SOME SAMPLE CLASSROOM INTERVENTIONS FOR LANGUAGE-BASED PROBLEMS Area: Listening/Reading Cmprehensin Prblem: Student des nt fllw verbal directins. Teach the student skills fr fllwing verbal directins such as A. Listen carefully B. Write dwn imprtant pints C. Use envirnmental cues D. Wait until all directins are received befre beginning Give directins in a variety f ways (verbal, written, demnstratin, etc.) Give directins that are simple and cncrete Chunk directins give related directins tgether ( get yur bk and pen it t page 57. Find number 5 and I will read it.) Prvide alternatives fr presenting verbal directins (use f tape recrder, directins given by peer, summarize directins, etc.) Prvide student with mre practice n nnacademic tasks (ie. Recipes, games, etc.) Exaggerate imprtant wrds that yu want the child t knw (highlight, underline, repeat, etc) Have student repeat directin using wn terminlgy t ensure cmprehensin Get child s attentin prir t giving ut directin Give directins in steps and allw student t cmplete ne step at a time Give verbal directins prir t handing ut materials OR hand ut materials with key wrds highlighted and have student fllw alng as yu read directins Area: Listening/Reading Cmprehensin Prblem: Student has difficulty with listening skills Seat the student in an ptimum psitin in rm free f distractins Make sure that student is attending (eyes n speaker, n distractins n r near desk, etc) Stand directly in frnt f student when giving directins Call student by name prir t giving directins Have a peer assist student with listening task Use pictures, gestures, etc. when giving directins Use vcabulary that is within student s level f cmprehensin Give directins individually t student Have student paraphrase directin t ensure cmprehensin Play games designed t teach listening skills Frm Speaking f Language: A Publicatin f the Hamiltn Cunty Educatinal Service Center, Vlume 8-Issue 2, Winter, 2007.
Area: Listening/Reading Cmprehensin Prblem: Student has difficulty answering wh questins If unable t answer higher level wh questin ( why d we brush ur teeth), decrease cmplexity f Wh questin ( What d we d with a tth brush?. If student cntinues t have difficulty with questin, change t a clze frmat ( We brush ur teeth t keep them clean and nt get Repeat/rephrase questin Ask questins everyday s the student learns the skill thrugh repetitin and practice Use multiple chice questins Prvide wait time fr student t prcess and answer questin Have student repeat questin t verbatim r paraphrased t ensure cmprehensin Help student by prviding clues t answer (ex. I asked a what questin, s I am lking fr an bject r I asked a wh questin, s I am lking fr a persn) Prblem: Student des nt use apprpriate grammar. Subject-verb agreement: A. Make sure the student understands that sentences express thughts abut a subject and what the subject is r des. B.. Make sure the student understands the cncept f plurality (e.g. have the student pint t a picture f a cat and pint t a picture f cats. ) C. Identify a peer wh uses apprpriate subject-verb agreement t act as a gentle and psitive mdel fr the student. D. Have the student verbally cnstruct sentences with specific verb frms and subjects. Verb tenses: A. Make sure the student understands the cncept f verb tenses by demnstrating what is happening, what already happened and what will happen thrugh the use f bjects, pictures, and/r written sentences. B. Determine if the student has apprpriate sequencing skills. This is imprtant befre the use f verb tenses can be develped. C. Use a private signal t remind the student t use the crrect verb tense (e.g. hand ver shulder fr past tense, pinting frward fr future tense). D. During the day, write dwn the sentences that the student uses with incrrect verb tenses. Have the student make crrectins fr incrrect verb tenses and then read the crrected sentences alud. Frm Speaking f Language: A Publicatin f the Hamiltn Cunty Educatinal Service Center, Vlume 8-Issue 2, Winter, 2007.
Prblem: Student misprnunces certain speech sunds in cnversatin. Identify the auditry, tactile r visual cue that stimulates the crrect prductin f the target phneme. The teacher shuld prvide this cue during ral reading when the student needs a reminder. Have the student keep a ntebk f wrds encuntered in class each day that include his target sund. These can be practiced by the student with teacher, parent r peer assistance. During ral reading, underline targeted wrds and reinfrce the student fr crrect prductin. Prblem: Student speaks t rapidly. Mdel a slw, acceptable rate f speech fr the student. Agree n a hand signal t cue the student abut using a slwer rate f speech. Prblem: Student stutters during class time. During cnversatins, calmly delay yur verbal respnses by ne r tw secnds. Slw the rate f yur speech and prlng vwels t mdel slw, easy speech. Give the student yur undivided attentin s he will nt feel a need t hurry r cmpete with thers fr attentin. During perids f dysfluency, allw nnverbal activities r respnses t relax the student. Area: Vcabulary Cncern: Student has difficulty learning new vcabulary Present new vcabulary wrds with definitin that is understandable t student (student-friendly) Give examples when pssible Have student give example f term Prvide pictures, bjects and new wrd simultaneusly. Prvide mnemnic strategies when pssible Srt new vcabulary by feature, categry, functin, cmparisn and assciatin Break dwn rt wrd and prefixes and suffixes Make a set f flash cards Prvide synnyms and antnyms fr new wrds Help develp memry strategies fr student t remember wrds Select a limited number f vcabulary wrds Frm Speaking f Language: A Publicatin f the Hamiltn Cunty Educatinal Service Center, Vlume 8-Issue 2, Winter, 2007.
Have student develp vcabulary lg that cntains: A. Wrd B. Student friendly explanatin C. A sentence t illustrate the wrd s meaning D. An illustratin E. Part f speech Area: Scial Language Prblem: Student makes ff-tpic remarks during class discussins. Write the tpic f the discussin n the bard in the middle f a large bullseye target. When a student takes a turn and says smething that is n tpic, tuch the bulls-eye. When a student makes a remark that is ff tpic, say We re talking abut. and tuch the bulls-eye. Yu are talking abut and yu re ff tpic, and tuch utside the bulls-eye. Area: Scial Language Prblem: Student interrupts and des nt take cnversatinal turns. T be sure the student understands turns, play a turn-taking game like Cnnect Fur and make sure he watches his partner s turn and then takes his. Label each player s turn by saying It s Jhnny s turn. It s Sarah s turn. and frequently ask Whse turn is it? Use a stuffed animal r play micrphne t designate whse turn it is t talk. When the student interrupts, use a hand signal t stp him and say It s Jhnny s turn t talk. Prblem: Student has difficulty using capitalizatin when writing Highlight r underline capitals in a reading passage and have student identify why they are capital Prvide student with lists f wrds and have him/her indicate which shuld be capitalized Have student practice writing wrds that shuld always be capitalized Give student a list f rules fr capitalizatin Make a ntebk f rules fr capitalizatin t be used fr prfreading wrk Prblem: Student has difficulty with punctuating crrectly when writing Frm Speaking f Language: A Publicatin f the Hamiltn Cunty Educatinal Service Center, Vlume 8-Issue 2, Winter, 2007.
Highlight r underline punctuatin in a reading passage and have student identify why specific punctuatin is used In a written passage, indicate the number f punctuatin marks needed n each line f the passage Make sure that the student knws what all punctuatin marks are and their use. Use a newspaper t lcate different types f punctuatin. Have the student circle perids in red, underline cmmas, etc. Make a ntebk f rules fr punctuatin rules t be used fr prfreading wrk Have the student keep a list f basic rules f punctuatin at his/her desk t use as a reference when writing Prblem: Student des nt write cmplete sentences r express thughts in writing Give the student a series f written phrases and have him/her identify which nes express cmplete thughts Have the student crrect a series f phrases by making each a cmplete sentence Give the student a flash cards with varius parts f speech and have the student practice making cmplete sentences Give the student shrt sentences and have him/her put them tgether t make a cmplete sentence Have student read his/her wrk ut lud t help identify incmplete sentences Prblem: Student has difficulty rganizing writing activities Help the student develp webs with main idea and supprting details Prvide the student with lists f wrds that can cnnect sentences t each ther (and, therefre, althugh) Ensure that the student knws that paragraphs need an intrductin, a middle and a cnclusin Teach the student hw t utline main idea and supprting details Have the student write step by step instructins t gain practice in sequencing Cut the paragraphs frm an excerpt and have the student put them in the crrect rder On a piece f paper, write five r six sentences frm smething that the student has read. Have the student put them in the right rder. Prblem: Student has difficulty cmprehending what he/she reads Frm Speaking f Language: A Publicatin f the Hamiltn Cunty Educatinal Service Center, Vlume 8-Issue 2, Winter, 2007.
Underline r highlight imprtant pints befre the student reads the material Prerecrd reading material and have him/her listen t the tape while reading the material Outline reading material fr the student using wrds and phrases n his/her ability Have a peer read with the student Have the student paraphrase material read t ensure cmprehensin Teach the student t identify main pints in the reading material Have student take ntes while reading which will help increase cmprehensin Maintain a vcabulary bk with definitins f new wrds that student cmes acrss in reading material Have student read cmprehensin questins that are in reading material befre he/she reads the material Give the student time t read a selectin mre than nce, fcusing n accuracy and nt speed Have student read prgressively lnger segments f reading material t build cmprehensin skills Outline reading material fr student Teach student t identify main pints Prblem: Student has difficulty recgnizing wrds n grade level Teach the student t use cntext clues t determine meanings f wrds Emphasize the use f rt wrds, suffixes and prefixes Tape recrd reading passages and have student listen and fllw alng Highlight key wrd and phrases fr the student Make a list f main pints frm the reading material, written at students reading level Use a sight wrd vcabulary apprach in rder t teach the student key wrds and phrases when reading directins and instructins Prblem: Student has difficulty recalling sequence f events in stries Have student write main events as he/she reads them Have student read ne paragraph at a time and make ntes f the events Have student paraphrase the sequence f events in a paragraph Teach student t visualize infrmatin as if it were a mvie Have student practice repetitin f infrmatin in rder t increase shrt term memry (names f characters, events, etc) Teach the student t identify main idea and the relatinships within the stry t enhance recall f infrmatin in crrect rder Have student practice remembering sequential activities (fllwing recipes) t build skill f sequencing Frm Speaking f Language: A Publicatin f the Hamiltn Cunty Educatinal Service Center, Vlume 8-Issue 2, Winter, 2007.
Prvide practice in sequencing using a cmputer sftware prgram that prvides immediate feedback Prblem: Student has difficulty identifying tpic sentence and main idea f material Teach student that ften the first sentence f a paragraph is usually a tpic sentence and main idea Teach the student that the main idea and tpic sentence will cntain infrmatin answering any WH questin and will mst likely be the main idea f the paragraph Teach the student that the main idea r tpic sentence in a paragraph usually makes sense when it stands alne Highlight main idea in ne clr and supprting details in anther clr Prblem: Student has difficulty identifying supprting detail when reading Teach student that ften the first sentence f a paragraph is usually a tpic sentence and main idea Teach the student t find the main wrd r idea f a paragraph and make a web arund that wrd inserting ther ideas within that paragraph that supprts the wrd identified Prvide webs fr the student with the main idea and have the student fill in the blanks with supprting infrmatin frm paragraph Highlight main idea in ne clr and supprting details in anther clr Play Detective with the student. Give student the main idea and have him/her find supprting evidence that ges with the main idea Frm Speaking f Language: A Publicatin f the Hamiltn Cunty Educatinal Service Center, Vlume 8-Issue 2, Winter, 2007.