I have learned some very useful strategies to assist my students with PTSD and/or TBI including creating self-generated learning strategies that are self-generated and therefore have more meaning and are more effective for the students. The more students can relate to the content being taught, the higher the retention of the content is going to be. Instructors need to do all they can to help these students create personal connections to the new material.
In a study by R. Butler (2016) it was found that veterans with PTSD felt they needed three things for them to be successful in the college setting. These three elements were ongoing communication by college personnel, being able to place their trust in their instructors, and instructional support to enable them to be able to progress in their classes. While this study focused on veterans, I see the three elements also applying to my high school students with PTSD.
Further helpful strategies covered in the module include, if it is necessary to physically touch a student, always ask permission first, and to avoid hovering above a student sitting in a desk; either squat next to the desk or roll up a chair next to the desk.
I found these strategies especially important:
Greeting students as they enter the classroom or lab with a smile and some informal conversation helps to set the tone for the class. Also, the time spent with the students will give you a chance to get a read on each student for that class. This read will let you know how you should approach the student during the class. Each student needs to be greeted each class session because students with PTSD need to feel they are a part of the class and are respected by the instructor. Safety and acceptance are two critical elements that need to be provided by the instructor.
Also, while this addresses veterans with PTSD and/or TBI, it easily applies to students with PTSD and/or TBI:
Instructors need to understand the challenges that veterans with PTSD and/or TBI face if they are to provide the support that is needed. Many of these students feel overwhelmed and isolated and are likely to drop out if they do not see that they have the respect and trust of their instructors.
Classroom Environment strategies that I found helpful:
- Provide a consistent, predictable routine in starting the class. This will help the students to get settled in and focused on the instruction that is to come. The students will know what the expectations are for each class opening and can get settled in and prepared for what is to come.
- Be consistent in presentations, discussions and student interactions. This helps students with PTSD to settle into the class environment and feel comfortable. As a result of a traumatic event(s) the students developed PTSD so the more consistency in the class the less they will be on edge looking for an unexpected event to occur.
- Make and post daily TO-DO lists and check items off as they are completed so students can see the progress being made. Students with PTSD and/or TBI can lose track of the tasks they have to complete and how many they have completed.
- Use a color-coding scheme to prioritize tasks. The use of color-coding helps to create a visual cognitive connection, and through a color sequence reinforces the importance attached to each task.
- Divide large assignments into smaller tasks and goals. It is easy for these students to become overwhelmed with major assignments and as a result they don’t know how to break them down into manageable steps.
- Try to keep to 3 or 4 steps when assigning a task. Educators can share the end product of a major assignment and then “reverse engineer” it by breaking it down into tasks that have three or four steps. As each step is completed it is marked off and the students can see the progress they are making toward the major as
- Graphic organizers are good devices to use to show the students the sequence of steps and the end goal.
