Conference with the students, parents, and special education staff regarding classroom accommodations. Teachers and parents should conference privately with a student regarding a transition into a new classroom and any special needs the student has. Discuss strategies such a preferential seating, one-on-one support, and organizational tools that may help the student function in the classroom without gaining unwanted attention from peers.
Avoid singling the child out. Do not discuss the student's special needs in front of the classroom. If the child is struggling with classwork, displays behavior problems or has difficulty working with peers address these issues through one-on-one discussions. Set a tone for proactive communication by having regular check-ins before or after class when you can discuss issues privately.
Encourage group learning activities and peer interactions. Collaborative projects give students a chance to share their learning strengths. A student with special needs may have weakness in one area such as reading or writing, but will typically also have an area of particular strengths. These strengths and weaknesses vary between individuals, and group work will give a student a chance to share his talents, while also strengthening the areas in which he needs more growth.
Help the student organize classroom materials such as notes, textbooks, and homework. Developing very structured organizational systems often helps special needs students avoid issues such as losing materials or forgetting to complete homework assignments. Some special needs students find school stressful because it requires a good deal of organization. Offering effective organizational tools can reduce a child's stress and ensure that he completes classwork on a consistent basis.