Title: Best Practices for Supporting Students with Special Needs - TeacherVision
Headings: Best Practices for Supporting Students with Special Needs
Best Practices for Supporting Students with Special Needs
Veteran teacher and TeacherVision Advisory Board Member Tina shares her tips for helping students with special needs reach their fullest potential.
Read the Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Does it take time? Yes. But it is well worth the time and effort needed to tackle this often intimidating document.
Understanding Accommodations and Modifications
Become Familiar with Common Difficulties
Provide Opportunities for Success
Have high expectations, but do not have unrealistic ones.

Content: Read the Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
This one seems like a no-brainer, but many teachers overlook the obvious when there are just so many things to do. Reading a student’s IEP is a definite first step that should not become an oversight. The IEP provides so much helpful information that you can use to guide your instruction for that child. Does it take time? Yes. But it is well worth the time and effort needed to tackle this often intimidating document. If you truly cannot spare the time, at the very least become familiar with each student’s disability diagnosis, educational goals, and accommodations and modifications. Work in opportunities to practice any listed goals that fit naturally into different areas of the curriculum. For example, if a student’s IEP lists a goal related to using who, what, where, when, why, and how questions, see if you can create an assignment that focuses on using question words. Understanding Accommodations and Modifications
Each student’s IEP will include an accommodations and modifications page.