7. Modifying Activities to Support Active Engagement Part 2

In part one of modifying activities, we saw examples of how four different types of modifications help promote participation and engagement. In this video, we’ll look at some tools to help determine which children in your program could benefit from modifications. We’ll also share strategies for talking with a group of children about these supports. We know many kids will be curious about them. Let’s get started.

We start with the child participation evaluation form, which is available in our accompanying resources. This guides us in examining the expectations for children during each part of the day and then considering what additional support a child might need. Team members often have different ideas for how children should participate during activities such as group instruction, independent work time, transitions, etc. It’s important to clarify these as a team so we can be consistent with expectations. Elaine’s art teacher, Ms. Miller, starts by writing down the activities in the creative drawing class routine: transitions, group instruction, getting materials, independent work time, sharing in discussions, and cleaning up. Then she clarifies the expectations for everyone during each activity. For example, the expectations for entering class are for the children to enter quietly, sit at their assigned space, review the day’s agenda written on the board, and remain quiet until class starts.

Then Ms. Miller thinks about how Elaine is doing during each activity. Is she independent, or does she need some help? She reflects that entering the classroom and group discussion are going pretty well but notes that Elaine needs assistance during independent work time and when getting her materials. She adds her specific concerns: during independent work time, Elaine is often off-task or forgets the steps of each activity. When getting the necessary materials, Elaine sometimes forgets what she’s supposed to gather. With this information, she’s ready to start brainstorming modifications to help support Elaine.

Then Ms. Miller uses the modification worksheet to plan for specific supports for Elaine during independent work time and when gathering materials. Let’s look a little more closely at independent work time. Currently, Elaine is not always engaged during this time, and she often forgets all the steps within a project. Ms. Miller thinks that it would be helpful for Elaine to have a sticky note on her desk with a simplified list of steps for each project. This way, she can easily reference what she needs to do to complete each art activity. Before using this modification, Ms. Miller asks Elaine if she thinks this might be helpful and shows her a similar sticky note on her own desk with reminders of everything she needs to complete that day. Together, they agree to check in after a week to see if the sticky note reminder is working. They’ll know if the simplified list is working if Elaine is able to complete all the steps within an art project.

As Ms. Miller thinks about other modifications that might help Elaine, she wonders, is it fair to do something different for one kid in the class but not everyone? If we try other things like giving Elaine a special table to stand at instead of sitting, will other kids want this option too? This question comes up often when we talk about curriculum modifications. At the Herring Center, we believe that inclusive settings provide the support everyone needs to be successful. We all have different strengths and areas of need, and we all can use a little help once in a while. Let’s think about this in terms of equity. Modifications are equitable, not that they’re equal. Not every child needs the same type of help.

You may have seen this image of three people watching a baseball game. In the image on the left, each person is given an equal-sized block to stand on, but this modification isn’t successful because it doesn’t allow everyone to see the game. The shortest person isn’t able to see over the fence, and the tallest person doesn’t need the block. When everyone gets the same help, it doesn’t mean everyone ends up with the same results. On the right, we see an equitable example. Each person has the support they need to view the game. One person needs one block to stand on, another needs two blocks, and the third doesn’t need any blocks at all. They aren’t given the exact same thing, but instead, they have what they need to accomplish their goal, in this case, watching the baseball game. Modifications are a way to provide equitable support for all learners so each child can meaningfully participate.

Once Ms. Miller implemented Elaine’s modifications in the creative drawing class, a few children wondered why some kids got to have pencil grips or use a different table. They wanted these options too. Elaine’s teacher saw this as an opportunity to have a conversation with the whole class. Of course, it’s natural for kids to be curious about peers’ modifications, and this curiosity is a fantastic way to introduce the concept that everyone has different strengths and needs. At the start of the next class, the teacher introduced this by saying, “We all have things we’re good at and things we’re working on. I’m really good at reading but not very good at baseball. I know that some kids here are really good at drawing animals, and other kids, they’re really good at drawing landscapes. Some of us are better with paints instead of pencils. Everyone is always learning different things, and we all need different kinds of help, like a different type of seating during instruction, pencil grips, or a different way to put your work away.” Conversations about modifications are an important part of inclusive programs and are a great way to help all children understand that inclusion and equity are all about getting what you need to participate.

Sometimes teachers are concerned that modifications will be a distraction to other children. Will using modifications like fidget toys or special seats distract kids from other things they should be focusing on? Ms. Miller realized that when Elaine was having difficulty holding her pencil or her paper and becoming frustrated or being off-task during project time and wandering around the room instead of drawing, this was far more distracting than the modifications. At times, Elaine’s behavior pulled her teacher’s attention away from the larger group because she needed individualized support to participate. The goal of modifications is to help children participate successfully and independently and reduce the amount of adult support they need. If children seem distracted by others’ modifications, simply remind them that in this space, everyone gets what they need to participate.

Modifications are an important part of inclusive and equitable programs, but we must intentionally assess and plan for them. The child participation form and the modification worksheet are great ways to start, and we can expect that other children may be curious about these modifications. There might even be adults in our program who question them. Welcome these questions as an opportunity to teach about equity and inclusion. So, what does this mean for your program? How could you introduce modifications and talk about them with the group? And how could you use them to support a specific learner?