4 tips for teaching STEM to kids who learn and think differently

All students can be successful with STEM. But sometimes, working on STEM skills can feel like trying to solve a complex jigsaw puzzle. That’s because STEM involves multiple subjects and concepts. Students may need to learn new vocabulary or try a new strategy for solving a problem. This can bring opportunities and challenges for students who learn and think differently. 

But there are ways to support all of your students in STEM. Here are four tips to try in your classroom. 

1. Use multisensory instruction.

Multisensory instruction is a way of teaching that engages more than one sense at a time. This helps all students — including those who learn and think differently — access STEM content. Here are ways to use it: 

• Include hands-on activities and movement to engage students.  

• Give students the option to read or listen to STEM content. 

• Schedule brain breaks into your lessons, giving students a chance to move their bodies. 

• Plan field trips throughout the year that align with your curriculum. Trips can show students real-world connections to their learning.

2. Give students choices. 

Think about the last time you learned something new. Did you read about it? Write about it? Maybe you created a recipe or watched a video. Students need choices for how they learn, too. 

Choice gives students the chance to engage in the way that works best for them. This strategy works for all students. But it’s particularly helpful for those who learn and think differently.

You could give students options for how to show their understanding. They could write an article, make a video, create an art project, or make a podcast. Or they might get to choose the materials they use during an experiment.

Choice is also a key component of Universal Design for Learning. This teaching approach helps all students engage with and access content. 

3. Try engineering challenges.

Include engineering challenges in STEM lessons. These challenges can engage students and build skills they can use in other subjects. 

The engineering design process is an iterative cycle. Students ask questions, do research, make something, and test it out. If things don’t work, they go back to the research or ask new questions and try again. 

This process promotes critical thinking skills and collaboration. It also helps students understand that failure can be part of success.  

4. Bring in community members.

Most students only learn about careers from what they see on TV or in movies. Bringing the STEM community to your classroom can help all students see themselves in real-world careers. 

Connect with community organizations to find STEM professionals to visit your class. Explore diverse options like beekeeping, hydroponics, robotics, coding, and more. 

Invite the guests to share different ways to work in the field. Ask them to speak about their own strengths and challenges in school, and how they got where they are today. If possible, highlight STEM professionals who learn and think differently, too. 

STEM education can help all students build strengths like creativity, problem-solving skills, and determination.

• Learn more about how students with learning and thinking differences can thrive in STEM.

• Check out our entire collection of STEM resources.