How to Talk About (and Normalize) Learning Accommodations

It’s a tricky (but very common) classroom dilemma: How do you talk about—and normalize—learning accommodations in class without singling anyone out in front of peers?  Unfortunately, many teachers aren’t trained to have these sensitive conversations, so they’re figuring it out on the fly. But we’re here to help! In this episode of School of Practice, we chat with Daniel Vollrath, a veteran high school special education teacher, and elementary teacher Jeremiah Kim. They’ll share excellent, teacher-tested tips for talking with individual students (and your whole class) about learning supports in age-appropriate ways, establishing classroom norms that make space for different learning needs, and managing privacy without making disability a taboo topic. Related resources: It’s Important to Talk About Learning Accommodations With Your Students—Here’s How to Do It A One-Page Chart to Support Every Student Every Day  Equity vs. Equality. What Does Fair Look Like in the Classroom 2024? Talking to Students About Their Learning Differences: A Guide for Teachers Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted & Supported (2025) The Purpose-Driven Classroom (2024) Stigma Consciousness Among Adolescents With Learning Disabilities: Considering Individual Experiences of Being Stereotyped (2018) Stigma and Stratification Limiting the Math Course Progression of Adolescents Labeled with a Learning Disability (2016) Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities (2016) Redefining Disability, Re-imagining the Self: Disability Identification Predicts Self-esteem and Strategic Responses to Stigma (2012)