1. Get to know the child and his or her family.

2. Assess the abilities and limitations of the child. Focus on his or her abilities in the following areas:

• Motor skills: Can the child sit, walk, write, color, and so on?
• Verbal skills: How does the child communicate? How easily can the child listen, ask and answer questions, sing and converse? Recognize that a child with a disability can often be touched by the Spirit even though he or she may not be able to express feelings.
• Learning skills: What is the most effective way the child learns? Does the child learn and understand verbal directions and lessons, or does he or she need visual information?
• Social skills: How does the child interact with others? Does the child have friends, and does he or she interact appropriately with them?
• Hobbies and interests: Does the child have a special talent or activity that motivates him or her?

3. Develop a plan for effective gospel instruction and to help the child participate successfully. The needs of each child will be different, but the following suggestions may be helpful:

• Help the child feel the Spirit by frequently bearing testimony of the Savior’s love.
• Plan around the child’s learning strengths and difficulties. Use the materials and approaches that are the most effective for the child; identify ways the child can be involved in the lesson.
• Consider what physical arrangements would make a child with a physical disability more comfortable.
• Match the amount of information given at one time to the ability of the child who will receive it. Teach with one central idea in mind. Where necessary, keep sentences short, simple, and direct. Repeat main ideas.
• Try to anticipate where the child might have difficulty. For example, simplify or explain difficult vocabulary. If appropriate, help the child learn key words or names from the lesson before the lesson is given.
• If a child has difficulty reading, have another member of the class read parts of the scriptures with him or her. If appropriate, use the simplified Scripture Readers.
• Use activities that are interesting and involve all the children. Plan frequent activities that create a change of pace and allow the children to move.
• Use music as a teaching tool in the classroom.
• Seat the child close to you so you can minimize distractions, maintain eye contact, and constantly evaluate the child’s understanding, involvement, and needs.
• Plan good questions to determine if the lesson is understood and to stimulate thinking; select questions the child can successfully answer. Always thank a child for responding.
• Encourage the child with a disability to continue to try, even when he or she is having difficulty; let the child know his or her contribution is important.
• Plan for a short attention span. It may be helpful to work with a child with a short attention span by determining beforehand an amount of time he or she will be able to participate successfully in a particular activity (5 to 10 minutes, for example). When the period of time is over, an assistant can quietly take the child and walk around the hall, or whatever is appropriate, and praise and reinforce the child for his or her good behavior. Then, have the child return to the room for another short period. Gradually increase the time periods as the child’s attention and behavior will allow.
• Schedules are helpful to some children; a schedule establishes a routine and helps a child anticipate active times and when an activity or lesson will be over. You might create a chart, with pictures, of what will happen in the class each time (welcome, opening prayer, activity, scripture, and so on).
• Meet with the other Primary children (without the child who has a disability) to determine ways they can all help the child enjoy coming to Primary. Help the children understand the disability and how they can help before, during, and after class and by being a friend. Assign a special friend to help the child each week.
• Communicate frequently with the child’s family; send home ideas to enhance or review lessons, and give the family a preview of upcoming lessons and subjects.