Chapter 10: Strategies for Independent Learning
Chapter-At-A-Glance
Instructor’s Overview and Outline
Successful students are able to learn independently. Unfortunately, many students, including those with
special needs, lack independent learning skills. The emphasis in this chapter is on ways to teach
strategies for independent learning in the general education classroom so that all students can benefit. In
many cases, these skills can be taught while teachers are covering required content. Specific strategies for
gaining information, storing/retrieving information, expressing information, managing time and self–
advocating are stressed.
A. How can you encourage student self-awareness, self-advocacy, and self-determination?
B. How can you effectively teach independent learning strategies in class?
Learning Objectives
Instructor’s Resources
Media Resources
How to encourage student
self-awareness, self-
advocacy, and self-
determination
Key Terms & Concepts
o Self-advocacy
o Self-awareness
o Self-determination
Activities #1, 2, 3, 10
Activities #4, 7
o NICHCY, advocacy in transition
planning http://www.nichcy.org
o WrightsLaw, self-advocacy
http://wrightslaw.com
o
Examples of learning
strategies
Key Terms & Concepts
o Word identification and reading
o Vocabulary
o Reading comprehension
o Listening and note-taking
o Writing
o Using technology
o Math
o Time and resources
Activity #4, 5, 7
o Univ. of Kansas http://www.ku-
crl.org/sim/index.shtml
o Virginia Tech.
http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhl
p.html
o Muskingum College learning strategies
http://www.muskingum.edu/%7Ecal
/database/
Activity #6, 7, 8, 9, 10
2. Clarify expectations
4. Encouraging students to memorize strategy steps
6. Administer posttests
C. What are some examples of successful learning strategies?
1. Word-identification and reading fluency strategies
2. Vocabulary strategies
3. Reading comprehension strategies
a. SCROL
4. Listening and note-taking strategies
5. Writing strategies
a. POWER
6. Strategies for using technology to improve student writing
a. Revising essays
7. Strategies for problem solving in math
a. STAR
8. Strategies for managing time and resources
D. How can students learn to use strategies independently?
1. Self-instruction
3. Self-questioning
E. Wrapping it up
1. Back to the cases
Learning Objectives
1. State ways that teachers can encourage student self-awareness, self-advocacy, and self-
determination.
3. Describe the steps involved in teaching learning strategies. Analyze each step, discussing why it
is important for building independent strategy usage.
4. List and describe research-based learning strategies in the areas of reading and reading
Key Terms and Concepts
Controlled materials
Key-word strategy
Learning strategies
Pattern guide
Activities and Discussion Questions
1. To sensitize your students to skills involved with self-advocacy, ask whether they have ever had to
ask for any kind of a classroom accommodation such as permission to tape record a class or receive
more time to complete an assignment because of a family crisis. Ask them whether their encounters
2. Guest speakers:
• Invite a staff member from your college’s disability services office and a high school special
3. Ask students to evaluate self-determination curricula available by conducting a web search or
4. Students with special needs sometimes receive strategy instruction from a special education teacher
either in the general education classroom or in a resource room. Discuss with the class the
5. Since teaching independent learning skills applies most directly at the middle and high school levels,
elementary education majors often ask whether they should teach learning strategies to their students
7. Have students work in groups and visit the Muskingum College strategies web site (listed below) and
select a category of strategies to investigate and present to the class.
8. In self-monitoring, check themselves to make sure that targeted behaviors have been performed.
10. The end of Chapter 10 is the suggested place to continue the worksheets for INCLUDE Steps #5 and
#6 provided in Appendix B in this manual. Ask students to practice using the INCLUDE strategy
with a focus on developing independent study skills or self-determination skills.
Web Links
Instructor Resources
• PowerPoint Presentation slides for this chapter are available on the Instructor Resource Center at
WWW Resources
• The following sites provide information, strategies, and resources for students with special needs who
are learning self-advocacy and self-determination skills.
Additional Readings
Berkeley, S., Marshak, L., Mastropieri, M. A., & Scruggs, T. E. (2011). Improving student
comprehension of social studies text: A self-questioning strategy for inclusive middle school
classes. Remedial and Special Education, 32, 105–113.
Hetzroni, O. & Shrieber, B. (2004). Word Processing as an Assistive Technology Tool for Enhancing
Academic Outcomes of Students with Writing Disabilities in the General Classroom. Journal of
Learning Disabilities, 37(2), 143-154.
Jitendra, A. K., Haria, P., Griffin, C. C., Leh, J., Adams, A., & Kaduvettoor, A. (2007). A comparison of
single and multiple strategy instruction on third-grade students’ mathematical problem solving.
Journal of Educational Psychology, 99, 115–127.
64.
Marshak, L., Mastropieri, M. A., and Scruggs, T. E. (2011). Curriculum enhancements in inclusive
69-89.
Mooney, P., Ryan, J. B., Uhing, B. M., Reid, R., & Epstein, M. H. (2005). A review of self-management
interventions targeting academic outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders.
Journal of Behavioral Education, 14, 203–221.