General Description of the Population

Students who have received a traumatic brain injury have difficulties with their ability to function cognitively, socially, and physically. Some of the key areas affected are:

• Communication and language
• Memory
• Perception
• Attention and concentration
• Judgment, planning, and decision making
• Thinking and reasoning
• Ability to adjust to change

Common Characteristics

• High frustration levels
• Fatigue
• Possible irritability

Difficulties in the following areas:

1. Registering new information
2. Seeing relationships (similarities/differences)
3. Understanding abstract levels of meaning (e.g., figures of speech, metaphors)
4. Considering a variety of possible solutions
5. Holding several words or thoughts or intentions in mind at one time
6. Recalling pre-injury information
7. Recalling events from earlier in the day or previous
8. Setting goals
9. Perceiving strengths and weaknesses in an objective manner
10. Focusing attention and filtering out distractions
11. Maintaining attention
12. Organizing objects into appropriate groups
13. Perceiving the spatial orientation of objects
14. Recognizing objects if too much is presented once or too rapidly

Social/behavioral disorders involve:

1. Self-esteem
2. Self-control
3. Awareness of self and others
4. Awareness of social rules and roles
5. Interest in social involvement
6. Sexuality
7. Appearance and grooming
8. Family relationships
9. Age appropriate behavior
10. Inappropriate social behaviors

Sensory (physical) disorders involve:

1. Vision and hearing
2. Speed and coordination of movement
3. Balance, strength, and equilibrium
4. Motor function
5. Speech
6. Eye/hand coordination
7. Spatial orientation

Instructional Strategies

• Require demonstrated vs. verbal directions
• Use of multi sensory approaches (tactile, verbal, and auditory materials)
• Facilitates work in small groups for specific objectives
• Use manipulative materials
• Base curriculum on functional life skills
• Break down objectives into small parts
• Use repetition and drill often for maximum retention
• Partial participation in large group activities
• Skills are learned best when practiced in concrete situations frequently

Behavioral Strategies

• Be consistent
• Use consequences for both appropriate and inappropriate behavior
• Utilize various approaches to build self esteem
• Use of reinforcers (behavior modification)
• Students should be expected to follow the rules and behavioral expectations of their general education peer grou
• Work with parents on home/school behavioral expectations and standards
• Recognize the importance of peer modeling
• Utilize a circle of friends to reinforce and support positive behaviors
• Use common sense and general principles when working with these students

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Information taken from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders