"Fair" doesn't mean "the same" (part 4: helpful questions)

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I originally planned for this series to just be two posts. To do it justice, though, I've expanded it to five! Here is post four of five. If you missed the previous three, please check them out first:
And now in this penultimate post, I will offer some questions that may be useful for selecting modifications and accommodations for students. I initially wrote this as part of a professional development guide I wrote while working with the national design team for Teach For America, but I have adapted it for ministry settings.

Presentation:
  • Can the student listen to and/or follow oral directions given by an adult or an audio tape?
  • Can the student read the Bible story in the same way as other students (i.e. from a personal Bible or from the Bible story page from the curriculum)?
  • Can the student read and/or understand the story with simplified wording?
  • Can the student read the story with enlarged text?
  • Can the student understand a different, complementary story if she can't understand the one planned for the lesson?
  • Is the student overwhelmed by a lot of text on a page?
  • Does the student have sensory problems that could be helped by increasing contrast with colored paper or colored transparency overlays on top of the story?
  • Does the student need the story read out loud to him?
  • Is the student unable to participate in class without reminders to stay on task?
  • Does the student need visual, auditory, or illustrated cues in addition to written directions?
Response:
  • Can the student respond verbally?
  • Can the student respond nonverbally? If so, how?
  • Can the student write?
  • Does the student have difficulties writing that could be helped by using a word processor?
  • Does the student’s disability affect the amount of writing he can produce?
Timing:
  • Does the student need extra time due to his disability to process questions?
  • Does the student need breaks to stay focused?
  • Does the student become anxious when working on certain skills (such as reciting a memory verse) so that it might be optimal to complete it at a different time than other students?
  • Does the student learn better, worse, or the same following physical activities (i.e. would it help to schedule game/rec time or playground trips at a certain time in the class)?
Setting:
  • Can the student learn the Bible story and concepts in a typically sized class?
  • Can the student only learn the Bible story and concepts with a few other students in the room?
  • Can the student only learn the Bible story and concepts in a one-on-one setting?
  • Does the student exhibit behaviors that are distracting to other students?
  • Is the student easily distracted or overwhelmed by motion, noise, or visual displays?
  • Does the student need to take the test in a different way from other students, such as orally? If so, then a different setting may be necessary.
Classroom aids and design:
  • Does the student function better when a predicable routine is followed?
  • Can the student learn about the Bible story without additional visual aids or other sensory inputs?
  • Can the student physically enter the classroom or Bible study setting?
  • Does the classroom design encourage or inhibit learning for the student?
Would you add any more questions to the mix? C'mon, I know I didn't include all possible questions. (And my love language is comments. Just saying.)


And as a reminder, tomorrow kicks of the first post in the series Fridays from the Families. You don't want to miss what Becky has to share here then! On Saturday, I'll be posting the final part of this series, part 5: making the right choices.