A Spectrum of Learning Styles: Why Students Need Accomodations

High school can be a frenzy of academic pressure, social norms, and personal growth. For many students, assimilating into this environment can be especially challenging due to diverse learning needs. For this reason, schools offer accommodations to help students navigate around their disabilities. However,  misconceptions emerge when students misunderstand what accommodations are, who benefits from  them, and the stigmas that fuel these fallacies.

Throughout the centuries, accommodations in the classroom vary. They might include extended time on tests, differently formatted assignments, or adjustments in the classroom to minimize distractions. Accommodations help level the playing field for students and allow them to display their full potential. Peytra Redfield, the Upper School Learning Specialist, describes the accommodations as “reasonable changes or adjustments to a physical space, curricula or in a job situation that allow persons with disabilities [to] access to information, content, employment or activities and to be included in their environment and community.”

Accommodations benefit a wide range of students, and are essential for creating an inclusive environment. From ADHD to autism, students with disabilities can benefit from using accommodations in the classroom. However, accommodations aren’t limited to formal diagnoses. Students who face significant challenges in any area of the classroom can receive personalized adjustments to support their unique learning styles. Redfield explains the different types of accommodations available to students, saying, “classroom accommodations can look very different, depending on the needs of the student. Examples may include preferential seating (near/away from the door or a window, close to the teacher), sound amplification, use of computer for writing, privacy shield and noise-canceling headphones, extended time, movement or brain breaks as needed, use of computer, note-taking assistance, and cue cards.”

Misconceptions about accommodations persist despite efforts to stop them. A common stereotype among students with disabilities is the saying, “They just aren’t trying hard enough.” Shubh Doshi, a junior at the School, comments on the quote, saying, “I think the thing that people don’t understand…is that we are all born differently. We are all neurologically diverse, and our brains are designed in different ways. Personally, I have ADHD. A lot of my friends who also share the same mental characteristics as myself are some of the hardest workers I know, and it’s very demeaning, dehumanizing, and presumptive to argue that those who need extra assistance are simply not trying hard enough.” The truth is that accommodations aren’t given for lack of effort, but rather to tailor support for each student’s specific needs. Wylie Sweetstevens, the co-president of Neurodiversity Alliance, shared his thoughts on the stereotype, saying, “We have got to look towards change in our community. The stigma is preventing us from achieving that change.”

Accommodations are essential in education to provide students with the proper resources to succeed in school. By understanding what accommodations are, and how students can advocate for them, an inclusive society can be fostered to support every student. 

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