English | 4-6

Strategies for Differentiation: Students with Disabilities

Differentiation for students who benefit from:

Instructional activities Different ways of interacting with
and purpose Different ways of presenting Different ways to engage in the
the education and demonstrate
concepts and tasks learning process
understanding
Listening  Provide recorded texts for  Listen to a story first in Spanish  Use topics that are of interest
students to practice listening. and the same story in English. to the student.
Improve ability to
 Use puppets.  Make predictions using pictures  Praise student for asking and
comprehend and analyze
 Teach songs, rhymes, and chants. or by making a choice while answering questions.
information by listening.
 Read poetry to help students listening to a story being read.  Give the student a choice of
learn how language sounds.  Participate in songs, rhymes, and topics.
 Use motions, gestures, and facial chants by using motions at  Ensure that any hearing
expressions to communicate. directed times (e.g., make up assistive devices are in proper
 Ask questions about read aloud motions to Going on a Bear working order.
text. Hunt).  Allow student to choose who to
 Prompt students for more  Answer questions using work with.
detail. communication system.  Provide frequent and specific
 Pair simple verbal directions with  Work in a group or with a partner feedback to the student on
pictures and gradually fade asking and answering questions performance.
pictures. about a personal experience
 Model appropriate nonverbal (e.g., family, lunch break) and
feedback for students. using appropriate nonverbal
 Introduce question words (who, feedback.
what, where, when, and how)  Listen to English movies and TV
first in Spanish and then in shows.
English.
Speaking  Have students recount personal  Tell personal story by first drawing  Allow student to use computer
story with a variety of supports. it in pictures and then telling program or tablet app.
Improve ability to
 Have student dictate description about it.  Allow student to choose who to
effectively and
of a picture using a complete  Tell personal story by first telling it work with.
appropriately use verbal
sentence, write it down, read it in Spanish and then in English with  Allow preferred seating (e.g.,
language to engage in
back to the student and prompt help from the teacher. exercise ball, on floor, or by
discussions, defend point
the student to add more detail  Work with a partner to practice teacher)
of view, plan and deliver
(e.g., ask about the color, size, turn taking in a conversation.  Provide textured materials, balls
oral presentations.
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 English | 4-6
Strategies for Differentiation: Students with Disabilities

Differentiation for students who benefit from:

Instructional activities Different ways of interacting with
and purpose Different ways of presenting Different ways to engage in the
the education and demonstrate
concepts and tasks learning process
understanding
shape, etc.).  Allow the student to respond to of different size, bean bags and
 Read a story that is familiar to the questions or discussion first in other manipulatives that can use
students and ask questions Spanish and then repeat in English senses.
throughout. with support as needed.  Complete a monitoring and self-
 Ask students to tell the class what  Practice listening to and repeating evaluation chart.
their favorite activity, color, food, recorded phrases.
or TV show is and give reasons  Use AAC to communicate
why. Provide support as needed information.
by asking follow up questions.  Record speaking and listen to self
 Provide practice with speaking in evaluate pronunciation.
different tenses.  Explain how to draw a simple
shape so that a peer can draw it
without hearing the name of the
shape.
Reading  Pre-teach vocabulary using  Use a picture dictionary.  Use student’s schedule to
visuals.  Provide a reading prepare for activity.
Improve ability to read
 Provide reading material at  Match words to corresponding  Allow student to choose reading
with understanding,
varying levels of difficulty. pictures. material.
analyze and interpret
 Label objects in the room.  Read a repeated line in a story.  Ensure proper seating so that
content. Increase phonics
 Use stories that have content  Use choices as a way to answer the student’s hips, knees, and
skills and understanding
familiar to the students. questions. feet are at a 90 degree angle
of text features.
 Read clearly and slowly.  Use a word bank to describe except when student has limited
 Emphasize patterns in words characters. range of motion.
(e.g., CVCV, prefix, suffix) by  Allow student to check with a  Reduce distractions.
grouping together on a Word partner before answering or  Provide age appropriate
Wall, highlighting the common commenting. materials.
pattern (e.g., ing, ed).  Take turns reading the verse of  Place pictures or picture symbols
 Pair words with pictures. the chorus of a poem or song. of characters and events on a
 Use a Cloz activities along with  Write down unfamiliar words and sheet as they hear them while

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 English | 4-6
Strategies for Differentiation: Students with Disabilities

Differentiation for students who benefit from:

Instructional activities Different ways of interacting with
and purpose Different ways of presenting Different ways to engage in the
the education and demonstrate
concepts and tasks learning process
understanding
word banks to have students work with a partner to find out listening to a story.
answer questions about the text. how to read it and its meaning.  Use favorite color marker to
 Teach question words used to Use a dictionary, translating highlight key words.
find details in the text (i.e., who, software, and teacher as
what, when, where, why, and resources.
how).  Write simple sentences to
 Provide students with key words answer questions, then go back
from the text and have them put and add additional details.
a checkmark next to a word (or  With eyes closed, form a mental
phrase) when they hear it. The picture while listening to the text
words or phrases with the most being read.
checks will indicate the main  Use a context clues chart to help
idea. determine the meaning of
unfamiliar words.
 Use marking strategies to
comprehend what is read (e.g.,
underlining keywords, marking
details that support main ideas,
using sticky notes to add
questions).
Writing Improve ability to  Provide step by step directions.  Separate the physical act of  Allow student to choose what to
write effectively for the  Model each step of the writing writing from the development of write about.
purposes of supporting process. ideas:  Use a visual timer to establish
point of view, provide  Model how to write an  When trouble with writing work time and break time.
information, and conduct informational writing piece. provide the student with a  Allow student to listen to music
research.  Provide links to research sites pencil grip, a thick pencil, or a while working.
that are easy to read. triangular pencil; place work  Use computer or tablet to write.
 Use visuals to clearly on a slant board for better
communicate the purpose for viewing of work and

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 English | 4-6
Strategies for Differentiation: Students with Disabilities

Differentiation for students who benefit from:

Instructional activities Different ways of interacting with
and purpose Different ways of presenting Different ways to engage in the
the education and demonstrate
concepts and tasks learning process
understanding
writing. placement of writing utensil.
 Provide models of research.  Provide picture/word banks to
 Use wordless picture books to complete assignments.
encourage students to write  Allow student to dictate his/her
their own story line. writing.
 Use words found in the home  Use sequenced pictures to write.
and community and have  Read and complete sentence
students sort into categories. starters collaboratively with a
 Provide students with sentence peer.
starters.  Use a simple diagram to make
 Model correct grammar. inferences (e.g., what you read +
what you already know =
making inferences).
Language Improve ability  Use action pictures to have  First describe the pictures in  Display language goals for
to use English grammar, students work on correct Spanish and then say in English student to see.
conventions, vocabulary, language (e.g., irregular plural with support from the teacher.  Shorten the length of required
and figurative language. nouns, possessive, pronouns,  Hold up symbols representing work time.
etc.). yes or no to answer questions.  Use positive behavior supports.
 Incorporate kinetic learning by  Use phrase bank to help in  Reinforce for continuing to
having students move to one telling about objects. work.
side of the room if the form of  Use word tiles or magnets to  Provide a chart to record each
the word is correct and the other form various sentence new skill learned.
side if it is incorrect. structures.  Allow student to choose a
 Place several common objects  Sort words into tenses, partner.
into a backpack and have plural/singular, pronouns,  Sort words with a model for
students secretly pull one out, possessive, etc. each category that is something
hide it, and tell the class what  Work with a partner to practice highly motivating to the student
the student has done or will do correct use of words to share (e.g., favorite food singular and
with it using proper tense and personal experiences. favorite food plural).

Source: edCount, LLC 4

 English | 4-6
Strategies for Differentiation: Students with Disabilities

Differentiation for students who benefit from:

Instructional activities Different ways of interacting with
and purpose Different ways of presenting Different ways to engage in the
the education and demonstrate
concepts and tasks learning process
understanding
form of words.  Use pictures to portray concepts
 Introduce sentence structures paired with the word (e.g.,
(e.g., subject – verb; subject – location: a place, provide an
verb- object; Subject – verb – example such as Old San Juan
adjective, etc.) and provide with a picture of San Juan).
examples.  Use a word bank with transition
 Review present and past tense words, words that show
when asking questions about a contrast, etc. to speak and
text. write.
 Teach transition words, words
that show contrast, etc. and
provide them in a word bank.
 Can be used with students of any age to promote similar skills.
 Can use in different content areas to promote similar skills.

Source: edCount, LLC 5