Some General Considerations Teaching students with diverse needs has become the norm in most classrooms in British Columbia. Decades ago, students who had difficulty achieving success in the school system simply quit and entered the work force. As the job market has become more competitive, high school graduation has become a minimum requirement. Over the years, educators have worked to keep pace with this change. Making adjustments to the delivery of educational programs is one way to ensure that more students are able to achieve their full potential.
Effective teaching requires consideration of student differences.
Identifying students who are not reaching their full potential is an ongoing process. As teachers observe students working in the classroom, the strengths and needs of individuals become apparent. Some students appear to understand the concepts presented, but for some reason, are unable to complete assignments or prepare for tests. Some have so much difficulty attending to instruction that teachers are unable to determine whether these students understand the concepts presented or not. When the teacher notices that a student is struggling to meet the expected learning outcomes, a systematic process should be followed.