Read aloud test questions and directions to student

The teacher reads test questions aloud to your child so they can understand what's being asked without having to read it themselves.

Testing & Assessment

Allow oral responses instead of written answers

Your child can answer questions by talking aloud instead of writing, and an aide records their responses.

Testing & Assessment

Provide test directions in student's native language

The teacher reads or provides test directions in your child's primary language so they understand what to do.

Testing & Assessment

Provide vocabulary lists, glossaries, or word banks

Your child has access to a list of difficult words with definitions before or during reading so they can look up unfamiliar terms independently.

Reading & Literacy

Use visual supports (pictures, graphics, illustrations) alongside text

Your child learns with pictures, diagrams, and images paired with text to help them understand concepts and stay engaged with reading material.

Reading & Literacy

Exclude reading fluency or oral reading from grades

Your child's grade is based on what they understand from reading, not how fast or smoothly they can read aloud in front of others.

Reading & Literacy

Reduce or simplify language level of reading assignments

Your child's assignments use shorter sentences and simpler words so they can understand and engage with the content at their level.

Reading & Literacy

Provide alternative to reading aloud in front of the class

Instead of reading aloud to classmates, your child may read one-on-one with a teacher, record a reading, or participate in other ways to show comprehension.

Reading & Literacy

Give directions in small, sequential steps using simple language

The teacher will break complex instructions into 1-3 simple steps at a time, using short sentences, so your child isn't overwhelmed by too much information at once.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Pair oral directions with written or visual information

When the teacher gives instructions aloud, they'll also write them on the board, show a picture, or post them visually so your child can see and hear the directions.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Allow extended processing time (5-10+ seconds) before responding

Your child gets extra time to think about and process what was asked before they need to respond, without being rushed or interrupted.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Have student restate or paraphrase directions to confirm understanding

Your child will repeat back the directions in their own words to make sure they understood what they're supposed to do.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Pre-teach vocabulary and concepts before lessons begin

Your child will learn important new words and ideas ahead of time, in a smaller group or one-on-one, so classroom lessons make more sense.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Provide visual cues or prompts (gestures, pointers, photos, symbols)

The teacher will use hand signals, pointing, pictures, or symbols to help your child understand what to do, beyond just words.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Use literal language and avoid sarcasm, idioms, or inference-based phrasing

The teacher will speak in concrete, direct language (saying exactly what they mean) instead of using jokes, sarcasm, or figurative language.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Speak slowly and at a measured pace with pauses

The teacher will slow down their speech and add natural pauses, giving your child more time to process what's being said.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Explain metaphors, idioms, and other non-literal language explicitly

When the teacher uses figurative language or expressions, they'll stop to explain what they actually mean in concrete terms.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Rephrase or simplify test directions and written assignment wording

On tests and assignments, if directions use complex or confusing language, the teacher will rewrite them in simpler, clearer words.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Reduce language complexity in instructions and classroom rules

Classroom rules and expectations will be stated in very simple language your child can understand, without complex vocabulary.

Directions & Instruction Delivery

Provide a scribe to transcribe student's dictated responses

Your child can tell a trained scribe what they want to write, and the scribe types or writes it down exactly as dictated without offering corrections or suggestions.

Writing & Handwriting

Provide sentence starters and paragraph frames for writing

Your child will be given the opening words or structure of sentences to help them get started and organize their writing.

Writing & Handwriting

Allow substitutes for long written assignments (oral, poster, presentation)

Your child can show their learning through a poster, oral presentation, video, or other format instead of writing a long essay or report.

Writing & Handwriting

Allow verbal responses or tape-recorded answers when needed

Your child can give answers by speaking aloud or recording them instead of writing, allowing them to demonstrate knowledge without writing.

Writing & Handwriting

Allow oral responses instead of written responses on assignments and tests

Your child can answer questions by speaking instead of writing, showing what they know without the burden of writing.

Assistive Technology & Communication Devices

Provide augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device

Your child uses a specialized device (like a tablet with pre-programmed phrases or symbols) to communicate if they cannot speak.

Assistive Technology & Communication Devices

Provide total communication approach (speech plus sign language plus writing)

Your child receives instruction using multiple communication methods at once (spoken words, signs, and written text) for clarity.

Assistive Technology & Communication Devices

Provide communication device for non-verbal or minimally verbal students

Your child has a device (like a picture board or speech-generating device) so they can communicate their needs and ideas.

Assistive Technology & Communication Devices

Allow alternative response formats (typed, verbal, selected-response)

Your child can type answers instead of writing by hand, answer verbally, or select from multiple-choice options rather than writing out responses.

Assignment Presentation & Workload

Allow student to choose how to present or demonstrate learning

Your child can show what they learned by creating a poster, recording a video, giving a presentation, or writing—choosing their strongest format.

Assignment Presentation & Workload

Practice presenting in small group before presenting to whole class

Your child rehearses their presentation with a small group or teacher first, building confidence before presenting to the whole class.

Assignment Presentation & Workload

Allow student to produce work in their strongest output modality

If your child is a stronger speaker than writer, they can record or speak responses; if they're a strong artist, they can draw to show understanding.

Assignment Presentation & Workload

Allow oral responses or verbal work-through instead of written answers

Your child can explain their thinking aloud or answer questions verbally instead of writing everything down.

Assignment Presentation & Workload

Provide extra time to process information before responding

Your child gets a few extra seconds to think about what was said or asked before they need to answer, without pressure.

Time Management & Transitions

Use visual supports (charts, symbols, schedules) to show expectations

Your child sees picture schedules, visual behavior charts, or symbol cards that show what's expected, what comes next, and how to earn rewards.

Behavior & Emotional Regulation

Teach specific social skills and emotional regulation strategies

Teachers explicitly teach your child skills like recognizing emotions, using calming techniques, and responding appropriately in social situations.

Behavior & Emotional Regulation

Allow extended processing time before responding to questions

When the teacher asks your child a question, they give extra time before expecting an answer, respecting their need to process and reducing anxiety.

Behavior & Emotional Regulation

Provide access to resource room or pull-out learning space

Your child can work in a separate, quieter resource room with a specialist for focused instruction in reading, math, or other subjects, then return to the regular classroom.

Classroom Environment & Seating

Offer small group or individual instruction sessions

Your child will receive some instruction one-on-one or in a small group (3-5 students) rather than only in the large classroom, allowing for more personalized teaching.

Classroom Environment & Seating

Use visual supports and labeled spaces in the classroom

The classroom will use pictures, signs, and color-coding to help your child understand where materials are, where activities happen, and what comes next.

Classroom Environment & Seating

Provide 1:1 supervision during meals for students with aspiration, choking, or food allergy risks

A trained adult will sit with your child during lunch and snacks to watch for safety concerns like choking, aspiration, or accidental allergen exposure.

Health, Medical & Physical Accessibility

Provide verbal or visual cues for safe eating (chew, swallow, monitor portions)

The teacher or aide will give your child reminders to chew, swallow, or slow down during meals to help them eat safely.

Health, Medical & Physical Accessibility

Allow use of specific utensils, cups, straws, or adaptive eating equipment

Your child can use specially designed utensils, cups, or straws that help them eat and drink independently and safely.

Health, Medical & Physical Accessibility

Break story problems into smaller steps and reread aloud

The teacher reads story problems aloud and breaks them into bite-sized pieces so your child understands what math operation to use.

Math Support

Provide word list for math operations (plus, minus, times, divided by)

Your child gets a reference sheet showing words that mean different operations (like 'altogether' means add, 'left' means subtract).

Math Support

Allow verbal responses instead of written answers for math problems

Your child can explain or say their math answer aloud to the teacher instead of writing it down, if writing is difficult.

Math Support

Provide clear, consistent symbols and notation key for math

The teacher explains and displays a chart showing what each math symbol means so your child doesn't get confused by different ways of writing operations.

Math Support

Use one-step or simplified word problems before multi-step problems

The teacher starts with simple, single-step story problems so your child masters the concept before moving to harder, multi-step problems.

Math Support

Allow re-reading of math problems or test questions without penalty

Your child can ask the teacher to read a math problem aloud again or can re-read it as many times as needed during tests.

Math Support

Assign a peer buddy for unstructured times (recess, lunch, transitions)

Your child will be paired with a kind classmate during less structured times to help them join activities, navigate social situations, and feel included.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Facilitate peer tutoring or structured partner work

Your child will work regularly with a peer who can model good behavior and academic skills while strengthening their working relationship.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Use role-playing and problem-solving practice for social scenarios

Your child will practice handling real social situations (joining a group, dealing with rejection, asking for help) through role-play to build confidence before facing them.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Facilitate structured social skills groups with adult support

Your child will attend a small group session led by a school counselor or specialist where they practice social skills with peers in a safe, guided setting.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Use peer modeling to demonstrate appropriate play and interaction

Your child will watch classmates demonstrate how to play appropriately or interact kindly, then copy those behaviors with adult support.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Teach and reinforce conversational turn-taking skills

Your child will practice the back-and-forth rhythm of conversation—listening, waiting their turn, and responding—through structured lessons and coaching.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Create planned, purposeful peer groupings for academic and social learning

The teacher will intentionally pair or group your child with specific classmates who are kind, supportive, and a good match for learning together.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Use visual supports (schedules, cue cards) to prompt social behavior

Your child will have picture cards or written reminders about expected social behavior (e.g., 'Wait your turn,' 'Use a quiet voice') they can see throughout the day.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Allow facilitation and prompting during social interactions (without forcing)

An adult will gently remind and encourage your child to use social skills in the moment (like 'Say hello'), but won't force interaction if your child needs a break.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Teach self-advocacy skills to request help and communicate needs

Your child will learn how to ask for help, tell adults when something is wrong, and explain their needs to peers—skills they'll use their whole life.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Practice self-advocacy in realistic situations before transition to new settings

Before your child moves to middle school, high school, or after graduation, they will role-play asking teachers and adults for needed accommodations or support.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Encourage but do not force eye contact; respect individual comfort

Your child will not be required to make eye contact, since forcing it can disrupt their thinking and increase anxiety—teachers will accept other signs of attention.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Focus on social process (listening, turn-taking) over activity outcome

During group activities, the teacher will care more about your child practicing good teamwork and communication than about winning or finishing perfectly.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Vary peer groupings regularly to expand social connections

Your child will work with different classmates throughout the year to practice social skills with a wider group and develop multiple friendships.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Use video modeling to teach appropriate social and behavior skills

Your child will watch short videos of appropriate social behavior and then practice doing the same thing with support.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Reduce class size or pull-out groups for intensive social skills instruction

Your child will receive social skills training in a small group or 1:1 setting where there are fewer distractions and more personalized coaching.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Teach specific communication strategies for joining group activities

Your child will learn exact words and phrases to use when approaching peers ('Can I play?' 'What are you playing?' 'Can I join?') and practice them.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Monitor and adjust social groupings based on progress toward IEP goals

The team will regularly check how your child is doing socially and change peer groupings or strategies if progress isn't happening.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Coordinate social skills practice across home, school, and community

Teachers will send home activities and tips so you can practice social skills with your child at home and in the community, reinforcing what they learn at school.

Social Skills & Peer Support

Provide alternatives to hand-raising (cards, hand signals, written responses)

Your child can answer questions using cards, written notes, or hand signals instead of raising their hand verbally.

Sensory & Movement Needs

Allow private space for communication or testing (separate room or partition)

Your child can work in a quiet, separate area during tests or conversations to reduce sensory overwhelm and distractions.

Sensory & Movement Needs