Literacy Activities Handbook - Saskatchewan Association of Rehabilitation Centres

Some suggestions on instructing learners with intellectual / developmental disabilities from Dr. Sid Womack of Arkansas Tech University are:

Keep the learning environment uncomplicated – do not overwhelm the learners with choices.
Before moving on to something more complicated, ensure that the learner has mastered the present lesson.
When the learner does something correct, be generous with your praise.
When correcting the learner, always do so privately.
Since memory retention can be a problem, test and re-test every day. A learner who may have known something well yesterday, may have forgotten it today.
Give learners one thing at a time to learn.
Some topics, such as algebraic formulas, complex sentence structures, complicated pieces of music and involved bookkeeping procedures, are poor candidates for inclusion in an appropriate curriculum.
To ensure success, avoid giving the learner activities that are not developmentally appropriate for their mental age.
As for all learners, good lesson design is important when working with learners with intellectual / developmental disabilities. Good lesson design incorporates learning goals for each activity.
Modelling the behaviour or expected finished product can be helpful.
Severely limit the amount of input you provide before repeating yourself to the learner, since short lessons are good lessons.

Adapted from:
Dr. Sid Womack, Mental Retardation 9/29/99 (Online Lesson) Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Arkansas Tech University [http://education.atu.edu/people/swomack/MR/index.htm]