How to use this checklist

Choose accommodations that fit the student. Start with two or three. Check if they help after four weeks. Involve the student in the choice.

Accommodations change how a student learns or shows learning. They do not lower expectations. The Ontario Human Rights Commission calls for timely and effective accommodations, including assistive technology.

Help does not need to wait for a diagnosis.

Student: ________ Grade: ________ Teacher: ________ Start date: ________

Reading

• Text-to-speech for class readings
• Audiobooks for novels and textbooks
• Larger font and more line spacing
• One page or section at a time
• Key words highlighted in advance
• No reading aloud without warning
• Reading passages given a day early

Writing

• Speech-to-text for written work
• Word bank or key vocabulary list
• Graphic organizer to plan writing
• Marks for ideas, not spelling, when spelling is not the goal
• Shorter written tasks with the same learning goal
• Oral answers instead of written answers

Note-taking

• Copy of teacher notes or slides
• Partner notes
• Photos of the board
• Fill-in-the-blank notes

Instructions

• Instructions given out loud and in writing
• Steps broken into a short numbered list
• Student repeats instructions back
• Check-in after the task starts

Tests and assignments

• Extra time
• Questions read aloud
• Quiet space
• Oral test option
• Spell-check allowed
• Fewer questions with the same learning goal

Homework

• Reduced copying
• Audio version of reading homework
• Clear due dates in writing

Wellbeing

• Private signal to ask for help
• Praise for effort and strategy use
• Time to talk about strengths

Review

Accommodations chosen: ________

Student feedback after four weeks: ________

Family feedback: ________

Keep, change or stop: ________

Next review date: ________

Quick reminders

• Explain each tool before the student uses it.
• Practise tools in low-stakes tasks first.
• Make tools available to the whole class when you can.
• Record accommodations in the student's plan.