Improving Student Engagement for Students With Disabilities

Recently, I co-hosted a chat on Twitter on student engagement for Understood.org, an organization that focuses on giving parents of children who struggle with learning and attention issues the tools and supports they need to be successful. As we get ready to embark on a new school year, I thought an opportunity to summarize the chat and the resources that were shared would be timely. You can review the entire chat, which was held on 7/11/2018 at 12:00 PM eastern time, at the hashtag #ldchat.

The staff at Understood opened the chat by asking the question, “What does a motivated child look like? What does a non-motivated child look like?” The staff of Understood noted that motivation can often lead kids to keep trying even when they face hurdles, and shared the article, The Importance of Staying Motivated for Kids With Learning and Attention Issues as a resource for educators and parents to consider. It was noted that children develop self-esteem by experiencing repeated successes, and discussed in the article, The Importance of Self Esteem for Kids With Learning and Attention Issues. I pointed out that non-motivation is often a symptom of disengagement. As adults, we have to find ways to reach kids. I also discussed the fact that motivated students often have “grit,” and I shared this MultiBriefs Exclusive that I wrote on this topic a couple years ago.

The next question asked was, “How might encouraging a child to take risks and try new things help boost confidence and motivation?” The staff at Understood pointed out that self-esteem is tied to how capable and valuable your child feels, and shared the article, 7 Ways To Help Your Child Develop Positive Self-Esteem as a resource. They went on to suggest that focusing on strengths is just as important as recognizing any weaknesses. Risk-taking is considered so important at my school that we have made it one of our five core values in our school community. I noted that there are some lessons to be learned about how risk-taking can pay off and boost motivation in this Edsurge article.

The third question asked was, “A growth mindset is the belief that you get better with practice. Why is it important for kids to develop a growth mindset, and how can we help them develop one?” I discussed how in his book “Fair Isn’t Always Equal,”, author, speaker, and teacher Rick Wormeli dives into assessment with a growth mindset approach. I went on to write that teachers have the power to promote a growth mindset in their students simply by how they offer them praise for a job well done, and shared this MultiBriefs Exclusive that I wrote on this topic. The staff at Understood explained that having a growth mindset can have real benefits for kids with learning and attention issues, sharing this resource to help parents understand what growth mindset is. The staff went on to offer a set of five activities that may help children start to build a growth mindset, learn from mistakes and find new ways to approach challenges. They also shared a list of eleven books may help kids with learning and attention issues feel like they can grow and succeed despite their challenges.

The final question in the chat was this: “What are some practical tips and strategies to help a child with learning and attention issues feel motivated—especially as back-to-school season approaches?” I reminded everyone on the chat that back to school time is a great time to establish goals, and I encouraged parents to work with their child to set both short and long term goals for success. I also reminded parents to celebrate early successes --- even the small ones, with their child. Celebration can go a long way towards improving motivation. The staff at Understood noted that when a child succeeds at something, he or she is more likely to enjoy it and have a positive attitude about learning. One suggestion they offered was to use a strategy such as a token board, which is explained in more detail in this article. The staff cautioned parents that when the going gets tough, they can help their child or student learn to "stick with it." This article talks more about how to approach that for the often most difficult to motivate age, the middle school child. Lastly, the staff pointed out that it can help for parents to ask their child to explain what he or she thinks is praiseworthy about his or her successes following the tips outlined in this article.

When handled correctly, improving student engagement for students with disabilities can lead to long term successes that will continue for years to come.