Curriculum Corner: Learning Differences

Our team and teachers believe in accepting each learner as a child-first and student-second. This mentality gives us space to honor each unique learner’s needs. Specifically, when supporting students with learning differences, we look at our personal approach that customizes the lesson according to student strengths and personal interests. Building on that, we then incorporate academics through ensuring state and federal standards are taught within a comfortable, collaborative environment.

Each of our teachers are committed to designing lessons that are meaningful, engaging, and rigorous. However, being rigorous shouldn’t mean that students are overwhelmed, but rather that they are stretched within their comfort zone so that they make academic, emotional, and social gains.

The table below outlines how we interpret accommodations and modifications as well as some examples of what that might look like in the 1:1 classroom.

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Accommodations	Modifications
Accommodations alter how a student is taught or how they can show what they have learned. The curriculum itself is unchanged. Accommodations are designed to remove barriers for students so that they can access the same content as their peers. This may involve adjusting the environment a student learns in, changing the mode of instruction or assessment, or providing support with organization and time management.	Modifications alter what a student is taught or what they are expected to learn. The curriculum is adjusted to better meet their needs. Modifications are used to support students who are not yet ready to access the same content as their peers. They can help students learn at their current level while building their readiness to advance to the next level.
Examples of common accommodations include:	Examples of common modifications include:
Changing how content is presented Listening to an audio recording instead of reading a text Reading texts with a larger font size Changing how a student responds to assignments: Typing a response instead of writing by hand, or vice versa Using text-to-speech or speech-to-text software Changes to the environment: Wearing noise-canceling headphones Using a sensory tool such as a wiggle cushion Timing and scheduling adjustments: Having additional time to complete assignments Taking a test over multiple days Providing breaks Executive functioning supports: Using a written checklist to stay on track with an assignment Color-coordinating homework assignments Language supports: Receiving a sentence frame before writing independently Using a bilingual dictionary	Changes to the content: Reading lower-level texts Continuing to work on foundational math skills such as multiplication instead of moving on to more complex skills such as fractions Personalized lessons that highlight student interests in order to boost their engagement Changes to assessments: Responding to different homework questions than peers Being assessed or graded based on different standards or rubrics than peers

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Furthermore, as Curriculum Specialist, I get the opportunity to support our teachers with designing lessons that meet the needs of each of their students. During my time as an educator in the classroom and as a 1:1 instructor, I was passionate about ensuring each of my students felt space to be themselves in my care. As such, it’s a strong priority of mine to ensure teachers feel empowered with the skills necessary to provide an environment that allows learning to flourish.

To learn more, please visit our Curriculum Approach page.

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