How to Modify Curriculum
Whether you are buying a curriculum for homeschooling or for supplementing work
at home sometimes you will find that you need to modify what you are doing to
fit your child's needs.
Here are a few suggestions for meeting sensory needs.
Simple Modifications
Sensory wise
1. Deflate a ball to about 1/2 of what it is suppose to be and have the child
sit on this at the table, or desk area.
2. Replace the chair with an exercise ball that the child can bounce on while
doing their work, or listening to you read a story.
3. Bean bags also can work nicely.
4. A Tee Seat also works well for posture and concentration.
5. Maybe you could keep a small box with beans in it so your child could run
his/her hands through it before asking him/her to do a task.
Handwriting modifications
1. Put beans in putty and ask the child to pull them out.
2. Squeeze a ball before holding a pencil
3. Tri grip pencil holders
4. Use markers instead of pencils if the child doesn't apply pressure when
writing.
5. Have your child stand at a dry erase board and write standing up.
6. Use play-doh or clay to roll out letters or numbers.
7. Have the child to try to make the letter or number with his/her body (this
will also promote imitation)
Simple curriculum modification
1. Make flash cards. They do not have to be perfect, you and your child can cut
out pictures from magazines and handwrite the cards. Or you can put them on the
computer and print them out. Either way they work.
2. Take a sheet protector and place over the page that you are working on, use a
dry erase mark and work on answering the questions. When you know your child is
ready take the protector off and let him/her answer them on the regular sheet.
3. Dry erase or chalk board works so that they can stand up and write.
4. Games can be a reinforcer, or computer programs that are aimed at what you
are teaching.
These are not all the modifications that could be made, but this may give you a
good start. Use you imagination and you may come up with something great.
