Accommodations

     Our cooperating teacher at Newington Elementary accomodates for many different learners in her classroom.  She has some students who are very gifted and some that are very slow learners.  To accommodate for these two different types of students, she challenges the ones that are gifted by giving them more challenging activities.  For example, the books that they read during small group time are of a more difficult reading level.  For the slower learners, she creates a small group when she can to give them extra guidance and individualized attention.  She also adheres to many different learning styles in her instrucion by having different forms of instruction.  For example, she has visual presentations on the smart board, interactive games, plenty of songs and dances to remember a particular concept, and different individual assingments for the students.  In her classroom, this teacher has learers with ADHD and a child with cerebral parsley.  The student with cerebral parsley is accommodated by having a shadow with him for the entire day who helps him move around.  The teacher lets him be involved in every activity and will accommodate the activity so he is able to physically participate.  The children with ADHD have their own special spots on the carpet, so they do not get easily distracted by the other students.  Also, they are given special attention when they are behaving well; they are not called attention to when they are exhibiting bad behavior, which I think is very effective because if they are craving attention, they will learn that they only get it by displaying good behavior.  I think all of these accommodations that my cooperating teacher employs in her classroom are very effective and help to run her classroom smoothly and create a learning environment that is best for each and every student.