ADHD
ADHD is not usually seen as a learning disability but it often leads to difficulties with studies. Children with this disorder are very active and cannot sit still, they have a short attention span and they have difficulties with concentrating. These students need special attention and specific strategies. Thus, a boy in the 3rd grade may benefit from the use of the following strategies.
As for the content, this boy will get short texts. It is possible to give him several texts while others read only one text. The number of words read by children will be similar. This will enable the child to be interested in reading as he will read several different stories and may be interested in the content. The texts should be interesting and relevant for the boy (they must be about his favorite characters or familiar situations).
The student needs comprehensive instructions. The student will have written instructions at hand as lack of attention may result in his failure to do the task correctly. It can be a good idea to divide the task into particular bullet points to make it clearer for the child who is easily distracted.
Of course, the teacher should check whether the student completes the task correctly all the time. It is possible to ask some questions or simply observe the child’s work for a while.
As for the most appropriate setting, it is possible to seat the child near the teacher. Besides, if there is another hyperactive child, it is possible to group them and make them discuss the contents of the texts and their tasks.
Finally, it is important to praise the child and provide certain feedback. It is possible to make the student responsible for doing something during the next class, for example, cleaning the board, handing-out aids, and so on. This can be a good ‘controlled’ distraction for the child who needs these distractions to be able to focus on important tasks.
EBD
Students with EBD also require special attention and may cause certain troubles to educators. Notably, it is important to focus on academic performance as well as the development of social skills and self-esteem. The child in the 3rd grade having EBD can benefit from the following set of measures.
When it comes to content, the child should get texts on norms of behavior and social interaction (friendship, politeness, and so on). This will meet all the goals mentioned above. As for the complexity of the text, since the child does not have a learning disability, he should not get easier or shorter texts but they do not have to be too difficult as it can set the stage for misbehavior.
This student (as any other in the class) should get detailed instructions. It is possible to provide instructions with the help of visual aids (pictures, photos, bullet points on the board).
It is crucial to check whether students understand instructions properly. It is possible to ask the child with EBD (after observing his work on the task) to repeat the instructions. This will increase his self-esteem as he will give the correct answers.
The setting is also very important. It can be beneficial to group students and it is essential to make sure that the child is in the group with students who he likes. The atmosphere in the group should be positive and friendly. This will help the child develop his social skills.
As has been mentioned above, the child needs encouragement whenever he is behaving properly and there must be punished when he misbehaves. The punishment can be a poor grade or a serious talk.