Implementing Homework Strategies For Students With Disabilities

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Implementing Homework Strategies For Students
With Disabilities
Presented by Marlene Sotelo-Bumberg, M.S.,
BCABA, MT-BC msotelo_at_nova.edu
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What SHOULD Homework Be For Students With
Disabilities?

• Functional
• Age/Grade appropriate
• Developmental appropriate
• Familiar

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What is the purpose of homework?

• FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
• To review and practice mastered skills
• To generalize mastered skills
• To develop time management skills
• To learn to work independently
• For the purpose of learning NOT punishment

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What is the purpose of homework?

• FOR PARENTS OF STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY
• To become familiar with skills their child is
  learning
• To practice their teaching skills
• To assess their childs level of mastery

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What does research say about homework?

• A positive relationship exists between the
  completion of homework and student achievement.
  (Eddy, 1984)
• Parent involvement strongly impacts student
  academic achievement in a positive way. (Baker
  Soden, 1998)
• Review should be part of instruction on a
  systematic basis. (Suydam, 1984)
• Students with disabilities do have more
  difficulty completing homework than do their
  peers without disabilities. (Epstein, Polloway,
  Foley, Patton, 1993 Polloway, Epstein, Foley,
  1992)

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Homework Problems For Parents

• Time constraints
• Multiple therapists
• Other children
• Lack of communication with teacher
• Instructions are not clear explicit
• Materials are not familiar to parent (i.e.
  Science)
• Lack of effective communication strategies
  between parent child
• Parent ends up doing homework
• Managing and understanding problem behaviors

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Homework Problems For Students

• Problem Behaviors
• Aggression/tantrums/crying
• Not performing skills you know they have mastered
• Hyperactivity
• Silly behavior (i.e. giggling)
• Sensory agitation
• Lack of motivation (slumping in chair)
• Lack of attention and focus
• Frustration (too hard, too easy)
• work all day, why work at home

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More Homework Problems For Students

• Student did not write down assignment
• End of the day check out ( by teacher, aide, or
  peer)
• Student does not remember the details of the
  assignment
• Have phone numbers or email of other students to
  call for clarification of assignments
• Student did not bring necessary materials home
• Extra set of books

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How To Avoid Homework Blues

• Consistently expect the child to complete the
  work.

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How To Avoid Homework Blues

• Organize and structure the work space.

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Homework Jig
cup
notebook
textbook
pencil
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How To Avoid Homework Blues

• Use a visual schedule.

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Things To Consider Before Creating A Schedule

• Schedule for optimum performance
• Parents schedule

• Afterschool activities
• Backup activities

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Developing A Schedule

• Provide consistency
• Non-preferred activity Preferred activity
• Use a calendar

• Allow child to help create the schedule
• Incorporate reinforcement into the schedule

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Additional Visual Supports
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How To Avoid Homework Blues

• Provide Motivation
• Tokens
• Edibles
• Verbal Praise
• Activity

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How To Avoid Homework Blues

• Provide opportunities for choice between homework
  assignments.

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Sample Schedule Strip

• WHEN I GET HOME
• Eat snack
• Do math homework
• Computer for 5 minutes
• Practice weekly spelling words
• Free choice for 5 minutes
• Language arts homework
• Play outside

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How To Avoid Homework Blues

• Involve a pleasurable activity in the assignment.

Disney worksheet
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How To Avoid Homework Blues

• Establish communication with the teacher.

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Talk with Teachers to Resolve Problems

• Do you meet with the teacher early in the year
  before any problems arise?
• If a problem comes up, do you meet with the
  teacher?
• Do you cooperate with the teacher to work out a
  plan and a schedule to solve homework problems?
• Do you follow up with the teacher and with your
  child to make sure the plan is working?

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How to Avoid Homework Blues

• Check and review homework that has been graded
  and returned.

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Monitor Assignments

• Do you know what your childs homework
  assignments are? How long they should take? How
  the teacher wants you to be involved in them?
• Start ____ End ______
• Do you see that your child starts and completes
  assignments?
• Do you read the teachers comments on assignments
  that are returned?

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How to Avoid Homework Blues

• In some cases, relay to the child that the
  expectation to complete the work is coming from
  the teacher and not from yourself.

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How to Avoid Homework Blues

• Model
• Parent
• Peers and siblings

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Show that you think education and homework are
important

• Do you set a regular time every day for homework?
• Does your child have the papers, books, pencils
  and other things needed to do assignments?
• Does your child have a well-lit, fairly quiet
  place to study?
• Do you do your work, read the newspaper, pay the
  bills, etc. in front of your child to provide an
  example of your homework habits?

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How To Avoid Homework Blues

• End homework session on a positive and successful
  note.

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How To Avoid Homework Blues

• Modify the Assignment

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Modifications
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Organizational Strategies

• Organization of desk and backpack
• Use trays, folders, and other organizers
• Teach method of keeping materials in
  desk/backpack
• Have different sections in backpack for pencils,
  lunch money, papers, etc.
• Getting papers to and from school
• Explicit routine at home to get out papers and
  complete/give to parent
• Color-coded folders or sections for stay at home
  papers, papers to be signed/sent back, etc.

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Additional Organizational Tools

• To do lists
• Lists of reminders
• Breaking down assignments into smaller parts
• Designing a time-line for completion of long term
  projects
• Should be written in planner everyday until the
  day it is due. (This includes test dates)
• Trapper keeper
• Teach and practice all strategies until they
  become routine

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Sample Book Report Time Line and Project Checklist

• I brought back my parent acknowledgement form.
  Due Jan. 28th .
• I chose a book and had it approved by my reading
  teacher. Due Feb. 4th.
• I read my book by Feb. 11th.
• I began my project by Feb. 11th .
• I used my neatest handwriting on the index cards.
• I drew my neatest pictures on my book report.
• I checked my spelling.
• I did my best work and turned it in on Feb. 18th.

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Summary

• Remember the purpose of the assignment
• Be proactive
• Have open and effective communication with your
  childs teacher
• Find the intervention that works for you and your
  child