Instructional Implications
The implications of poor mental health go beyond just the students’ view of their school environment, because mental health affects a student’s ability to learn in similar ways from elementary to even post-secondary stages. Students struggling with mental health issues tend to exhibit either internalizing difficulties (anxious, withdrawn temperaments) or externalizing difficulties (oppositional, hyperactive temperaments) (Snowman & McCrown, 2015, p. 219). Internalizing and externalizing difficulties can interfere greatly with a student's ability to learn, therefore it is the responsibility of the instructor/teacher to recognize and accommodate these students to the hilt.
Mental health “relates to how we think, feel, behave, and interact with other people” (Sheykhjan, 2015, p. 152). It is easy to imagine how much mental health affects a student’s ability to learn, when the classroom environment requires the ability to think, behave appropriately, and interact with teachers and peers on a very regular basis. |
Students experiencing anxiety, depression, or ADHD (of the most common mental health issues) may exhibit increased tearfulness, irritability, severe sleep disturbance, or challenging behavior/social withdrawal. There are a wide variety of possible symptoms of mental health problems, but each of them risks a student’s ability to learn. A sleep-deprived child may struggle with staying awake in class and focusing on instruction. A child struggling with anxiety may be hesitant to work in groups or irritable with classmates. There are a number of ways in which mental health issues may affect a student, especially as far as their education is concerned. These exceptionalities require instructional strategies to address mental health, and to also help students to meet their full potential.
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As teachers, it is exceptionally important that we recognize our role as not only educators, but also as the adults on the front lines to our student’s lives. For this reason, it is possible that teachers may be the first to recognize symptoms of mental health problems. It is important to teach to the student as much as possible, as well as to help students to feel as though they are in a safe space within the classroom. Achieving this for students with mental health issues can be particularly difficult, but exceedingly important.
Student who internalize and externalize both can benefit from a number of differentiated instruction tactics. One such method is to design the classroom environment and create lesson plans to encourage social interaction and cooperation among students (Snowman & McCrown, p. 220). This not only benefits students who experience social withdrawal, but also students who struggle with appropriate interactions with peers. Team-oriented activities foster “appropriate interpersonal contact” (Snowman & McCrown, p. 220). For example, group and partner work cultivates an environment in which students rely on and make connections with one another in an appropriate, educational way. |
Additionally, the way teachers design their classrooms can make a significant impact on students coping with mental health issues. Forestalling anxiety or aggression can be achieved with a classroom atmosphere that promotes learning and community. Classroom rules with input from students and setting high expectations that these rules be followed creates consistency. This can help to offset possible disruptions to learning before they even start. Even the way a classroom is physically set up can be beneficial to students with mental health issues; setting objects out of reach/sight that may create anxiety or outbursts, for example (Snowman & McCrown, p. 222).
In terms of differentiating actual instruction time, minimizing frustration is key. Providing assignments with some choice and in steps (smaller tasks building on a larger task) allows students to feel in control, and as though their task is achievable (van Stone, n.d.). We know that mental health significantly affects self-esteem and the impact accommodation of mental health issues in the classroom on individual student self-esteem cannot be underestimated. Considering the strong potential for impact on learning, mental health issues must be considered by every teacher when working to differentiate instruction; all students have different needs, and those coping with mental health issues are no exception. When teachers are mindful of differentiation, they create the best learning experience possible, an important goal for all teachers.