Blog 3

What modifications for learners who are exceptional do you see?

In both of the classrooms I have been in the desks are set up in a table format. Most of the children have a group of students that they are by. There are a few students who are set up in partners and other students who are by themselves. I think the children that are by themselves is a modification. I think the students who are alone have some type of learning disability that makes it so they can't focus and get distracted easily. By placing them by themselves, it reduces the distractions. These students could have ADHD. If they are with a group, there are more things to draw their attention and distract them. It is also easier for their mind to wander. Since they are alone, they are able to focus more.

I think the students who are in patterns may also be a modification. One child in the partnership may be gifted and excelling in school. While the other student may be behind. The teacher could have partnered them up so the student that understands the concept is able to help out the student that does not get it as much. The teacher cannot get around and help each student individually so she is relying on other students to help.

Another modification I have seen is a student who does his work on a laptop. When they take notes or do a project, the assignment is digitized and instead of writing in the answers, he fills them out in a word document and submits the assignment electronically. This child may have difficulty writing and it is easier for him to type it out. He is still doing all of the same assignment just in a different way.

Another child is not very good at spelling and reading. They are currently working on writing and publishing their own stories. I helped this child with his story. He would dictate what he wanted to write and I would type it for him. Then, we would read it together and make sure it was just the way he wanted it. We would change what was needed and read it again together. We would do this until he was satisfied with how it turned out. He was still writing his own story he just needed a modification because he can not spell and read well.