Student Academic Struggles

Strategies for Bringing Up Grades
Situation: 

I have a bright student with Asperger’s who is falling behind in his grades. When I talk to him about it, he doesn’t seem to understand what he has to do to pull up his grade. He doesn’t seem to care much about the work that is assigned.

High School Organization Binder
Situation: 

I have a student in my Algebra class who participates and can do the work but his organization and writing is so poor he has difficulty studying for tests. I’ve tried using the computer, getting him folders but to no avail, what can I do to help him?

Attention to Topic Transition
Situation: 

Sometimes I’m not sure if one of my students is paying attention. What can I do to ensure they are following the topic of the lecture?

Modifying Open-Ended Questions: Concrete Models
Situation: 

I teach a gifted class and have a student on the Autism Spectrum. We work on many creative and imaginative projects that have Open Ended Questions or Abstract Prompts. My student has great difficulty getting started on these projects and doesn’t seem to understand how to begin. What can I do to help her?

Modifying Open-Ended Questions: Visual Cues
Situation: 

I have a student who is not able to answer Open Ended Questions. He cannot even begin his answer or he will say or write a response that makes no sense. How can I help him with such question prompts?

Motivation Spice: Vocabulary
Situation: 

In my Language Arts classes students must look up 15 vocabulary words and write the meanings. I have such a variety of learners that I don’t think this is the best method to teach the words anymore. I have students who are bored, students who have difficulty locating the words, or difficulty summarizing the definition. When it is homework it is rarely completed well by many students if completed at all. The entire task is laborious, what else can I do to teach these words and ensure the students are learning and not groaning?

Subtle Math Fact Learning
Situation: 

I have a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He has difficulty with his math facts but refuses to ‘be taught’. He likes to be ‘in charge’. He gets frustrated with his math and wants to know the answers but refuses to sit in a math group or even individually when I am teaching methods for learning the facts. He also loves creating power points in Language Arts. He will insert his favorite character in each one as an image. But what can I do for this student in math?

Rating for On Task Awareness
Situation: 

I have been a one on one aide for a student with high functioning autism for  3 years and now that he is in 6th grade, I am really trying to back off with my support because he may not have an aide in middle school.  He still needs a lot of reminders from me to stay on task or get back on task.  Is there anything I can do to help him become more aware of how off task he can be other than constant prompts from me or the teacher?

Graphic Organizer to Build Vocabulary-Frayer Model
Situation: 

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?