Student Academic Struggles

I am a middle school Learning Support teacher and have 2 very bright students (above average IQ) with Asperger’s Syndrome that surprisingly have a tough time understanding some of the words or concepts in our reading selections, even though their expressive vocabulary seems pretty “profession-like” at times.  Any ideas of how I can build their receptive vocabulary?

How can I help students learn their classmate’s names and faces?

What do I do when my student keeps her head in her desk playing when I’m teaching and the class is doing a worksheet? She won’t answer me when I correct her.

I have a student in my class whom I know is very bright, but his test scores sure don’t show it!  He’s attentive during class and participates on occasion, so it seems like he’s following along but then freezes on the exam.  What can I do to help him prepare more effectively?

Several students in my Learning Support class become very upset when I make corrections on their papers.  I’ve tried calling them up to my desk for a private review of their errors, and they still cry, protest, or shut down.  How can I get them to fix their mistakes without the negative reactions?

I have a student who is pretty disorganized and I always have to spend time with him before and after each math class to make sure he has his assignment, materials or homework etc.  He is in 5th grade and I really think kids at this age should be able to do this on their own.  His special education teacher feels he needs additional support to get himself organized but it is hard to do this when I have 28 other students in my class.  Any ideas?

I am a 5^th and 6^th grade Learning Support Teacher and have several kids that struggle with reading comprehension and just can’t seem to  go back into a text to find an answer to a question when needed.  They just give up… At times I have highlighted where they can find some answers but that is time consuming and I’d like them to become more independent!  Any ideas?

How can I get my child to do his homework? It is a struggle every night.

As a math teacher, I must have students practice new problems daily. We typically use paper or worksheets I have prepared. When this part of class begins, I have some students who just sit and do not participate. They are not disruptive but there is also no attempt to try the problems. I know they can probably do the work – or at least attempt it. I do have a few other students who just start talking during this part of class. Is there any way to change these behaviors or motivate them to try the problems?

My students often imitate and I want to avoid reinforcing “wrong” or poor skills and behaviors. How can I teach and reinforce positive skills and behaviors?