In every classroom unfolds a complex ecosystem, a cognitive landscape as varied as the faces that compose it. The idea of a "standard" student, capable of absorbing and reproducing information in a single way, is an illusion. The inclusive classroom does not merely welcome diversity; it cultivates it. At the heart of this approach lies a fundamental question: how can we ensure that every student, whom we will call "Clint", can not only access the proposed exercise but also find a challenge suited to them and an opportunity to demonstrate their skills?
Adapting exercises is not about lowering standards or oversimplifying. It is a work of craftsmanship, a pedagogical translation that involves presenting the same learning objective through different prisms. It is about understanding that if the goal is to cross a river, some students will need a bridge, others a boat, and still others may be able to swim. Your role as a teacher is to provide the materials to build that bridge or boat. This article aims to explore concrete ways to adapt your exercises according to the cognitive profiles of your students.
Before discussing adaptation, it is essential to change perspective. A cognitive profile is not a label or a fixed medical diagnosis. It is a dynamic description of how a student perceives, processes, memorizes, and uses information. Think of each student as having their own mental operating system, with strengths and areas needing support. Focusing on functioning rather than deficit is the first step towards effective differentiation.
Executive functions: the conductor of the brain
Executive functions are a set of high-level mental processes that allow us to manage our thoughts and actions to achieve a goal. They are the conductor of our brain. When this conductor is tired or struggles to coordinate its musicians, difficulties arise.
A Clint with fragile executive functions will have trouble starting a task (initiation), planning the steps of a complex exercise, ignoring distractions (inhibition), or changing strategies if the first one does not work (cognitive flexibility). A simple writing exercise can then become an insurmountable mountain, not due to a lack of ideas, but because of an inability to organize and structure them on paper.
Working memory: a mental slate with variable capacity
Imagine working memory as a small mental slate on which you jot down the information you need to accomplish an immediate task. For example, to solve the calculation "17 x 3", you need to remember the numbers, the instruction (multiply), and the intermediate results (3 x 7 = 21, I remember 2...). The size of this slate varies greatly from person to person.
For a Clint with limited working memory, an oral instruction of three steps is already too long. By the time he processes the third part, the first has already faded from his slate. It is not about unwillingness, but about rapid cognitive saturation. He will need the information to be broken down into smaller chunks or to be available in a permanent visual form (on the board, on a sheet).
"Dys" disorders: different pathways of thought
Learning disorders such as dyslexia, dysorthographia, dyscalculia, or dyspraxia are not signs of a lack of intelligence. They are indications that the student's brain is "wired" differently to process certain information. A dyslexic student does not see letters dancing on the page, but their brain struggles to automate the correspondence between sounds (phonemes) and letters (graphemes). This makes reading slow, energy-consuming, and error-prone, impacting all subjects. Similarly, a dyspraxic student may have brilliant ideas but struggle to coordinate the fine motor skills necessary for handwriting.
Pedagogical differentiation: a toolbox, not a magic formula
Differentiation is not a recipe to be applied uniformly, but a professional stance. It is your pedagogical toolbox that allows you to sculpt learning so that it fits each student. Differentiation can occur at three main levels: content, process, and product.
Adapting content: the "what" of learning
Adapting content does not mean changing the learning objective. The objective remains the same for everyone, but the way to access it can vary.
Example in History: The objective is to "understand the causes of the French Revolution".
- For the majority of the class, the resource will be the chapter from the textbook.
- For Clint, who has significant reading difficulties (dyslexia), you can offer a simplified text using more accessible vocabulary and shorter sentences. Another option is to provide him with an audio version of the chapter or a summary in the form of a mind map.
- For another Clint, who is very visual, you might offer a short documentary video or a historical comic on the subject.
The objective is achieved in all cases, but the entry point to knowledge has been adapted.
Adapting the process: the "how" of learning
The process concerns the activities that students engage in to appropriate the content. This is where you can offer the most flexibility.
Example in Science: The class must conduct an experiment on the density of liquids.
- Some students can follow the written protocol and work independently.
- For Clint, who has difficulties with executive functions (planning, following steps), you can provide him with a protocol in the form of a visual checklist with pictograms for each step. Working in pairs with a more organized peer can also be a valuable help.
- For a Clint who needs to move (ADHD profile), the practical aspect of manipulation will be very beneficial. You can assign him a specific task that involves movement, such as fetching the materials.
Adapting the output: the "rendering" of learning
The output is how the student will demonstrate that he has understood and achieved the objective. The traditional written assessment is just one modality among others.
Example in French: The objective is to "show understanding of a novel."
- The standard output could be a written essay.
- For Clint, who has severe dysorthographia, the effort to write correctly can mask his fine understanding of the work. You can suggest that he make an audio recording where he answers questions orally, create a slideshow presenting the characters and the plot, or even draw a comic strip summarizing a key chapter.
The assessment then focuses on the quality of the analysis and understanding, rather than mastery of spelling or syntax.
Concrete scenarios: Clint facing the math exercise
Mathematics, due to its abstract and sequential nature, is often a field where cognitive difficulties manifest starkly. Let's take the same problem and see how to adapt it.
The basic problem: "A merchant buys 3 crates of 25 apples each at a price of €15 per crate. He sells the apples for €0.80 each. What is his total profit if he sells all the apples?"
Clint and dyscalculia: breaking down the problem
For a Clint with dyscalculia, the difficulty lies not only in the calculation but in understanding the meaning of numbers and operations. The text of the problem is a fog of information.
Adaptation:
- Break down the instruction: Instead of a block of text, present the problem in clear, numbered steps.
- Step 1: Find the total number of apples. (Help: 3 crates of 25 apples)
- Step 2: Calculate how much the merchant spent. (Help: 3 crates at €15)
- Step 3: Calculate how much money he made by selling everything. (Help: use the total number of apples)
- Step 4: Calculate the profit. (Help: Profit = Money earned - Money spent)
- Use concrete materials: Provide tokens or cubes to represent the apples and crates. Manipulation helps give meaning to the numbers.
- Visualize: Offer a simple diagram to complete, with boxes for each intermediate calculation.
Clint and ADHD: channeling attention
For a Clint with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the challenge is to stay focused on the multiple steps, not to get distracted, and to inhibit the impulse to give a quick but incorrect answer.
Adaptation:
- Highlight key information: Give him the problem and ask him, with different colored highlighters, to mark the numbers, the units (apples, €), and the keywords (buys, sells, profit). This simple act forces active reading.
- Break the task down: Present the problem on a sheet where each step is separated by a line. Ask him to have each step validated before moving on to the next. This provides immediate feedback and prevents cascading errors.
- Allow movement: Let him get up to fetch a calculator (if allowed) or work standing at a high table. Using a "timer" for short work periods (e.g., 10 minutes of focus) can also be very effective.
Clint and autism spectrum disorder (ASD): clarifying the implicit
For a Clint with ASD, difficulties may arise from rigidity of thought and trouble understanding implicit information or the social context of a problem.
Adaptation:
- Clarify vocabulary: Ensure that words like "profit" are perfectly understood. A simple definition can be added as a note: "Profit is the money the merchant earns for himself, after paying back what he spent."
- Provide a work plan: A "script" for problem-solving can be very reassuring. For example: "1. I read the question. 2. I find the useful data. 3. I choose the right operation. 4. I set up the calculation. 5. I write the answer sentence." This predictable structure reduces anxiety.
- Avoid ambiguities: Reformulate the problem to make it as direct and literal as possible, eliminating any superfluous information that could create confusion.
Adapting literary subjects: the case of text analysis
Adaptation is not limited to the sciences. In French, text analysis can be a major obstacle for many profiles. The goal is to allow the student to access meaning and develop critical thinking, even if technical skills (fluent reading, writing) are fragile.
Clint and dyslexia: access to text above all
For a dyslexic Clint, deciphering text consumes all his cognitive energy. He has little resources left for comprehension and analysis. The challenge is to free his mind from this burden.
Adaptation:
- Audio support: Providing an audio version of the text is the most powerful adaptation. He can listen to the text once to grasp the overall meaning, then follow with his eyes on the paper during a second listening.
- Adapted layout: Use a font designed for dyslexics (e.g., OpenDyslexic), increase line spacing and font size. Avoid columns and justify the text only to the left.
- Pre-reading: Provide in advance a list of difficult vocabulary with simple definitions, or pre-highlight the names of the main characters to facilitate their identification.
Clint and language disorder: from idea to sentence
For a Clint with a developmental language disorder (DLD), the difficulty is structuring his thoughts and translating them into grammatically correct sentences. He often has the ideas but cannot find the words or syntax to express them.
Adaptation:
- Graphic organizers: Suggest he start by filling out a mind map or table to organize his ideas (who? what? where? why?). This non-writing step helps structure thought.
- Sentence starters: Provide a list of starters to help him begin his analysis sentences: "The author uses this word to show that...", "This character is important because...", "We can see that the atmosphere is sad thanks to...".
- Word bank: Provide him with a list of linking words (thus, because, however, moreover) and thematic vocabulary (lexical field of fear, joy, etc.).
Inclusive assessment: measuring skills, not difficulties
Adaptation must continue into assessment. An inclusive assessment seeks to understand what the student has grasped and what he is capable of doing, neutralizing the impact of his difficulties as much as possible.
Varied assessment formats
Step outside the confines of a timed written test. A student with fragile working memory or high anxiety will lose his means under these conditions. Consider alternatives:
- The portfolio: Gather the student's best work over a given period to show his progress.
- Oral assessment: An individual interview can allow a student with writing difficulties to showcase the depth of his thinking.
- The project: Assess a skill through the completion of a concrete project (a model, a presentation, a video) that allows for more creativity and the use of the student's strengths.
The role of constructive feedback
Feedback is a powerful learning tool. For it to be effective, it must be precise, kind, and task-focused, not person-focused. Instead of saying "That's wrong," prefer "I see that you used addition here. Let's look together to see if another operation might be more suitable to find a benefit." Highlight successes, even partial ones, before pointing out areas for improvement.
In conclusion, adapting exercises according to cognitive profiles is not an insurmountable additional workload. It is a change in philosophy. It is about viewing each exercise not as a unique obstacle that all must overcome in the same way, but as a destination towards which several paths are possible. By becoming an architect of these paths, you not only make school more accessible for the "Clint" in your class; you make your teaching richer, more precise, and ultimately more effective for all your students.
The article "CLINT in inclusive class: adapting exercises according to cognitive profiles" highlights the importance of personalizing educational activities to meet the varied needs of students. For those who wish to deepen their understanding of the CLINT tool, it is interesting to consult the CLINT FAQ, which provides detailed answers to frequently asked questions about using this innovative platform. This resource is particularly useful for educators looking to maximize the effectiveness of their teaching methods in an inclusive classroom.
