DONNA,
further education & knowledge seeking really is a key to helping these students.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree with this statement. College courses like this one, help instructors and provide support for those individuals who need more help. By reading up on the subject and educating yourself on lots of disabilities, allow you (as an instructor),to provide recognition of individuals who have those problems.
Denise,
good question. You will not become aware of the disability in an "official" way unless the student does disclose this. However, there are certain indicators that you can watch for & try to help, without crossing the line of violating privacy.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
How do you become aware of a disability if the adult student does not address?
I agree. I worked with one student who was challenged in the arena of math. In vocational college he was not only entering at a self proclaimed 3rd grade level but also had been taught by his family that math wasn't important. He described himself as hating math.
I had a great time showing this student that math was not only worthwhile but also fun. In order to accomplish that goal I had to be very careful not to frustrate him. We celebrated each and every achievement. We approached each type of math skill from several angles. Different strategies worked for different skills. For example fractions versus graphing. By addressing his motivation first and the math second we were able to successfully get him through both pre-algebra and algebra the first time through. He now helps his son with his math homework and says with a smile that he doesn't hate math anymore. I was inspired by his hard work and determination despite his challenges.
Stacey,
you make an excellent point here. By getting to know our students better we have a better chance of getting them the help they really need.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree the faculty need to know the student's background with learning difficulties. The difficulty may not be a true disablilty and need different approaches to learning. I have worked with students in lab and seen varying degrees of competency. The competency performance may be based on experience or lack of experience. If the faculty is not aware of the students with disablilities and their "needs" we may not know to allow for more time with that competency.
Marie,
yes the simple act of asking them what works best for them is a great strategy.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
One of the best ways to learn is by asking students with learning disabilities what helps them. They have been dealing with their disability for a long time. They have learned what strategies work for them. It could be as simple as a quiet room without distracts for taking tests or maybe just more time.
My daughter has a learning disability diagnosed by the time she was 2. She has overcome many uphill battles, but is a better person for it. My advise to her has always been to talk to her teachers, it works.
Joe,
yes, the better informed we are the more likely we will be able to help each of the students that enters our class.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Katie,
this is an excellent point. Taking the time to discuss with the student & to find out what has helped him/her in the past is a great way to be the most help in the present.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
educating yourself on the different learning disabilities an recognizing them, this coures has been very helpfull.
I ask our ADL coordinator for a copy of the student's IEP -- if they have one. Also, the coordinator has interviewed the student and has specific information about how to help them -- if the student was willing to give this information. Some students do not "self-advocate" and the instructor is quite limited in providing specific help. Many students also tell me what has worked in the past for them -- and other instructors also give tips about how to help specific students.
I agree with the course here -- the most common accommodation requested by students with learning disabilities is extra time to take a test or quiz. This is easy to accommodate, usually.
In addition, I offer extra tutoring about a class so that the student gets one-on-one help with me or the dept chair -- the best resource we have to help review material from the class and review homework errors and correct understanding.
There are classes that specialize in the different types of learning disabilities. But I also think that it is important to interact with the student, and get to know them. They will almost always tell you what is helpful and what they are having a problem understanding. I also ask the student if what I'm doing is helpful. All of this in a respectful manner... sometimes humor helps as well.
You can learn how to help a student with learning disabilities by first talking to them to see where they are struggling and if they have formally been diagnosed.
Ledio,
this is a great service & one for which to be thankful; unfortunately this is not always the case.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
At our school, the Student Services, sometimes (not always) supplies us with notes letting us know a certain student may have a learning disability. I usually allow them more time as well as more personalized instructions.
through your classes by using diferent ways to help them.
andrew,
glad it was helpful. It really does help to take that step back & try to understand what the student is/may be going through as we try to help them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The information in this course is very helpful in helping me to think about the student's needs more and more as I grow in education. Getting to understand what is needed for students with learning disabilities will help me focus on following up with specific information in areas I need further knowldege. Also, I think learning to not get fustrated with students who are having difficulties; take a step back and really look at what the students needs are to better understand the information.
