The most important aspect is viewed as being available, where the student does not have to apologize for being a bother. Idnetification of the needs and commitment to the factors of both the student and the instructor should be encouraged.
Kelly,
these are great ideas, thank you for sharing from your experience.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Depending on the student support systems show students an opportunity for success. Tutors are examples of support systems
Abigial, I find most of them can read, it just takes them more time.
I've made it through to my bachelor and almost complete with my masters, but it has taken longer to get there than the "normal" traditional students. :) And I also did so with two learning disabled boys, and a job. It has paid off as well, as I am now an instructor, extern coordinator, and a program supervisor at the school I work at.
As instructors, we need to worry about engaging these students in the objectives they need to know to succeed and they will figure out the rest when it's necessary.
As a mom that dealt with IEPs all throughout grade school for both of my boys, it is my experience that the instructor needs to be patient and understand that it is a cognitive disconnect and not some behavioral problem. Patience, compassion, and deliberate understanding works wonders for students with any type of learning disability.
If the instructor provides these 3 qualities, it has been my experience as an instructor, that the student will apply themselves more willingly and become engaged within the learning environment. These 3 qualities allow these students to feel comfortable to be self-advocates to their situation because that feel they are not automatically viewed as slow, stupid, or just lazy.
I explained a colored index card system that I use in forum 3 that also applies in this forum. Having them write those few criteria on them gives me the opportunity to assess my brand new students to hopefully get a jump on finding any challanges such as these so a plan can be made as quickly as possible, not after the first test and they fail. It also lets them know right away that I do care for each of them as individuals although I must teach to the class as a whole.
I sometimes ask students that are having trouble learning, to think about and write down methods that have helped them learn in the past. This is particularly helpful for young students who may not have made this consideration before.
Developing a good rapport with the student and having proper feedback will help the instructor determine what works for the student.
The key is to pay attention to your students. Find out when they are most attive in class. This will help determine what methods of teaching best works for the student.
Being available to the students and allowing them to determine what additional help they need is often helpful. It helps keep the students on track to have the additional support without taking up the other students' learning time in the classroom.
I try to have many different methods to present the material to the students.
- Reading chapters and paragraphs from a book.
- Powerpoint presentation with pictures to condense the information from the book.
- Aural explanations with examples after reading the book or Powerpoint for students with reading disabilities.
I have found that I will lose the students quickly if they are not interested or have a disability with only one method. After taking this course I am going to be more proactive in a students background.
I have had students with learning disabilities, and by far it seems most just need a little extra time; especially during a test. It definitely is of great help to the instructor to know what supports have worked well in the past for each individual student with a learning disability. Very interesting module.
All instruction should use multiple methods which increases the likelihood of reaching each student. Specifically for students with learning disabilities, audio-visual presentations may provide additional support because multiple senses are being engaged.
Often times the student doesn't know what is wrong with them and they just think their stupid. Teachers need to be aware of the potential signs of these kinds of disabilities.
Speaking with the student and discovering what methods and strategies have helped in the past is a good starting point. Once that has been established, the instructor can chose from a variety of instructional supports in the form of presentation, response, timing, setting, and materials.
Tehea,
Formal assessments or access to verified information is the best way to help these students,although this is not always available to us.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Students that know they have learning disabilities and are pro-active by letting instructors know what has helped and worked for them in the past worked for both student and instructor. On the other hand, when a student does not know or has not become aware of his or her learning disabilities, the instructor must use assessments to evaluate the student's performance in class to ensure success.
Linda,
Yes, the more we can connect our assignments to the real world & the work world, the more our students will be engaged & motivated to participate & learn.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I teach advanced reading composition, and I find that it helps to make the assignment more meaningful if you relate it to a career challenge. This raises the student's level of motivation and makes the assignment worthy.
I worry about how these students will do in the workplace when they cannot read.
Lina,
Absolutely, ask the students & they often can tell us what works best for them.
Dr. Ryan Meers
