Homework and Students with Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders

Abstract

This article provides a limited review of the effects of homework on students with disabilities, the essentials of effective homework programs, and variables that affect home-school partnerships. The emphasis is on students with learning disabilities and behavior disorders who are at risk for academic failure and poor school adjustment. The authors introduce the University of Utah Homework Partners series, which highlights three homework packages: a cooperative learning teams-based approach for classrooms, a package to train parents to be positive academic tutors for their children, and a systematic program to train parents in effective homework practices. The latter package is the major focus of this article because it emphasizes home-school partnerships for students with disabilities. Sanity Savers for Parents: Tips for Tackling Homework is a training program that teaches parents how to assess, design, and troubleshoot an effective in-home homework program for their child. The overall emphasis of this program is on practical interventions that are positive and motivating and include a home-to-school link to maximize the generalization of effects for students with learning and behavior disabilities.

Interactive Science Homework: An Experiment in Home and School Connections

“…Teachers report that they receive little or no guidance on homework procedures. Very little information on the topic of homework is provided in teacher education programs (Jenson et al 1994;Pribble 1993), underscoring the need for a clearer understanding of the purposes of homework, homework designs, and effective communications among principals, teachers, parents, and students.…”

Teacher-Selected Strategies for Improving Homework Completion

“…Although children with higher IQs learned more words, students with lower IQs learned on average two to three words during the 2-week period. Jenson, Sheridan, Olympia, and Andrews (1994) developed three programs that included variable reinforcement systems; parent tutoring; cover, copy, and compare memorization strategies; flash card tutoring; home-to-school notes; and selfmanagement techniques. Rosenberg (1989) reported variable results on comparisons of homework completion and test performance of students with learning disabilities who were given math fact worksheets to do at home and students given the same daily instruction but no homework.…”

Increasing the Homework Completion Rates of Students with Mild Disabilities

“…The extent to which parents are likely to become involved in the homework process will vary depending upon their economic situation, cultural background, prior success in and attitudes toward school, and familiarity with the curriculum and the homework process (Jenson, Sheridan, Olympia, & Andrews, 1994;Kay, Fitzgerald, Paradee, & Mellencamp, 1994).…”