Ensuring Content-Area Learning with Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities

Three factors tied with secondary student success in content area reading are demonstrated: (a) validated teacher-focused and student focused interventions, (b) integrated and comprehensive service delivery systems, and (c) well designed, data-based professional development programs.

Examining the Reading Difficulty of Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities: Expository versus Narrative Text

A study involving 111 secondary students with learning disabilities investigated differential reading performance on narrative versus expository text. Students had more difficulty with expository text than with narrative text in terms of reading fluency and comprehension. However, effects for comprehension were mediated by the type of question asked. (Contains references.)

Integrative Strategy Instruction: A Potential Model for Teaching Content Area Subjects to Adolescents with Learning Disabilities

Proposes an instructional model for integrating cognitive strategy instruction and content area instruction when teaching students with learning disabilities (LD) in content area classes. Forms of knowledge addressed by integrative strategy instruction (ISI); Compatibility of ISI with special education services offered in remedial classes to adolescents with LD.

Instructional Routines and Learning Strategies That Promote Understanding of Content Area Concepts

This article argues that to help students (including low achievers and those with learning disabilities) achieve high standards, teachers must collaborate with their students in learning and applying both content and the skills and strategies needed for learning. Two approaches for comprehension of content area concepts, and a learning strategy students may use independently are presented.

Special Education for the Twenty-First Century: Integrating Learning Strategies and Thinking Skills

Comments on Edwin Ellis' paper 'Integrative Strategy Instruction: A Potential Model for Teaching Content Area Subjects to Adolescents with Learning Disabilities,' which appeared in the June, 1993 issue of the 'Journal of Learning Disabilities.' Effect of findings in relational thinking skills on the strategy-based model of content area instruction proposed by Ellis; Role of mnemonic techniques in content area learning.

Teaching Expressive Writing to Students with Learning Disabilities: Research-Based Applications and Examples

Presents research-based examples of effective instructional approaches for improving the quality of the content of stories and essays written by students with learning disabilities. Background on research on improving writing content; Role of feedback and interactive dialogue; Impact of handwriting and spelling.

This article summarizes the literature on effective textbook instruction and offers suggestions for special educators and content instructors to work together to maximize effective instruction with students who have reading difficulties. Specific techniques for activating prior knowledge, helping students become more active thinkers, and consolidating and extending textbook knowledge are offered.

The Resource Room

The Resource Room is a site with resources for people who learn differently, especially people with specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia or dysgraphia. The site includes lesson plans (including a multitude of quizzes for online times tables practice ), articles, and in-depth information about harder-to-find topics such as secondary school and college and learning disabilities, math, and dysgraphia.

Eric Clearing House for Disabilities and Gifted Education

Reading Quest: Making Sense of Social Science Reading (and other content areas too!)

ReadingQuest is designed to provide you with the philosophical bases for sound comprehension strategy instruction, directions for a range of comprehension and content reading strategies, and printable handouts and masters for transparencies. You will be invited to think about how a social studies skills framework might help you choose the right strategies for your lessons.