1. Items only sufficient to demonstrate mastery (especially for math, where advanced classes often have truly excessive problem sets). Or require only starred key items (another way to put it).
2. Supplementary oral assessment. This goes beyond oral reports to having him clarify and expand his written responses on tests or assignments, instead of just marking him down because of insufficient detail. The teacher would pull him aside after skimming over the written test responses, but before final grading, and ask him to expand on any questionable responses, then add his oral response to his grade.
3. Yes to notes provided. Usually, I suggest that the student take notes as usual (as there is some evidence that the process of handwriting notes has instructional value), but be provided with a copy of notes at the conclusion of each lecture. Alternatively, he could receive an outline, or partially-completed set of notes, including all key points, with space for him to add his own notes.
4. "Prime the pump" for tasks involving written expression, using interactive discussion and modeling prior to initiating writing. Writing prompts including sentence stems. E.g., for an essay about learning a new task: "When I first started swimming lessons, I felt..."
5. Make connections between instructional tasks and his personal interests, ambitions, experiences, and prior learning. He'll do better with initiating writing if he can find a way to connect topics to his own experience--if they're relevant.
6. For math & science, no points off for failure to show work, or articulate process, if the end result is correct.
7. Homework counts only positively toward course grades.
8. Except when written expression is integral to the learning objectives, grade only on content. No point deductions for grammar (including incomplete sentences) or mechanics (spelling, capitalization, punctuation).
ETA:
9. Scaffold lengthy or complex projects into smaller benchmarks, with well-defined criteria.
Last edited by aeh; 10/09/14 11:46 AM.
