Diverse Learners

     I have had my fair share of diverse learners but one learner in particular stands out to me and I will always remember the story. 

    I had this one student, they were playful and kind to everyone, but they were usually distracted during independent work time. They had an IEP and accommodations were made that altered the amount of work they had to do, this led to them frequently visiting the class library (and their friends) to fill up the time before small groups and during I-time. I knew that they were a lower reader, so reading some of the books was probably difficult and they would put it back due to frustration. But then I notice that they wouldn't even flip through it or anything, they would kind of hold on to it until more people went to go get a book and then they would get up again. 

    I tried picking a book for them that I thought they could do based off our reading group, but they would mimic me and just ignore any instruction. I knew that they would read in small groups, so why would they in small groups but not independently? 

    Then one day, I tried reading my favorite book in the class library, the "Spider and the Fly" and I sat down next to them and just read it, had them take in the art and the story, and they loved it. It became a ritual of ours during I-time. 

    

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