Tips for Adapting Curriculum for Students with Special Needs

Basic Adaptation Tips

Boil it Down

  • Look for the “nugget” or the key concept of the story.
  • Restate that concept in the simplest, most concrete way.

Personalize

  • Help your friends relate the lesson to themselves or their family.
  • Use your friends’ names as you re-tell or apply the lesson.

Incorporate Action

  • Add hand and arm motions, including sign-language.
  • Build in movement or dance as you communicate or apply the lesson.

Consider Learning Styles and Strengths

  • Most students benefit from a mix of styles
  • Visual learners learn well when they can see information displayed visually.
  • Auditory learners will learn best through hearing the story or repeating it through music.
  • Tactile learners will respond well when they are able to touch and feel the story.
  • Experiential learners will learn best when they are immersed within the story (role-play, drama, etc.).

Enable Participation in Activities

  • Coach your friends on how they can best join into games or modify game requirements if necessary.
  • Find alternative roles for participation if your friends cannot physically or verbally participate (e.g., coach, scorekeeper, etc.).

Provide Language Support

  • Rephrase questions or basic concepts.
  • Help your friends express questions or answers as appropriate.

De-stress

  • Build breaks into the schedule.
  • Provide sensory materials and a safe place for stress reduction.

Making Curriculum Easy to Understand and Remember

  • Incorporate visuals and manipulative tools.
  • Use safe sturdy objects to illustrate and reinforce.
  • Put Bible verses to familiar music.
  • Plan alternating activities in short blocks of time.
  • Spread motivating activities throughout the lesson to keep your friends engaged.
  • Post a schedule of the day and stick to the schedule.