Feature Article
Addressing Student Needs Through Access
Meeting the needs of all students, one by one, lies at the heart of access. Knowing the “whole” child and addressing his or her needs goes beyond just labeling students. While a label such as “English learner” may help educators understand immediately the struggles a student is experiencing, it does not necessarily inform educators of ways to best address those struggles. In an example of looking beyond the label, Rick Wormeli, a nationally known education expert, developed over 20 simple strategies with which to substantially assist English learners.
What about those students for which common labels do not apply and who struggle in silence? Take, for example, the student who always says, “I hate math!” While a teacher might not see this as anything more than an attitude problem, it could be a symptom of a math disability, such as Dyscalculia. Whether it is a bad attitude or a disability, experiencing anxiety over math becomes a problem in itself. Stress on the brain causes the working memory to cease functioning. Without the working memory, math problems are impossible to solve.
Regardless if a student is an English learner, in special education, in the Gifted and Talented Education program, or none of the above, every student in the middle grades is challenged by dramatic changes taking place physically, emotionally, and intellectually. In turn, every middle grades educator faces the challenge of meeting the needs of individual students with fluctuating growth spurts and a tendency to lose confidence in their abilities.
In the adolescent development essay about access < http://pubs.cde.ca.gov/tcsii/adoldev/adoldev4rec7.aspx > and the adolescent brain, learn more about Rick Wormeli’s English learner strategies, the challenges of teaching students with Dyscalculia, and what the founders of middle schools have to say about addressing the needs of students through a sound, developmentally responsive, middle grades program. The essay also includes parenting and teaching tips related to access and the adolescent brain.
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