Organizational Deficit
An organizational deficit is the inability to internally structure for the purposes of planning,monitoring, and evaluating information.
The following is a list of characteristics that may be evident in students with this deficit. Use this as a checklist with regard to students who you feel will fit into this category.
- The student’s personal appearance is disorganized, as are books, locker, desk, assignments and thoughts.
- The student speaks in a rambling, disorganized manner.
- The student is forgetful (e.g. forgets to take assignments home, write out lessons, and/or bring back completed work).
- The student is often late or absent.
- The student is immature or impulsive.
- The student has difficulty making choices or decisions.
- The student shows inconsistent behaviours.
- The student strays from the topic quickly.
- The student procrastinates when faced with a highly structured task.
• Have the child summarize notes or text reading, using visual organizers.
• Provide easy to follow mnemonic devices when available, for remembering or organizing concepts; e.g. COPS ….
Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation, Spelling… as a mnemonic for proofreading and editing.
• For middle level, post or provide mark value for course components at the beginning of each unit.
• Involve parents in monitoring the student’s homework and projects.
• Assign a classroom buddy who will check that homework is written and that the correct books are packed.
• Avoid giving homework verbally without written backup.
• Use co-operative learning techniques when possible to utilize the organizational skills of others.
• Keep an extra folder of handout sheets to replace those “lost” by the student.
• Take a new student on a tour of the school and explicitly point out specific locations such as the gym and art room, as well as taking the student through a day’s schedule prior to starting school.
• Allow the student to experience the consequences of disorganization when appropriate.
• Intervene when the student is disorganized.
• Praise and reward the student for goodorganization.
Evaluation Strategies:
• Provide a scribe to ensure that the child has understood what is being asked of him or her.
• Encourage the use of outlines, maps or visual organizers for tests.
• When designing tests, make use of question types that do not require as much organization; e.g. fill in the blank (word bank provided), true or false, multiple choice.
• Give extra time for testing.
• Present assignments in small chunks.
• Provide a model or example in test items.
Methods/Strategies:
• Provide structure and routine.
• State directions clearly and directly. Try not to wander off topic.
• Clearly state the purpose or points to be covered in a lesson prior to beginning. A course or project outline is helpful.
• Print key words on the board prior to each lesson.
• Ensure that students write homework in anagenda or lesson book.
• Using a talk mail set up for at risk students, send a talk mail daily, stating homework requirements.
• Use a binder to help keep materials together.
• Use a colour coding system for subjects.
• Have two sets of books, one for school and one for home.
• Model and teach strategies for approaching a project. Try not to assume that the student knows how to organize this task. Have the student transfer the steps of these strategies onto a recipe card or index card, and tape to
the inside of a binder or scribbler.
• Post class rules or learning strategies in a visible location in the classroom.
• Provide structure and routine.
• State directions clearly and directly. Try not to wander off topic.
• Clearly state the purpose or points to be covered in a lesson prior to beginning. A course or project outline is helpful.
• Print key words on the board prior to each lesson.
• Ensure that students write homework in anagenda or lesson book.
• Using a talk mail set up for at risk students, send a talk mail daily, stating homework requirements.
• Use a binder to help keep materials together.
• Use a colour coding system for subjects.
• Have two sets of books, one for school and one for home.
• Model and teach strategies for approaching a project. Try not to assume that the student knows how to organize this task. Have the student transfer the steps of these strategies onto a recipe card or index card, and tape to
the inside of a binder or scribbler.
• Post class rules or learning strategies in a visible location in the classroom.