<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Special Strategies]]></title><description><![CDATA[Special Strategies]]></description><link>https://www.special-strategies.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:12:14 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.special-strategies.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Why Students Struggle With Variables (And How to Help)]]></title><description><![CDATA[For many students, variables feel like the moment math “stops making sense.” One day they’re adding and subtracting numbers, and the next day there’s a letter in the problem. For students with learning differences, this jump can be especially confusing and frustrating. But variables don’t have to be scary. When we slow down, make the language concrete, and give students lots of supported practice, they can learn to see variables as helpful tools—not tricks. In this post, we’ll look at why...]]></description><link>https://www.special-strategies.com/post/exploring-creative-approaches-to-student-learning</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a2b0b2c418318a8f7deb77a</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:23:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c99c02_d02ebc3057674958b7108d38cea1cd91~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_868,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Ashlee</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Hands-On Approach to Teaching Area, Perimeter, and Volume]]></title><description><![CDATA[Area, perimeter, and volume show up everywhere in the real world—but for many students, these ideas feel like three similar, slippery terms that all blend together. For students with learning differences, the vocabulary, formulas, and word problems can quickly become overwhelming. A hands-on, visual approach can change that. When we connect each concept to real objects, real contexts, and clear language, students start to see the difference between “space inside,” “distance around,” and “how...]]></description><link>https://www.special-strategies.com/post/innovative-teaching-methods-for-engaging-classrooms</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a2b0b2744c7bef1d02aec48</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:23:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c99c02_6c1d0f370a0e4c3bb16e405c8dc43f54~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_801,h_407,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Ashlee</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What Is Word Mapping?]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you teach reading, you’ve probably watched a student “sound out” the same word over and over. Word mapping is what helps that word finally stick. Word mapping (or orthographic mapping) is the process our brains use to store words so we can read and spell them automatically. Instead of memorizing whole words as shapes, students connect the sounds they hear in a word to the letters they see on the page. Over time, that word becomes a “known friend” they can read and spell without effort. For...]]></description><link>https://www.special-strategies.com/post/what-is-word-mapping</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a2b0b269095d1fb2e82ade4</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:23:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c99c02_56fe29cb52e84b0d95c31a699d489b92~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Ashlee</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>