They can teach a peer or create debate questions.
2. For System Thinkers: Have them build a timeline or design an experiment. They can compare and contrast two ideas.
3. For Movers: Let them act it out or build a model. They can use a simulation or create a physical demonstration.
4. For Visual Thinkers: Ask them to draw it. They can make a map or an infographic. Use color to organize notes.
5. For Rhythm Learners: Let them create a chant or a rhythmic explanation. They can explain the learning out loud to themselves.
6. For Quiet Processors: Give them time to think first. Let them journal or write personal connections before they have to share.
7. For Talkers: Use a turn and talk. Let them teach a friend or participate in a group debate.
8. For Detail Seekers: Ask them to apply the lesson to a real-life situation. Let them sort or categorize information into systems.
9. For Big Picture Thinkers: Let them explore the “why” behind the lesson. Connect the topic to a larger goal or a real-world value.

The content stays the same. The standard stays the same. Only the path changes.

This is the foundation of structured choice and differentiated instruction in today’s classroom.

The Impact: Measuring What Matters

When you use structured choice, the classroom changes. You stop measuring who can sit still. You start measuring who understands the material.

The results are immediate:

• Engagement goes up because students feel capable.
• Behavior issues go down because students aren’t frustrated.
• Confidence grows because students have a way to succeed.

The goal is for a student to say: “I get it.”

When a student finally accesses the content in a way that works, the shift is instant.

Once you see that happen, you don’t go back.

Frequently Asked Questions About Structured Choice in the Classroom

What is structured choice in the classroom?
Structured choice is an instructional strategy that gives students multiple ways to access and demonstrate learning while maintaining the same academic standard and learning objective.

How is structured choice different from differentiated instruction?
Structured choice is a practical application of differentiated instruction. It focuses specifically on offering students options in how they engage with content, process information, and demonstrate understanding.Does giving students choices create classroom management issues?
No. When implemented correctly, structured choice improves classroom management by increasing engagement, reducing frustration, and giving students clear, purposeful ways to participate in learning.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post Classroom Accessibility Handbook: Structured Choice in the General Classroom appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

The Hamilton Project just released a deep dive into how the grade a student was in during the COVID-19 shutdowns impacted the long-term post-COVID learning recovery for struggling students. And, while I applaud the rigor of the research, let’s get one thing straight:

Yes, grade level matters.  But if we stop there, we miss the real story.

This isn’t just about test scores. It’s about students. Struggling learners. Kids with potential buried under disruption, disengagement, and disconnection. Kids who didn’t just fall behind, they lost belief in their ability to catch up.

So here’s my take on the report, and what schools should be doing right now to get real results.

Let’s Talk About What Really Got Lost

The research confirms what educators have been saying for years now: students in upper elementary and middle school during the pandemic took the hardest academic hits, especially in math. Younger students, who started school post-COVID, seem to be recovering faster.

What the study doesn’t show – but what every teacher knows – is that what got lost wasn’t just content.

• Confidence took a hit
• Self-regulation skills unraveled
• Routines and relationships were thrown out the window
• And for many students, the identity of being a “successful learner” quietly disappeared

We’re not just rebuilding reading and math skills. We’re rebuilding kids’ belief in themselves.

The Real Shift? From One-Size-Fits-All to What-Works-for-This-Kid

For decades, our system has taught, primarily, to the verbal-linguistic, auditory learner. That approach leaves out a huge number of students in every classroom, COVID or no COVID. Now, post-pandemic, it’s even more critical to embrace differentiated instruction that actually reaches diverse learners.

“Good for all. Critical for different learners.”

This is not a time to double down on rigid pacing guides and one-way teaching. It’s a time to lean hard into:

• Chunked instruction that reduces cognitive load
• Brain-based strategies that make learning stick
• Instructional strategies that reflect the varied ways students process and engage with content.
• Choice and autonomy that fuel motivation

Why Older Students Are Struggling More, and What to Do About It

The research is clear: the older the student during COVID, the greater the drop in math and reading proficiency. That makes sense. These students had the most pre-pandemic expectations placed on them and the most complex content to master with the least support.

But here’s what matters now: How do we help these students succeed?

Start with Self-Regulation

Recovery starts with teaching students how to learn, not just what to learn.

Struggling learners don’t just need tutoring. They need tools to:

• Set goals
• Monitor progress
• Use memory and organization strategies that fit their brain

These are the skills of self-regulated learners and they’re the key to turning the curve around. 

Make Memory Strategies Visual, Vivid, and Doable

Let’s stop relying on rote memorization and start using:

• Mnemonics and acronym memory devices
• Color-coded notes and “snapshot” devices
• Visual organizers like mind maps and concept webs

Students don’t need longer assignments. They need smarter strategies.

Offer Choice. Always.

Want sustained focus? Give students control.

Even something as simple as, “Do these three tasks in any order you choose,” gives kids a sense of autonomy, and with it, increased effort and engagement. 

Let them doodle, color-code, or sit on a wobble stool. These aren’t gimmicks, they’re neuroscience in action. 

Don’t Just Track the Curve, Change the Trajectory

I appreciate the Hamilton Project’s approach. Their cohort analysis gives us a better picture of the long game. But we can’t wait for long-term studies to take action.

If we’re serious about changing student outcomes, we need to:

• Redesign instruction around how students learn best
• Build classrooms that support personalized learning and inclusion
• Focus less on where the curve drops and more on where we lift it

Final Thought: Every Learner Deserves a Win

The question isn’t just, “What grade were they in when COVID hit?”  It’s, “What support are they getting now to succeed?”

And that, friends, is a question we can answer today.

Want more practical strategies to reach your struggling learners? Explore 500+ ways to differentiate and accelerate learning in my book,  Special Needs in the General Classroom – Order here or bring me in for a PD session that turns awareness into action.
www.susanfitzell.com

References: 

https://www.hamiltonproject.org/publication/post/learning-curves-post-covid-learning-trajectories-differ-by-the-grade-a-student-was-in-when-the-pandemic-hit

Special Needs in the General Classroom, 3rd Edition: 500+ Teaching Strategies for Differentiating Instruction, 3rd Edition, by Susan Gingras Fitzell, M. Ed. (Author)

FAQ: Supporting Learners After COVID Disruptions

• Why did older students struggle more academically during the COVID-19 pandemic?
  • Older students faced greater academic challenges because they had more complex content to master and higher pre-pandemic expectations, but received less support during remote learning. The disruption affected more than grades. It also impacted confidence, self-regulation, and students’ sense of themselves as learners.
• What are the most effective strategies for helping students recover lost learning and motivation?
  • Recovery begins with explicit instruction in self-regulation. Visual supports and brain-based memory strategies matter. Students also need choice and autonomy. Chunked instruction, differentiated tasks, and predictable classroom routines help rebuild skills and confidence at the same time.
• How can schools support diverse learners in a post-pandemic classroom?
  • Schools must move away from one-size-fits-all instruction. Differentiated teaching that meets students where they are is essential. This includes varied ways to engage with content, personalized learning plans, and inclusive classroom environments so every learner has a path to success.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post What COVID Learning Curves Miss: It’s Not Just About the Grade, It’s About the Learner appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

Introduction: 

Teaching fractions to third graders can be a dynamic and engaging experience when co-teaching strategies are thoughtfully implemented. Co-teaching offers a powerful way to reach diverse learners by leveraging the strengths of two educators working collaboratively. This lesson plan integrates two highly effective co-teaching approaches—One Teach, One Summarize and Teach Half Then Switch—Skills & Rigor—to ensure that all students develop a strong foundational understanding of fractions. These strategies not only enhance student engagement but also allow for differentiated instruction that meets the needs of learners at varying levels of readiness.

In the One Teach, One Summarize approach, one teacher delivers the primary instruction while the other teacher listens actively, takes notes, and then summarizes key points to reinforce learning. This method strengthens student comprehension by allowing them to hear the information twice, in two distinct ways. Teach Half Then Switch—Skills & Rigor divides the class into two groups, with each teacher delivering instruction focused on a specific skill or concept. After a set time, students switch groups, ensuring that they receive well-rounded instruction in multiple formats. This approach allows students to interact with both teachers and engage in different types of learning experiences.

By incorporating these co-teaching strategies, we create a lesson that is not only structured and effective but also fosters collaboration, active engagement, and a deeper understanding of fractions. This lesson is designed to support educators in making fractions meaningful and accessible for all students, while also strengthening the partnership between co-teachers. Whether you are a general education teacher or a special educator, this lesson plan offers practical strategies to enhance student learning and create a supportive, interactive classroom environment.

Lesson Plan: Teaching Fractions in a 3rd-Grade Classroom

Lesson Title: Understanding Fractions Through Co-Teaching Strategies

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Standards:

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.1: Understand a fraction 1/b as one part of a whole divided into b equal parts.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.3: Explain equivalence of fractions and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will understand the concept of fractions as parts of a whole.
• Students will identify and represent fractions using models and number lines.
• Students will compare simple fractions and recognize equivalent fractions.

Co-Teaching Strategies:

1. One Teach, One Summarize
2. Teach Half Then Switch—Skills & Rigor

Lesson Sequence:

Warm-Up (10 Minutes) – One Teach, One Summarize

• Teacher A presents a short introduction to fractions using visuals (e.g., pizza slices, fraction bars).
• Teacher B listens and takes notes to summarize key points.
• Teacher B then provides a concise summary of what was just taught and checks for understanding through student responses.
• Quick question prompts:
  • “What is a fraction?”
  • “Can someone describe 1/4 using an example?”
  • “Why do we need fractions in real life?”

Direct Instruction (15 Minutes) – Teach Half Then Switch

• Class is split into two groups.
• Teacher A teaches one half of the students using visual fraction models.
• Teacher B teaches the other half using number lines.
• After 10 minutes, students switch teachers and learn the other method.
• Mini-checks for understanding: Students solve a simple problem related to each method.

Guided Practice (15 Minutes) – Teach Half Then Switch

• Teacher A leads a hands-on fraction activity with half of the students using fraction circles.
• Teacher B guides the other half in a comparison activity using fraction strips.
• After 7-8 minutes, students switch groups and complete the alternate activity.

Independent Practice (10 Minutes) – One Teach, One Summarize

• Teacher A provides students with practice problems to reinforce learning.
• Teacher B walks around to check for understanding and takes notes.
• At the end, Teacher B summarizes the main takeaways and provides quick review questions.

Closure (5 Minutes)

• Review key concepts as a class using a fraction quiz game.
• Ask students to reflect on their learning: “What was easy? What was challenging?”
• Assign a simple take-home activity: Draw a picture representing a fraction and write a sentence about it.

Assessment:

• Informal assessment through teacher observations and questioning.
• Exit ticket: Write one thing you learned about fractions today.
• Review independent practice work to check understanding.

Materials Needed:

• Fraction circles, bars, and strips
• Whiteboards and markers
• Chart paper for visual modeling
• Printed fraction number lines
• Small dry-erase boards for quick checks

Differentiation Strategies:

• Provide extra support with manipulatives for students struggling with fraction concepts.
• Offer challenge problems for advanced students (e.g., introducing mixed numbers).
• Use visual aids and interactive activities to engage all learning styles.

This lesson effectively uses co-teaching strategies to maximize student engagement and comprehension of fractions. By implementing these collaborative techniques, educators can create an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed. With thoughtful planning and execution, co-teachers can build a classroom that not only strengthens mathematical understanding but also fosters a spirit of teamwork and shared responsibility for learning.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of co-teaching strategies and resources to maximize student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Best Practices in Co-teaching and Collaboration: the HOW of Implementing the Models

The post Co-taught Lesson Plan: Teaching Fractions in a 3rd-Grade Classroom appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

Disclaimer: A version of this article was originally posted as part of a series called, “Ask Susan”. In this series, I answered questions about teaching and learning. This article has been updated with new and additional information and links that apply to these teaching strategies.

Dear Susan: My niece has been told she has dyslexia. I remembered that you said you have some good resources that can help students with dyslexia. Can you point me toward that information? – Brian Harris

Dear Brian: Here is the information online that changed my son’s life after he was diagnosed as dyslexic.

1. Parents Active for Vision Education (P.A.V.E.) – The goal of P.A.V.E. is to spread awareness of vision therapy and its positive effects in reinforcing the critical link between vision and efficient learning. This nonprofit organization offers online resources for parents, and while the website hasn’t been updated recently, it’s a good starting point to begin looking for doctors and therapies for kids with dyslexia.
2. The Optometric Extension Program Foundation (OEPF) – While this is geared toward the optometry profession, it’s another website well worth searching to find information of value. For example, you can find an optometrist who is knowledgeable about vision therapy. I also was able to do some advanced searching of the site via Google to find research and documents written more for the layperson on issues related to dyslexia.

3. There are also plenty of articles available through the OEPF that address vision therapy, found here via this search.

Vision therapy changed my son’s life and helped him overcome his dyslexia. He still has some symptoms, but not nearly what they were before therapy. I’m sure it can be of great help to your niece as well.

Here are some additional resources for Dyslexia:

Dear Susan: Thank you for your recent, thought-provoking presentation. You mentioned that there are teaching strategies for color-blind students to make it easier for them to learn. Can you point me in the direction of these techniques? – Taisei Ando

Dear Taisei: Absolutely! Two of the best resources I’ve found have been teaching strategies from an organization in the U.K. called Colour Blind Awareness, and tips from the site Understanding Graphics.

Colour Blind Awareness works to call attention to the hundreds of thousands of students in the U.K. dealing with color vision deficiency, pointing out everyday problems faced by those with colorblindness, how to get kids tested for the condition, and get support for kids with colorblindness.

The organization offers a very detailed tip sheet specifically for teachers on ways to help colorblind kids achieve success in the classroom.

Understanding Graphics has an informative page on designing images and pages for people with color blindness. For example, when designing a chart, placing the legend directly into the chart can help those with color deficiencies better identify which color bar or line corresponds to the data being presented. It also recommends not using color data alone to identify items in a chart or image.

I hope you’ll find these helpful!

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post Teaching Strategies for Tackling Vision Related Problems – Updated appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

32+ apps to improve teaching and accelerate learning for school and career

Technology has revolutionized the way we approach learning. When I think back to my schooling and how I struggled through lectures and fell asleep on my textbooks trying to cram for my exams, I am a little jealous of the technology college kids have at their fingertips today. But mostly, I am excited for the opportunities it presents for different learning preferences and the neurodiverse to learn effectively.

Recently, I had the honor of being a guest on Shock Your Potential, hosted by Michael Sherlock. We discussed ways to learn faster to advance your career. In our conversation, I presented some ways to hack your brain to help you take in and retain information more effectively. And each of these methods has a corresponding app that you can download — often for free — to help you accelerate learning.

Nine key methods to accelerate learning

1. Take notes — and organize them!

A trend I see in adult learning is forgetting to take notes. During our high school and college years, quizzes and exams motivated us to take notes so that we could study and revise. But as adults, we often don’t take notes during self-motivated learning.

Notes allow you to review what you’ve learned and revisit that information down the road. If you don’t get the chance to apply your new knowledge immediately, it will fade from memory over time. Taking notes allows you to refer back to specialized knowledge when a situation arises.

Note organization apps are great for storing things you learned in a system that makes sense for you. Apps like Evernote or One Note were created for students and allow you to categorize text and images easily. You can search information easily to find exactly what you are looking for without having to read the whole thing.

Linear versus random organization tools are essential to supporting differently wired brains. While in school, I was forced to use linear outlines. I found them a source of frustration. I’m a random thinker and prefer to organize my thoughts using mind maps. Graphic organizers like Popplet, X mind, and Mindmeister are invaluable to me when trying to understand a process or write a book.

Trello and Notion are popular organization apps. They can help you create links between the information you have gathered from other sources. They include kanban-style card groupings so you can find your notes and other materials at a glance.

2. Automate notetaking

A tool that I use a lot in my business and learning is Otter . It allows me to record anything I am listening to so that I can play it back later and access transcriptions. This is great if someone teaches you how to do something at work. You can listen and give them your full attention while they teach you and have a recording and transcribed notes that you can access in the future.

3. Screenshot key information

When I take notes, I like to use a mixture of text and images to help illustrate important points. You can do this by taking screenshots or screengrabs of important slides in a webinar or presentation. A quick Google search will likely return a diagram or graphic representation of information. You can even create a custom graphic using Canva. If you type “graphic organizer” in the search box on Canva, you’ll get many ready-made examples.

4. Speak your notes and thoughts

I have used speech-to-text to write all but two of my books. I find I can write more and better when I speak my thoughts. Dictating my books is not 100% accurate, and some of the misheard words are hilarious, but even with the editing required, it is still much faster than if I was stuck at a keyboard trying to figure out what to write.

I’ve been using Nuance’s Dragon Naturally Speaking for almost 20 years for lengthy work. When writing short pieces like blog posts, emails, or marketing pieces, I’ll use Microsoft Dictation or the Google Voice typing tool.

5. Grab your learning time

One thing that’s hard for professionals to do is to find time to sit down and concentrate on learning something new. You must actively control this: instead of trying to “find” time, you need to grab the time to study. And once you’ve carved out that time, how you spend it is just as important.

Let’s say you have just an hour per day for focused learning. That’s five to seven hours per week available to dedicate to learning. How do you make the most of that hour every day?

Apps like Asana and ClickUp can take you a step beyond just organizing your notes. You can use them to organize your learning time and append your notes (or links to your notes) in discrete task blocks. Both apps have multiple views so that you can visualize and organize your learning time by task, hour, day, and month.

To stay focused on your learning, you can use timekeeper apps like Focus to Do (which uses the Pomodoro method to “chunk” time into 25-minute focus blocks).

6. Maximize your focus

When I need to study, I put on noise-canceling headphones. Earbuds are okay if that’s all you have, but the important thing is that they remove any distractions: the television in the next room, the kids running around the house, traffic outside, you name it.

I also play music specifically geared toward focus. I prefer classical music, but focus tracks are available for any genre. Search for “focus” playlists on Spotify or Amazon Music, or study playlists on YouTube. One hugely popular YouTube channel is LofiGirl, which streams nonstop music geared toward studying, sleeping, and more.

Set your phone on Do Not Disturb. You can find this in your phone’s settings. While you’ll still receive messages and calls, the phone won’t buzz or ring unless it’s from someone you’ve marked as an important contact.

7. Increase your reading/listening speed

Along with increasing your knowledge retention, try to increase how much knowledge you can consume. I often listen to a podcast or audiobook at 1.5x or 2x speed. The brain must pay closer attention to information played back at higher rates, so doing this helps me focus. It also means I can consume more information than if I listened at a regular speed. At first, it will sound a bit funny at faster speeds, but your brain will adjust quickly.

Most podcast apps allow you to adjust the speed. If not, there are speed controller apps that will enable you to adjust the speed of a video or audio file externally.

You can also increase the speed of your reading. Apps like Readsy and Spreeder help you to speed read. Readsy minimizes the learning phase by showing you one word at a time with a letter highlighted in red. This reading option is excellent for people with dyslexia as it stops the words from jumping around. Spreeder (which recently brought desktop app 7 Speed Reading into its fold) has a free version, which follows a similar format, showing one word at a time in sequence from the text you paste into the reader widget.

It may take a little trial and error to determine whether faster speeds equal more information intake. But it’s worth it to find out how you best consume content.

8. Find alternative information sources

Great information can be presented in the most boring way sometimes. I’m sure I’m not the only one who struggled to stay awake during university lectures from instructors who spoke in a monotone and, as Michael says in the podcast, “had spittle on their lips.”

And even if you have an engaging teacher, the way they teach may not line up with your learning style. You might be a visual learner who struggles to retain the information presented in a lecture but remembers every moment of the lecturer’s demonstration of the chicken dance.

Today, you can approach that information through different avenues online.

• YouTube is a vast repository of videos about every topic you can think of and a great way to get a new perspective on a topic you’re trying to learn.
• Mooc is an online platform for free courses, where you can find many topics presented by instructors who have a different, more engaging approach.
• AWS Training and Certification offers no-cost digital training for IT professionals on using and managing data on its cloud services.
• Quantic offers forty free courses to professionals who are considering getting an MBA.
• Harvard University has hundreds of free college courses online, as do Stanford, MIT, and other institutions.

9. Rest!

Wait a minute, you say. This article is about how to accelerate your learning. How can you do that if you’re not studying?

Rest is essential. It helps your brain relax, improves its “elasticity,” and prepares you for more learning. You need rest breaks during learning sessions of five to 10 minutes. You need a 30-minute to 1-hour break to meditate, walk, call a friend, and just be away from the learning session. You need a full night’s sleep, so your entire body relaxes and your brain processes everything you’ve done today.

Rest is so important that there are dozens of useful apps to help you maximize the rest period:

• Focus To-Do (5-minute brain breaks)
• Calm (a go-to-sleep app with mind-calming storytellers)
• Headspace (a guided meditation app)
• Sleep Cycle (a smart alarm clock that tracks when you’re in your deepest and lightest sleep modes)
• Reflectly (an app that guides you through a pre-sleep regimen, such as journaling your day)

Extra credit: Go old-school

If the above technologies aren’t helping as much as you’d like, try the old-fashioned, pre-internet way. Approach someone you know as a good resource for the information and ask them.

If you’re studying on your own, librarians are enthusiastic supporters of the search for knowledge and will help guide you toward resources that can help.

If you’re trying to learn something at work, approach a colleague or supervisor and ask them to show you the information in action. My son does this, and it’s highly effective because it maximizes his learning style.

Here’s an example of learning-at-work in action. A friend works at a company that is growing rapidly and implementing new content management systems to help with that scale-up. For new employees, learning how to use those new systems can be challenging. To help, she schedules several short, 15-minute sessions during employees’ first few weeks to show them how to use the tools they’ll need to rely on to complete their work. She also ensures that the employees know they can contact her anytime they need help learning any aspect of the system. Walkthroughs are incredibly helpful in getting new employees up to speed and motivating them to continue learning the system independently.

One caveat: Make sure you put effort into learning and engaging if you choose this method. Time is a precious resource, and if you ask someone to spend time on you, you must show them that investing in your growth is worthwhile.

Conclusion: Try before you buy

If the above list of apps seems daunting, don’t fret. The reason that there are so many different learning apps on the market is — besides competition — that there is no single app that’s a perfect fit for every learner.

And that’s totally okay! Pick the app that seems most interesting to you. Take advantage of the free version before you commit. Explore different apps if it’s not quite right.

If there is no free version or free trial, watch YouTube videos of other people using the app. This will give you a good idea of the features and general layout and help you decide whether to spend money on it.

Whatever you do, accelerate your learning and keep growing!

Photo Credits:

Credit:Halfpoint /iStockphoto Standard license
Credit:Tashatuvango /iStockphoto Standard License
Credit:monkeybusinessimages /iStockphoto.com

FREE DOWNLOAD: Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Things to Consider Before You Jump On the Bandwagon

Neurodiverse hiring practices can benefit any company in any industry and in more areas than most people realize. The investment has yielded greater patenting, innovation, process improvement, efficiency, and creativity not only in technology industries but also in industries that include investment banking, insurance, and mortgage banking.

This resource explains the term “neurodiversity” and describes the potential positive impact on your business that can come from including neurodivergent individuals in your workplace.

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Use Testing Strategies That Promote Student Success

As teachers, most of us have been taught that tests are the best way to assess our students’ learning (and the effectiveness of our teaching). But when a student scores poorly on a test, how does he or she benefit? The student loses confidence and ends up feeling ‘stupid.’ I believe we can use tests to improve learning, not just check what our students have memorized.

In his conference remarks, Thomas Guskey challenges teachers to consider how we might change the culture of classroom testing. Guskey asks, “What happens to these tests? What educational purpose do they serve?” His point is that teachers typically grade tests, give them back, and then move on. Students put their tests away and never look at them again. Some students will even make a show of sauntering to the trash to crumple and toss their test in the bin. If a student feels like she studied hard for a test and still got a bad grade, she can become disillusioned and disheartened with the classroom cycle that consists of teaching and testing, teaching and testing.

Many times, testing simply feels like a win or lose game between students and their teacher. I’ll never forget the day my son and I were discussing testing in one of his least favorite classes (and with his least favorite teacher) and he looked me square in the eyes and said, “Mom, I refuse to play the game.” My son was in honors classes, yet he felt this way! What if his tests were used as a learning tool instead of a ‘gotcha’? Would it be perceived as less of a game if students had a chance to re-take the test, or work out where they’d gone wrong?

There is an argument for the exam as the final assessment: if students don’t have the knowledge by the time they’re tested, that’s unfortunate, but it’s time to move on – there’s only so much time to teach the material. “What about a surgeon? Do they ‘test’ their learning on a genuine patient?” Guskey asks. “Or do they get to check their learning on a cadaver to make sure they’ve got it worked out?” You wouldn’t show a surgeon a heart bypass in a textbook and then send him or her straight into the operating room!

Tests give us crucial insight into areas where students are struggling. By moving on immediately after giving an exam, teachers miss a valuable opportunity to teach students exactly what they need to learn! Rather than a game in which students either win or lose, teachers can turn testing into a win-win classroom experience by giving students the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. We can change the culture in our classrooms by using tests as a tool to facilitate learning rather than marking the end of the learning process.

Here’s an example of how this type of learning can be applied. Let’s say you are finishing a unit. For the first part of the lesson, students take a typical test that you quickly grade as they’re being handed in. From the test, you can identify ‘grey areas’ where a significant number of students have struggled and ‘failed.’ You spend the second part of the class period re-teaching these ‘grey’ elements. Students are then allowed to re-take this part of the test where, of course, they improve. Rather than feeling disillusioned, students feel empowered and motivated to ‘learn from their mistakes.’

After hearing Guskey speak, I reflected on my own experiences. When I was in graduate school, the method of learning was an iterative process, where we continually redrafted our work until it was up to standard. There was no formal testing, but the same piece of work would sometimes be returned six or seven times with feedback. I would read the professor’s comments and learn how to improve my work – no disillusionment, just improvements. I learned more than I had in any test-driven educational program, and I actually remembered what I’d learned.

The next time you’re preparing a test, consider how you might make it into a learning tool. You may be surprised to find that you can turn your tests into a positive learning experience that promotes student success.

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The best alternative to testing is demonstration of knowledge. Whenever possible, have students do a project, write a paper, do an analysis, and/or apply knowledge learned. Here’s a fun and effective teaching strategy for quizzing students.

Three Card Match: Peer Tutor or Peer Quiz

Materials:

• Matching cards from a Three Card Match game
• A Quarter (coin)

Instructions:

1. Pair up students. (Matching ability is not necessary and may be less successful.)
2. Allow students to peer practice by matching the cards before the “quiz.”
3. Students MUST ensure each one of their pair knows how to match all the cards.
4. Instruct students that once a pair of students is confident that they can match the cards each on their own, they should notify you that they are ready for the quiz.
5. Have the pair call heads or tails.
6. Flip a coin.
7. The person who calls tails takes the quiz.
8. That student has to match the cards by himself/herself on-the-spot for you to see.
9. Both students get the same quiz grade

Watch the video about this important teaching strategy:

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Science proves that when we teach to a variety of learning styles and vary our delivery techniques, we will consistently reach more students.

Many of us still struggle with how to differentiate instruction in ways that can reach those students who struggle without singling them out in the inclusive classroom.

This list of ideas for differentiating instruction that can work in your classroom to help all students succeed was crowd-sourced from teachers in the classroom, just like you, so we know they work!

Strategies for Differentiating Instruction for Social Studies

• Decorate the classroom with students’ drawings of the culture being studied.
• Make a historical comic strip that meets specific criteria.
• Compile a notebook of history jokes. Work facts into the jokes.                     
• Play charades with “significant” events from the unit you are studying.
• Create history raps that identify key dates and people.                     
• Play “What’s my line?” or “Pictionary” with names, dates, places.
• Create time sequence charts with titles for major eras of history – then create a mnemonic out of the sequence of the titles.            
• Write a skit or play from a period in history, or as a typical day in a specific culture. Example: Sparta or Athens.
• Make a game of predicting what will happen in several current event stories.
• Play “guess the culture” based on artifacts in a time capsule.
• Debate important issues and decisions from the past.               
• Generate an illustration which best depicts what democracy* means to you. (Engages brain to store data.) *Example.
• Create limericks about important historical events.                     
• Make visual diagrams and flow charts of historical information.
• Have students conduct imaginary interviews with people from the past.        
• Send a postcard from one historical character to another historical character.
• Have students draw a mural that reflects a specific time period.                    
• Role-play a conversation with an important historical figure.
• Make maps out of salt dough and show geographical features and key places.                  

Strategies for Differentiating Instruction in English/Language Arts/Foreign Language

• Teach “concept mapping” to help remember content or take notes.
• Create song rap to teach grammar and syntax.
• Write a sequel/next episode to a story or play.                 
• Use different kinds of music for different kinds of writing.
• Create crossword puzzles/word jumbles for vocabulary words.                     
• Analyze literature for “connections to our lives today.”
• Practice impromptu speaking and writing.            
• Predict what will happen next in a story or play.
• Experiment with joint story-writing – one starts then pass it on.                
• Analyze a story and describe its message – reach a consensus.
• Use a “human graph” to see where a group stands on an issue.            
• Analyze similarities and differences of various pieces of literature.
• Use a “story grid” for creative writing activities.              
• Read poetry from different perspectives and in different moods.
• Play vocabulary words “Pictionary.”           
• Conduct language drill exercises with partner.
• Draw pictures of the different stages of a story you are reading.                  
• Write an autobiographical essay: My life to date, my life in the future.
• Use highlight markers to “colorize” parts of a story or poem. (Option: highlight tape.)          
• Write a new poem each day of the week on “Who Am I.”
• Use sticky notes to make predictions as you read a story or novel.                 
• Imagine being a character in a story/play – what would you do.
• Write a letter to the author telling him/her how well you liked (or didn’t like) his/her book.            

Strategies for Differentiating Instruction for Math

• Write a series of story problems for others to solve.                     
• Learn mathematical operations through songs and jingles, rhythm.
• Explain how to work a problem to others while they follow.                     
• Use a formula card for tests.
• Make up puns using math vocabulary or terms.                   
• Provide tables, graph paper, lines, and space for working problems.
• Solve problems with a partner: one person solves, and the other explains the process.
• Make up sounds for different math operations and processes.
• Create poems telling when to use different math operations.                     
• Solve complex story problems in a group.
• Teach how to use a calculator for problem solving.          
• Do a statistical research project and calculate percentages.
• Create number sequences and have a partner find the pattern.                     
• Use “each one teach one” for new math processes/operations.
• Mind-map proofs for geometry theorems.               
• Describe everything you do to solve a problem to a partner.
• Design classification charts for math formulas and operations.                     
• Have teams construct problems linking many math operations, then solve them.
• Do a survey of students’ likes/dislikes, then graph the results.                    
• Track thinking patterns for different math problems.
• Estimate measurements by sight and by touch.           
• Bridge math concepts beyond school. (What? So what? Now what?)
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide using manipulatives.                     
• Imagine using a math process successfully, then really do it.
• Learn metric measurement through visual equivalents.                     

Strategies for Differentiating Instruction in Practical Arts & Physical Education

• Give verbal explanation of sport routines.                 
• Have students imagine the computer is human – draw how it works.
• Have students tell one another how to run a word processing program – then do it.
• Have students perform physical exercise routines in sync with music.
• Have students pretend they are radio sportscasters describing a game in progress.  
• Play “Recipe Jeopardy” – make questions for answers given.
• Use music to help improve keyboarding skills and speed.                     
• Teach and play a series of non-competitive games.
• Use peer-coaching teams for individual shop projects.              
• Assign teams to prepare and serve meals from foreign countries.
• Have students draw pictures of how to perform certain physical feats. 
• Have students work in pairs to learn and improve sports skills.
• Teach a series of “spatial games” (e.g. horseshoes, ring toss).            
• Create cooperative computing teams to learn computer skills.
• Create visual diagrams of how to use shop machines.                  
• Have students list how things learned in shop can help in your future life.
• Teach students to imagine a skill, and then try to do it exactly as they imagined. 
• Capture a process involved in art or sports on video or camera, and create a step-by-step manual or review materials using the images.
• Choose textbooks with CD-Rom companion materials.

Strategies for Differentiating Instruction in Science & Health

• Write a humorous story using science vocabulary.           
• Group research projects in which each group designs and implements plans.
• Create a diary on “The Life of a Red Blood Cell.”                
• Use lab teams for science experiments and exercises.
• Write steps used in an experiment so someone else can do it.                
• Discuss controversial health topics and write team position papers.
• Make up an imaginary conversation between parts of the body.                
• Describe the “before and after” of key scientific paradigm shifts.
• Give a speech on “Ten steps to healthful living.”                
• Learn the pattern of successful and reliable scientific experiments.
• Use the symbols of the Periodic Table of Elements in a story.                     
• Practice webbing attributes of various systems of the body.
• Find five different ways to classify a collection of leaves.                     
• Draw pictures of things seen under a microscope.
• Create montages/collages on science topics (e.g., mammals).                     
• Create posters/flyers showing health processes.
• Use vocabulary games to study and review science vocabulary.                     
• Use concrete models to demonstrate science concepts and/or parts.
• Use concrete models as metaphors for systems in the human body.           
• Use forensic science activities to create interest in scientific method, research, etc.

Excerpted from Special Needs in the General Classroom, 3rd Edition

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What are some innovative teaching strategies to support learning in the classroom?

I’m constantly looking for new ideas, especially for math. On this day, I saw a strategy that made my teacher heart soar!

I was presenting a two-day co-teaching program for an amazing group of teachers in Jonesborough, Tennessee. When I arrived at the high school, I was shown into Mrs. Elliott’s classroom and I was stunned at what I saw.

Ditch the Paper and Eraser Damage

Instead of student desks, the room was full of tables and chairs. Okay, that may not sound so innovative. However, each table was covered with a dry-erase board. Every table, also, had a basket with markers, sticky notes, and a bit of eraser. There was even a zipper pouch on each side of the table for the student’s cell phone! Mrs. Elliott was kind enough to take a few minutes to explain how she puts her tables together and uses this teaching strategy in her classroom.

“I get a 4×8 sheet of shower board from Lowes, and it’s quartered… they know me now so they know I need it cut and they cut it for me, for free. Then I velcro it to the table at the four corners. Usually it lasts about a year. I change them out about once a year. The little baskets are Dollar Tree and they are velcroed too. What I use them for is when students are working on a problem, and I can use the board to help them work out the problem.”

Innovative Teaching Strategy for Math, English, Social Studies, Science, and More

This teaching strategy can work in any math class, or any other class where it might benefit students to have an easy, clear way to practice problems or jot down notes that they may need in the moment.

A big thank you to Mrs. Elliot for sharing her room with us for two days and for taking the time to share her ingenuity!

What cool strategies do you implement in your classroom to make it easier for you to help students, and for them to help themselves? Tell us about your great ideas in the comments below.

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