To effectively respond to a student's learning needs, it is essential to understand the nature of his disturbance. Take time to learn the student's history, including his experiences at school and home. Meet with a principal, school psychologist or the student's parent to understand the causes and the severity of his problems. These details will help you to best respond to his needs. For instance, if you learn that the child was a victim of abuse or neglect, he may need individual attention to develop a sense of trust with you.
Recognize that the student's outbursts and misbehavior are responses to severe troubles and anxieties and use patience when correcting or punishing her. When deciding on a punishment, consider that the student is struggling to overcome personal troubles. At the same time, set firm rules and enforce rules to teach the student that classroom policies must be respected. If you relax rules for this student, you may lose credibility in her and the other students' eyes.
Provide the student with lots of encouragement and positive reinforcement. For instance, give him oral praise and write positive comments on written work. Go out of your way to acknowledge his hard work and success. Positive reinforcement will promote the student's self-esteem, allow him to develop a sense of pride and accomplishment, and motivate the student to continue to perform well.
Despite their learning disabilities, many emotionally disturbed students exhibit learning strengths and abilities. For instance, the student may not collaborate well with peers but work well independently or in one-on-instruction. Alternatively, the student may not work well independently, but work well with a partner. Adapt instruction, when possible, to accommodate the student's abilities. Plan lesson formats that allow the student to develop her knowledge and skills, but that still accommodate the needs of the class at large.