The Way I Learned: Academic Strategies for Regular and Special Education

By Walt Biddick

The Way I Learned: Academic Strategies for Regular and Special Education is a collection of different learning techniques from the point of view of a dyslexic. The subjects are described so that students in both elementary general education and those with learning disabilities can understand English language arts, reading and writing, and different types of math, from addition to algebra and geometry, in a new way. The stories and descriptions within give the readers advantages and understandings that Walt Biddick used to be successful. Finally, there is a book written by a student who knew academic hardships and who created interventions to succeed because he was tired of failure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798890610638

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Special Education vs. Specialized Education

The Subjects

Math

The prerequisites−the core numbers

The four basics

Modifiers

Advanced techniques

English Language Arts

Reading: Phonics and Comprehension

Writing: Copying and Transference

Different formats

Foundations for Success

The Teacher-Student Communication Relationship

Class size

Learning styles

The Student's Learning Style (the Ability to Complete Their Assignments)

Techniques for Studying (Quizzes/Tests)

Patterns

Associations

IEP Accommodations

The law

Extra time

A disadvantage

A Technique for Answering Questions

Look for Vocabulary Words

Read the Questions First!

Writing

Specialized Traits

Workbook (Answers)

About the Author

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The Way I Learned

Academic Strategies for Regular and Special Education

Walt Biddick

Copyright © 2023 Walt Biddick

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2023

ISBN 979-8-89061-062-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89061-063-8 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

To Kathy

Origins—A History

Everyone knows that every person is unique onto themselves. They are the only one of their kind in the world. However, the vast majority of people have similar abilities and aptitudes toward learning. They wake up in the morning, get ready for the day, go to their school, and learn what is presented to them by an educator, and then they end their day by getting a restful sleep—most of the time. The next day, they repeat their previous day. This is what general education looks like. Yes, there are small differences in each person, but for the most part, students all learn what is presented to them by an educator. They wake up, they go to school, they learn, and then they go home.

Let me show you why I wrote this book by giving you another example of a student. The second situation starts with a student waking up from sleep and then feeling a great sense of dread. The person wants to stay in bed. They don't want to go to school, but they know that they have to go. Why doesn't the student want to go to school? The reason is that he is tired. No, he had a restful sleep. He is tired of being different. He looks around in class and sees that everyone understands the subjects and the lessons presented to them by their teacher. However, the student feels stupid because he doesn't understand the teacher's assignments like the other students. He knows that he is different, and he doesn't know why. The student asks questions in an attempt to get it, but it doesn't work.

The teacher has twenty-five students in class, and they cannot give the student additional help. The class is given a quiz or a test, and the student tries to do his best, but it isn't good enough—another F. He is so tired of getting beat up by his subjects. The first class is almost over, he thinks. There are only five more classes to go. It's okay. There's always tomorrow. What is going to be different tomorrow? Nothing. The student looks up and sees the teacher give him a slight smile. He knows that the teacher is trying to help him but just doesn't know how to. All of the teachers try, but they all fail.

The student in the above example was me. I am from Generation X and attended school in the '80s. I remember going to resources in elementary school, being in the lowest reading level group, and going to a unique math class in middle school. It was the lowest math level in the school for my grade. I was not classified as needing special education because it didn't exist at the time. As such, I never had an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Why did I write this book? I wrote it because I learned differently, and I earned a diploma, a bachelor of science degree in psychology, and a master's degree in education specializing in special education. I found ways to succeed, and I want to pass along these ways to students like myself. These techniques will also help anyone in elementary.

This book will show you how I adapted and found ways to