Module 3: Video 3.1

DANIELLE: Let's talk about some possible accommodations that might help Emma.

LISA: Sounds good.

DANIELLE: I talked with Emma a couple of days ago. We talked about her classes, including math class.

LISA: Oh good! What did she say?

DANIELLE: She said that math was difficult. She really seems to have trouble with the math textbook.

LISA: What do you mean?

DANIELLE: She didn't say, but she hinted that the math text was difficult to read. Does the book include terms that might be challenging? Especially for struggling readers?

LISA: Let me think (pause). Some terms might be difficult. We just finished a unit on Geometry. The terms circumference and quadrilateral come to mind.

DANIELLE: Math vocabulary like that might make it difficult for Emma to understand the math concepts you are trying to teach her.

LISA: Is this where an accommodation might come in?

DANIELLE: Exactly! One accommodation we might try is an audio recording of her math text. Emma could listen to her textbook, rather than reading the text.

LISA: Do you think Emma would listen to the recording?

DANIELLE: I can't say for sure. But Emma did say that she would be interested in trying this out.

LISA: If she wants to try, we should go ahead and do it.

DANIELLE: Great. There is probably an audio recording available for the seventh grade math text that she could listen to while on her computer. Could you look into ordering it?

LISA: Sure, I can do that. Lisa writes something down.

DANIELLE: I have another question. Some of the vocabulary that we talked about, like circumference and quadrilateral -- do these terms also appear on classroom tests?

LISA: Sometimes. We have a unit test about once a month that covers the material that we've been working on at the time. And we have weekly quizzes also.

DANIELLE: I'm wondering because it might help to have someone read the test questions aloud to Emma. That way, she would have an opportunity to 'show what she knows.'

LISA: Sounds like a good idea. Pause. So we've talked about Emma's needs related to her reading challenges. We should also talk about ways to keep her better focused and organized, ways to keep her on track with her assignments.

DANIELLE: Yes. What options do you think might work?

LISA: Well, I would like for Emma to find a way to enjoy keeping better track of her work. Here's what I was thinking…