Writing+C.C.

 Students that have been diagnosed with learning disabilities often struggle with overall or umbrella issues. They demonstrate an ineffective or inefficient processing ability when presented with new information. They also demonstarte unexpected difficulty in understanding or low performance in responding to information. Students with LD are greatly affected in the writing processes. Students often struggle with both Dyslexia (considerable difficulty in reading, decoding, and spelling) and Dysgraphia (considerable difficulty in writing and learning to write). When these two disorders within the LD spectrum are combined, the student's problems could impair their abilities in writing. Dyslexia and Dysgraphia combine to complicate both decoding reading and encoding writing. The disorders also make editing difficult since it relies upon the student's ability to recognize and correct spelling, punctuation, and other writing errors (Vaughn, Bos, & Schumm, 2007).
 * I. Characteristics of students with learning disabilities**[[image:j0439339.jpg width="307" height="193" align="right"]]

Modeling the process assists student learning by making the learning visible. This modeling supports the student's congnitive understanding by using examples or nonexamples to illustrate the topic and talking through the thinking used to create the examples. The process also allows for student practice in using the skills themselves. Teacher guided instructional conversations supports the student in understanding the learned terminology and provides opportunity for feedback to the practice by the individual or group. The modeling minimizes confusions or diffculties that often accompany complex cognitive activities. The multiple supports offered open a variety of ways for the student to understand. The teacher who uses Demonstration of the process, Lecture with key points emphasized, Discussion breaks within the lecture, and Manipulative to demonstrate understanding has more opportunities to assist the student with Learning Disabilites (Scott & Vitale, 2003; Vaughn, Bos & Schumm, 2007; DeLaPaz, 2009).
 * II. Supports for students with learning disabilities**

(Santangelo, Harris, & Graham, 2008; DeLaPaz, 2009) Writing Process: Correct Conventions aka Editing Stage One: Develop Background Knowledge ** The teacher can develop the background knowlegde of students with learning disabilites by Distributing a handout of editing marks similar to those used by the teacher on the rubric and discussing the meaning of those marks with the class. Next, the students can practice using the editing marks on a rough draft written by the teacher. This copy should also be displayed on a space that can be seen by the whole class (overhead, smart board, white board, etc.). Before discussing the practice, allow the students time to edit the teacher's rough draft. Students may choose to work with others or individually. This will allow all students to have some progress in assessing the rough draft before beginning a group process. The teacher should circulate among the class to answer questions, encourage participation, and announce specific ideas or editing issues to the class. Within the discussion, students should be encouraged to find to find errors, make recommendations, and establish correct conventions in the teacher’s rough draft. The whole class works together to correct the teacher's rough draft to model the editing process. Volunteers from the class would mark the rough draft using the editing marks provided by the teacher. The teacher would lead discussion of why some changes were being made or if there were other choices that could be used in the editing. The students should also mark these corrections on their copies of the rough draft. Memorization comes with the practice of editing skills. There is no one aspect to memorize. Less support should be offered by the teacher as the students demonstrate understanding. More student discussion/leadership as the students continue to edit the teacher's rough draft. Refocus the class to edit their own rough drafts for independent practice. The students should be allowed some option to work with others to assist in the editing if needed. The should be materials available to help the students with their independent work: grammar books, dictionaries, MLA formats, and the TEACHER.
 * Classroom Application Self-Regulated Strategy Development Stages
 * Stage Two: Discuss It**
 * Stage Three: Model It**
 * Stage Four: Memorize It**
 * Stage Five: Support It**
 * Stage Six: Independent Performance**

​ III. Resources to help you help students with LD Great Schools: A variety of topic areas about LD are available, including reading and writing difficulties LD Online: A Web resource for teachers, parents, and students Suite 101: An online lesson plan resource for teachers that includes lessons that address writing for struggling students

Citations
 * 

De La Paz, S. (2009). Rubrics: Heuristics for developing writing strategies. //Assessment for Effective Intervention, 34,// 134-146.

Santangelo, T., Harris, K.R., & Graham, S. (2008). Using self-regulated strategy development to support students who have "trubol giting thangs into werds". //Remedial and Special Education, 29//, 78-89.

Scott, B.J. & Vitale, M.R. (2003). Teaching the writing process to students with ld. //Intervention in School and// //Clinic, 38,// 220-224.

Vaughn, S., Bos, C., & Schumm, J. S. (2007). //Teaching students who are exceptional, ////<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom // <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Fourth ed.). Boston: Pearson



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