Students with Learning Challenges
As a professor with dyslexia, I'm particularly sensitive to the ways in which we can modify our instruction to assist students with particular learning challenges. I'm always eager to hear new strategies for helping students.
I currently have two students with ADD who have difficult processes all of the requirements of the courses they're in, so for each new assignment, they read the requirements, then rephrase them back to me to be sure they understand what's required of them and ask any questions that have come up. It's helped both students complete their assignments.
I'd love to hear any other ideas from instructors who've had experience working with students in this situation
Hi Michele,
This is a very good approach. What you are doing is creating a baseline of knowledge about your students. By having them do the reading and writing exercise you learn which students are going to need some additional support and/or tutorial assistance. This knowledge will also help you when you break them up into work groups. You will know how to blend the members of the groups to get a balanced working group.
Gary
Our college has many students with varying abilities and learning styles. I find it helpful to have them read in short sections out loud and paraphrase what they understood. Then they are encouraged to explain the process to another student to help reinforce what they learned. Sometimes I learn from them the best way to communicate in their terms.
Michele Lurch
12/11/09
Whe it comes to students with challenges, we work as a team, every member jump into help, so we can be ensure to place that student in the right place
Hi Jennifer,
Your student is very fortunate to have an instructor like you that understands how to assist someone with a learning disability. Based upon your own experience you can identify those supports that will be of help to such a student. Good to hear about your success with highlighting the parts of words and giving extra time for test taking. Little things that make a big difference.
Gary
As an instructor with ADD, I can quickly spot the symptoms in students. After establishing a teacher\student relationship, I encourage them to sit in the front. When they zone out I'll joke with them and say "come back to me". I also have them repeat things to me that I had just said and verbally quiz them periodically through out the class. I do that to all my students, but more so with them.
I am also a professor with visual dyslexia. I have a student with a learning disability currently in one of my term classes. We have worked on circling/underlining parts of words to get the complete understanding. I also encourage him to read his test aloud (he has a separate testing room) as he takes it so he see and hears the words, this really helped me.
Hello Gary,
Thank you for sharing your approach to helping students with processing disorders. I appreciate it.
Alexandria
Hi Alexandria,
Something I use with students with dyslexia or other decoding/comprehension issues is guided notes. I prepare a handout with the key point and under each key point one or two blanks for the students to fill in. This way they can focus on the key points and the information about those points without having to decide which information is important, since it is already listed they know it is important. These notes really help the students to keep up with the lectures and to study for tests.
Gary
I have not encountered a student with a learning challenge, at least that I was able to detect or that was shared by the student with me. I like your post and need to remember that there is a possibility I will encounter students with such challenges and need to be cognizant prior to making any assumptions.
