Preparation

• 1). Understand that any change that occurs in a student's brain will affect his ability to learn. Young students with seizure conditions have a difficult time with their memory; certain word definitions or learning techniques are difficult for them to remember. This causes them to become embarrassed or angry because they do not have a clear understanding of the assignment, which leads them to have trouble paying attention to particular assignments. Certain learning strategies should be adjusted to meet the students' needs; allow them to ask questions as much as possible. Repeat information and instructions several times. Give the students hands-on assignments that are related to the chosen curriculum; hands-on activities help students memorize and understand their classwork.
  
  
• 2). Inform and educate other students, teachers and parents about seizure conditions. Sometimes people who don't understand a certain medical condition will act in a negative way towards others, especially younger students. This causes embarrassment among students with seizure conditions, which affects their learning ability and behavior. Giving presentations, having classroom discussions, or handing out pamphlets are all great ways to inform others about seizure conditions, which minimizes or eliminates negative reactions.
  
  
• 3). Know what to do in case a student has a seizure during instruction. Try to remain calm. Make sure the student having the seizure is in a safe place; if not, place the student on the floor and put a pillow or rolled towel under her head. Remove any furniture in the area and her glasses, if applicable. Do not place any objects in the student's mouth. When the body completely stops shaking, lay the student on her side in case vomiting occurs. After the student is alert, explain what happened and the timespan of the seizure. Alert the school nurse and the child's parent. If multiple seizures occur, or if the seizure lasts more than five minutes, contact 911. Give an explanation of what took place to other students who witnessed the seizure if they are not familiar with the condition.
  
  

Techniques and Concepts

• 1). Teach language arts. Use maps or visual tools, such as a graphic organizer, to help demonstrate the summary of a novel or story. Also, use index cards to help students remember certain events. Instruct students to draw characters of the novel or story on the index cards. During class time, the index cards should be available for students to use while discussing the novel or story, as well as for home study.
  
  
• 2). Teach mathematics. When teaching the students new mathematics problems, supply them with detailed information and formulas instead of having them search for the information on their own; due to the memory and attention issues that students with seizures have, searching without help for newly introduced formulas is confusing and difficult. Provide students with calculators when introducing new mathematical problems; also provide number lines and other visual tools to assist them with solving problems. Provide students with journals to write newly learned facts and formulas to use as a reference when they are having memory troubles.
  
  
• 3). Promote general concept building. Concept building helps students learn to organize specific subjects and memorize the information. Concept building consists of creating a map that categorizes an individual item into a larger category, such as, "A robin is a bird that is red." Whenever the student is unable to remember information about a robin, he can use the concept map as a reference.
  
  
• 4). Teach using the thematic technique. Thematic teaching requires any newly learned concept or skill to be repeatedly taught to the student, several times a day, such as a student learning the definition of "empty." In a home setting, the student is told her dinner plate is empty. At school the teacher sings a song about an empty cup. During a tutoring session, the student removes items from a cup until it is empty; during therapy the student points to pictures displaying an empty cup. This allows the student to understand that the word "empty" has the ability to be used in several situations.