Are you looking for strategies to help students learn to copy content? If so, keep reading.
1. Let the student have periods of rest to avoid eye fatigue.
2. Assess the appropriateness of giving the student tasks that require copying at a close proximity if the student’s capacity and ability make it impossible to finish the tasks.
3. Designate shorten tasks that can be quickly and accurately copied. As the student shows success, slowly increase the length of tasks.
4. Support the student with copying information. As the student shows success, slowly decrease the assistance, and require the student to assume more responsibility.
5. Show the student what they are doing wrong (e.g., hurrying just to get things done), and what they must be doing (e.g., carefully finishing work). For example: The student is hurrying through copying tasks. Tell them that they are hurrying and need to slow down and carefully copy the content to finish the tasks correctly.
6. Get the student to copy small amounts of content (e.g., a sentence or line) at a time.
7. Modify the format of the learning materials from which the student copies (e.g., have less content on a page, remove or cover images on pages, enlarge the print, etc.).
8. Inspect what the student has copied from the smartboard, textbook, etc., for accuracy. Working quickly is acceptable if the student performs the task accurately.
9. Assess the appropriateness of the task to ascertain (a) if the task is too easy, (b) if the task is too complicated, and (c) if the duration of time scheduled to finish the task is sufficient.
10. Take into account the student’s capacity and ability level and experience before expecting them to finish copying tasks on their own.
11. Urge the student to monitor their neatness. Awareness should lessen the production of poor quality work.
12. Urge the student to create a 30-second definition of their goal to help them remain on-task and focus (e.g., “I will copy this sentence perfectly. The better I focus and remain on-task, the better I will perform.”).
13. Make sure that the student has only those learning materials appropriate for copying (e.g., pencil, pen, paper, etc.) on their desk.
14. Create a timeline for finishing a project. Expect the student to meet each deadline to finish the project on time.
15. Create rules for finishing tasks (e.g., have the student to ask for help when necessary, proofread content copied from the board, textbook, etc.). These rules should be consistent and followed by everyone in the classroom. Talk about the rules often.
16. Assess the level of task difficulty to ascertain whether the student will require additional time, assistance, etc., to copy written information.
17. Assess the visual and auditory stimuli in the classroom and remove or lessen the unnecessary environmental stimuli.
18. Provide recognition for quality work (e.g., display the student’s work, congratulate the student, etc.).
19. Use in an assortment of ways for the student to acquire information without copying it (e.g., teacher-made content, commercially produced content, photocopy of the content, etc.).
20. Provide the student a short break while they are working on monotonous tasks to relieve restlessness and improve concentration.
21. Consider using one of the apps on one of our best writing apps lists:
The Tech Edvocate’s List of 31 Grammar & Writing Apps, Tools & Resources
Ten Apps to Help Learners Develop Writing Skills
10 of the Best Grammar and Writing Apps for Elementary School Learners
11 of the Best Grammar and Writing Apps for High School Learners
10 of the Best Grammar and Writing Apps for Middle School Learners
