The Learning Resource Program is designed to support classroom teachers and their students with specific learning difficulties. Students are given intensive individual instruction in the areas where deficits have been determined, with emphasis on learning strategies that enable them to be more effective and efficient learners. The program aims at providing successful and positive experiences, which increase students’ self-confidence and self-concept. Furthermore, support is given to teachers when classroom modifications and/or accommodations are required to ensure successful academic achievement.

The objectives of this program are:

• To improve the student’s ability to process information, by attending to deficits in areas such as attention span, memory, visual/auditory perception, visual motor skills, listening skills, fine/gross motor coordination, and written and verbal expression.

• To provide remediation of academic weaknesses and improve study and organizational skills.

• To provide successful experiences that will help the student develop self-confidence and a better self-concept.

• To help students integrate into the regular classroom curriculum.

• To offer support to the classroom teachers when planning curriculum or classroom modifications/adaptations in order to encourage successful academic development.

• To help parents understand the needs of children with learning difficulties and offer suggestion for helping the student at home.

• To facilitate communication between parents and school.

• To monitor students who have been identified with special needs and provide their teachers with information and recommendations.

Students are enrolled into the Learning Resource program by referral through the Student Support Team.

Assignments / Content Modifications

• Reduce number of items to be answered in assignments

• Reduce number of concepts introduced at one time

• Provide instructional materials at lower grade level

• Reduce workload: E.g. assign fewer spelling or vocabulary words

• Assign less homework: E.g. only even or odd numbers in math

• Shorten assignments: E.g. write 3 paragraphs instead of 5

• Grade assignment more lenient by allowing fewer correct responses

• Do not penalize errors in writing mechanics or spelling (test concepts, not language)

Assessment Modifications

• Reduce number of items to be answered in tests

• Adapt tests to accommodate student needs: E.g. accept shorter answer to essay-type questions

• Follow written test with oral questions to ask student for clarifications and check understanding of concepts

• Allow fewer correct responses to demonstrate mastery on tests

• Do not penalize errors in writing mechanics or spelling (test concepts, not language)

• Allow alternative types of assessments for students who do not test well in writing: E.g. oral presentations, drama, film

Classroom Accomodations

• Seat student near a positive role model

• Seat student near the teacher and/or near the board

• Assign a buddy (speaker of same native language)

• Stand near the student when giving directions, assigning HW, or presenting lessons

• Seat student in area free of distracting stimuli

• Use collaborative/cooperative groups

• Label materials and important elements in the classroom

• Make sure there is a subject level appropriate word wall (themed based, academic vocabulary, lesson, frequently used words/terminology)

Assessment Accommodations

• Provide extended time, multiple sessions, and frequent breaks during formal and informal assessments

• Administer assessments orally

• Allow the students to use his/her native language when clarifying meaning with an individual proficient in his/her language

• Read questions aloud to students when reading is not being assessed

• Give frequent quizzes rather than long exams

• Use close-ended responses; limiting open-ended responses

• Use rubrics

• Avoid word problems (testing concepts; NOT language)

• Allow open book test/exams

• Allow the use of bilingual dictionaries during tests

• Allow the use of calculators during tests

• Allow take-home tests

• Allow ample wait time after asking questions

• Translate quizzes and/or exams

• Use authentic or qualitative assessments (learning logs, peer assessments, self-assessments, checklists, portfolios, cloze, etc.)

• Use graphic organizers/ Thinking Maps as assessment tools

Standardized Testing Accommodations

• New EAL students can be exempt from testing sessions. This decision needs to be made by the classroom teacher in coordination with the EAL department.

• New EAL students are allowed to take only the Math section of the test if language skills are not yet adequate.

• EAL and LR students are allowed to use dictionaries and calculators when testing in a separate environment as stipulated by the specific external test administration procedures

• Provide extended time, multiple sessions, and frequent breaks

• Allow testing in a separate environment

• Allow testing in smaller groups

• Read questions aloud to students when reading is not being assessed

• Explain word meaning when definitions or words in context are not being assessed

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