Special Education Help: Create Learning Tools with Hook and Loop Tape

Studies have shown that more than one in ten young students are enrolled in some form of special education. Many are filled with emotion but find it difficult to express how they feel. Thankfully, art helps as a learning aid and as a way of communicating feelings. If you’re a teacher in need of special education help, you can use hook and loop tape as one of your learning tools and increase the effectiveness of the valuable training you deliver!

Here’s what you need to know:

Make Your Own Lesson Boards

Lesson boards are a fun, colorful way to help children learn. Make your own reusable, adjustable lesson board by covering all or part of a large piece of cardboard with adhesive backed hook and loop tape. You can then cut out shapes, numbers, colors, and pictures. Then, using tape or coins, you can then attach them to the board. Having a corresponding visual aid can greatly aid those who need a little extra help to understand spoken concepts. As those who are learning advance, these boards can advance with them- adding on new concepts as time goes on.

You can use the same lesson board for a variety of teaching opportunities, including weather, numbers, basic math skills, spelling, and probability. You can even create your own alphabet board; with this adjustable lesson aid, the options are endless. Teaching like this helps those who are learning to engage in a more informal and fun way. Textures and colors help to reinforce concepts and facts you are trying to explain.

Joining In

Art is a vital component in education for all those with special needs. To make your lessons more interactive, ask students in your class to move numbers, letters, or shapes around the board to answer simple questions. Set aside time in class to let those who are learning join in and help create some of the shapes and images you need. You can even help them to create their very own folders, which can be sealed using hook and loop coins. The folders can also contain shapes and images that are personal to them. All of this can reinforce learning to provide special education help.

Moving On with Lessons

Hook and loop boards and products can also be used for more advanced topics, like math and grammar, for older students. You can teach geography hands-on with cut out maps to help those learning understand more easily. Perhaps make some time to use the board to teach your class about the changing seasons with appropriate colors and shapes.

Those with Special Needs

Because hook and loop products are so tactile, they’re perfect to reach students who have special needs. Being able to feel the shapes of cutouts on your hook and loop board will be ideal for those who are visually impaired. Handling and touching shapes will also be of benefit to those with challenging behavioral issues. Students can react positively just to the sound made when the hook and loops separate as well as to the colors, texture, and shape.

Create Your Special Education Learning Tools

Using hook and loop products to create learning tools grants teachers vital special education help with very low setup time. They are a great addition to any classroom, but especially when training those who need a bit of extra help to keep them engaged. Find out more here about easy craft projects using hook and loop products.