Holli,
yes, the help & attention mixed with continuing to challenge them is a great way to help these students succeed.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I try to see learning disabilites as obstacles similar to those everyone expereinces, while still unique to the individual of course. In doing this, I look for ways to challenge the student to build skills that they may have feared they were unable to build before. By acknowledging their past difficulties, but still challenging them to develop truly competitive skills, I find many students with learning disabilities can move beyond a previous comfort zone to a place of higher personal educational growth. Sometimes, however, a student may need to feel comfortable enough to give it a try. This can be the greatest challenge.
For me, I have found that self esteem in students with learning disabilities is the greatest challenge. Getting that student to see themselves as able to do everything that the other students are doing just as good if not better is sometimes a daunting task.
This is a great question. This is a good thinker. I would say the greatest challenge is to determine whether a student has a legitimate learning disability.
First, it's understanding if there is an actual learning disability with proper documentation or (senior) academic advisement. Then meeting with the student to determine the best enhancements for their success in the course.
The second part is not allowing students who say they have a learning disability without validation/documentation to use it as a crutch. I am not making light of a possible learning disability. There are many adults who might not have been properly assessed in their previous academic environments. I am referring to those students who were told that they had a disability by a family member or possible educator, which hindered their previous chances to succeed. Now that they are in college, they might expect special concessions with testing, grading, etc.
Stephanie,
Sadly this is all too often the case & while we want to do what we can to help we are limited without an official diagnosis.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Reading issues are difficult but to me, students with speech impediments are the most difficult to support.
My biggest challenge has been not having students that are fully aware of their learning disability. Perhaps they had an idea that they struggle to retain or comprehend information in a learning environment, but they haven't been properly guided into Understanding what that means for them. They sometimes resort to believing themselves "dumb", "slow", etc. Until they are evaluated by an observant educator and taught, guided through their disability in a respectful environment. However, I've also seen adults with learning disabilities that are in denial, or refuse to address the issue and rely on manipulative means to accomplish tasks; This is usually a result from previous ridicule or fear of being labeled unintelligent.
Craig,
the balancing act is a difficult one but can yield important results.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The hardest part is making sure they are getting the proper amount of support they need, without shortchanging my other students. On a number of occasions we will have another Instructor read the test with the student to make sure he understands what the questions are asking for.
B. A.,
I love the emphasis here on the personalized touch & conversation; I think this is key to finding success with our students, especially those who are struggling.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
It would seem that that challenge here for me when I have a student with a learning disability is to discern what will work best for the student. Some students are very forthcoming and they will let you know what works for them, others not so much. For the forthcoming students, facilitating their needs is a matter of figuring out what works best for them into the class structure. For the others, I find that a conversation that continues throughout the term which seeks to be flexible and integrates what turns out to be best for the student as we go along is ideal. With the ongoing conversation between the student and me, the facilitation for the student can change as needed. This adaptive methodology seems to work.
As you said it is a big challenge for the instructor, as instructors we should keep a balance into the classroom, so we have to personalize each students needs.
Catering your lesson to meet their needs and hoping that others are not neglected in the process.
Jeff,
Yes if we can possibly identify them early on in the class this is the best situation.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Identifying the student early enough to ensure that all theirs needs are being met and getting them the resources they need to be successful.
Laura,
the repetition of the material in slightly different forms is a great way to help students learn the material.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Chemo,
this is a great example of an instructor being tuned into your students & seeking to help them as much as possible.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I find it important that all my students understand the material before I go on to the next topic. Occasionally I notice a student who has a learning disability known to me look a bit confused. I repeat the material with different examples so that the student can understand it yet I am careful not to have the student stand out to the other students as not comphrending the material as quickly as they do. It is a challenge I welcome. I won't leave any student behind.
The greatest challenge I had is a student who did reasonably well in verbal responses, when it was a written quiz, test or exam, what this student saw on the paper was a scrambling of letters, and would get frustrated.
Another student I noticed a similar pattern however this particular classes most of the tests were m/c questions and I saw the b's and d's being reversed. With this student I thought let me try a bubble sheet and I advised her when before she writes her answer to say to her self b for Ben and D for David. She took longer to finish, but she this strategy worked rather well with her. Not sure it would work for everyone, but in this case it did. We were both elated.
-Chemo Faustino-Moraes
Michael,
This is a good reminder for both parties.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
