What a great approach Victoria! If we think about it - we all have some type of disability that we must learn adjusting techniques.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
Help them understand that a disability is not the end of the world or a bar to their success. It's just something to work around. I compare it to arm length -- my arms aren't long enough to reach the top shelf, so I have to use tools to get things from there. To work with short arms -- or disabilities -- requires that you accept the situation and adapt. I let them know that I'm not an expert in adaptation for learning disabilities, but I'm willing to help them experiment with different adaptations to see what works. Presenting it as a collaborative effort, and as a normal part of learning, seems to help a lot.
I find that most students with an actual learning disability will take advantage of all the services available to them. But, there are a few who use their disability as a crutch and expect differential treatment. I talk to each student individually and explain what accomodations they are allowed and how they will be assessed. That way, it is clear that I am not changing the requirements of the course and I am holding them accountable for their work.
Thanks, Gregg! Key point flash cards are particualrly effective in working with learning disabilities and also engage the visual learning style. They can even be used not only to introduce information, repetitively, but also to sequence information when a procedure or process is involved. They can also be used in learning activities.
Jay
ED106 Guest Co-Facilitator
Providing tutoring, involving stronger students to provide some assistance, such as making recordings of their text readings, or reading aloud to the students who need the assistance...these ideas have worked in the K-12 environment. Other ideas can include helping the students to find community resources (sometimes interpreters or volunteers who are interested in getting in-class credit toward their own education might be available), make key-point flash cards and/or PowerPoint slides for the students to preview and review.
once you know what the disability is you can tailor your style that might benefit that particular student.
There are many articles and books written about Learning Disabilities. Check them out, or talk with special educators who deal with this type of student. Try using or suggesting some of the tips you have acquired. Also see if past students with these disabilities would be willing to contact a student to discuss how they were able to achieve their goals.
Thanks Joe for all the great info you have shared! Being prepared for learning disabled in adult education is probably challening for most of us.
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED106
There are many resources available through the internet and local courses or organizations to assit the instructor with techniques to help students with learning disibilites. Localy, an organization called ADA For You provides material, free classes and advisors to those wishing to learn more. Local Community Colleges and Department of Education also offer assistance. This and other organizations provide free assitantance for both students and instructors to develop methods to succeed. We also cover these topics in faculty development courses run internally to our school. one online source is the National Center for the Learning Disabled www.ncld.org Although many resources are geared toward early intervention for children, a lot of information is available for adults.
It seems that sometimes my class is riddled with students that have learning disabilities. Usually this is rflected in their written exams but when it comes to skill set they are usually very gifted. Thankfully our exams are lightly weighted as a whole. Sometimes a student might ask me to read them the exam, other times they just want to accept that they have these challenges and doing well on written tests just isn't their thing. For the most part, I try to make myself available. If they want to discuss theier IEP with me they know I have open ears to do so.
True it is always best to give support to students with learning disablities and it is also very emportant to make sure they also know that they are to give themselfs a good try at what they are trying to do, if not they may in some cases just want you to give them the answers to what ever they are taking at the time. I have seen a few student that give it thier all and more looking for the free ride that was given them earlier in life because of thier disablity. Which to me is not helping them become better at what they are trying to do in life, and in some cases is setting them up for failer which can be even more devistating than just not passing a class.
I would say having patience, a sense of direction from the student, and the effort to research solutions that have succeeded in the past (available on any search engine).
For me, the patience of coaxing the specific problem seems to be the greatest issue—probably because the students don't want to be seen as different from their peers.
Time and encouragement is the best.
Students with learning disabilities should be excluded from the fastpaced classroom structure and be placed in groups relevant to their pace of learning. They should be provided with instructors who will demonstrate patience and attention in order to tune up their ability to learn at their own pace.
Talk with the student to understand what is the challenge and methods that have been used in the past. Research and observe similar situations to analyze the pros and cons to different support methods.
There is a tutor in our library at school and I allow students with disabilities to take their exam in the library. This allowa more time during the test and the tutor can can help out with the reading of the questions on the exam. In class I hand out an extra study guide outlined with pertinent information. They have found this useful.
If they are required to do a lot of writing, then it is good if they can use a computer. Type-written assignments are more easily read by the instructor and provide the student the means to make him/herself better understood.
Giving students with disabilities more time to complete assignments can provide the extra support needed for them to succeed. Patience can also go a long way. I also believe that providing a quiet space with no distractions while taking tests/quizzes can go a long way as well.
