Teaching Strategies for Students with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a motor disorder which results from damage to the brain occurring before, during and after birth. Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in childhood and it is estimated that 1 in 323 individuals have been identified with cerebral palsy.

Since cerebral palsy is the result of damage to the brain, it impacts each person differently ranging from severe to mild symptoms. It is estimated that many children with cerebral palsy also have at least one co-occurring condition. For instance, 41% had co-occurring epilepsy and 40% of children were diagnosed with an intellectual disability.

Teaching strategies should focus on assistive technology, fine and gross motor skills, and personal care. Accommodations and modifications should include providing extra time for task completion.

The following links provide information on teaching strategies.

Accommodating a student with cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy in the classroom

How to make your classroom inclusive for students with cerebral palsy

How to teach children with cerebral palsy

Inclusive teaching strategies for students with cerebral palsy

Students with mild cerebral palsy in the classroom: Information and guidelines for teachers

What teachers should know about children with cerebral palsy

Teaching Strategies for Students with Orthopedic Impairments

The definition of orthopedic impairment under IDEA means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s education performance. Causes include:

  • genetic
  • disease
  • injury
  • birth trauma
  • burns
  • fractures
  • cerebral palsy amputation

There are 3 classifications that an orthopedic impairment can fall under:

  1. Neuromotor impairment, this would include cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, spina bifida, and seizure disorders
  2. Degenerative Disease such as muscular dystrophy and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
  3. Musculoskeletal Disorders including scoliosis and deformed limbs.

Students with orthopedic impairments often qualify for therapy including physical and occupational therapy. assistive technology should be included for accommodating the students needs.

The following links provide resources on teaching assessment, modifications, and teaching information.

Orthopedic impairment: A guide for parents and teachers

Orthopedic impairment characteristics: Classroom modification and assistive technology

Orthopedic impairment and special needs students

Orthopedic impairment disability

Teaching strategies for mobility impaired students

Teaching strategies for orthopedic impairment

Teaching students with disabilities: Orthopedic impairment

Teaching students with orthopedic impairment

Understanding individuals with physical, health, and multiple disabilities

Teaching Visually Impaired Students

According to IDEA’s definition, visually impairment is defined as including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness. There are 3 types of blindness including The types of vision impairments are low visual acuity, blindness, and legal blindness (which varies for each country): Low visual acuity, also known as moderate visual impairment, is a visual acuity between 20/70 and 20/400 with your best corrected vision, or a visual field of no more than 20 degrees.

The following articles and links provide resources on teaching students with visual impairments.

Teaching Strategies

The following are articles that provide tips and resources on teaching students with visual impairments.

10 tips for teaching blind or visually impaired students

Classroom strategies for regular education teachers who have students with visual impairments

General tips for teaching visually impaired students

How to teach a blind or visually impaired student

Inclusion teaching: Vision impairment and blindness

Teaching languages to blind and visually impaired students

Teaching strategies for vision impaired students

Teaching the blind and visually impaired

Strategies for helping children with visual impairments to develop listening skills

Visual impairment in the classroom

Teaching Activities

The following links provide activities that can used to teach students with visual impairments.

Adapting materials for visually impaired students

Create a restaurant book with tactile symbols

Durable braille flashcards

Tips and tools for teaching beginning braille skills

 

15 Teaching Strategy Resources for Students With Hearing Impairments

 

Accommodations for students with hearing loss

Five tips for teachers of students with hearing impairments

How to teach hearing impaired students: Strategies for success

Inclusive teaching: deaf and hearing impaired

Instructional strategies for students who are deaf or hard of hearing

Modern teaching techniques for deaf and hard of hearing students

Strategies for hearing impaired students

Suggested teaching strategies

Teaching a child with hearing loss

Teaching hearing impaired children

Teaching strategies for deaf and hearing impaired

Teaching strategies for hearing impaired students

Tips for teachers

Tips for teaching a preschooler with hearing loss

Visual teaching strategies for students who are deaf or hard of hearing

Identifying Street Signs Worksheet

This is an introduction to identifying street signs for children and young adults learning how to cross the street safely. The worksheet includes signs needed in teaching street crossing safety.

Learning Objectives:

  • Will match the traffic sign correctly
  • Will identify the traffic sign correctly
  • Will name the traffic sign correctly

Material Needed:

Traffic sign worksheet
laminated (optional)
laminator paper(optional)
Scissors

Instructions:

  1. Once you have printed the worksheet, cut the individual traffic signs and laminate.
  2. Explain each traffic sign and have the individual repeat.
  3. Once the signs are separated, mix them up and have the individual point to the correct ones.
  4. Have the individual state the traffic signs correctly and match

Traffic Signs Worksheet_ID Signs