Instructional Support for Students with Learning Disabilities

Public

Discussion:

I was an adjunct for approximately 8-9 years before becoming a full time faculty. My academic training is not in Education. What I know about teaching is the experience gained throughout my 14 years as a teacher and from taking courses such as this one.

It is interesting how the trial and error method eventually produces some effective results. I have probablly had more students with learning issues in the last few years than I had the entire previous many years of teaching.

Reading this module has actually taught me that I was actually doing the right thing in the most recent cases. For instance, I would allow a student to take a test in a separate room and allowed them additional time. Once I realized the student's situation and discussed this technique with them they always produced resulting grades comparable to the other students in the class.

I also began preparing "notes", or "bullet points" typed in larger print. These notes were distributed to all class members at the beginning of each week. I did this to avoid accusations of "special treatment", nor did I want the intended student to feel any "shame" for receiving them. It was amazing how all the students enjoyed and benefited from these notes.

This little extra effort on my part produced incredible results with all students and not just the students needing the special attention. The students with the learning difficulty never did forget what I did for them and never hesitate in telling others how I helped them become better students. I was amazed and thrilled with the results and response received from just a small amount of extra effort and concern on my part. If that is all it takes on the part of a teacher to affect a change in our student's lives then there is not a single one of us that would hesitate in doing the same thing anytime.
-Alan Whalen

Thanks, Alan! I encourage all ED106 participants to read Alan's comments; they are clearly summative and motivational as to what a little instructor effort will yield in the lives of learners. I took the liberty to repeat below: I was an adjunct for approximately 8-9 years before becoming a full time faculty. My academic training is not in Education. What I know about teaching is the experience gained throughout my 14 years as a teacher and from taking courses such as this one. It is interesting how the trial and error method eventually produces some effective results. I have probablly had more students with learning issues in the last few years than I had the entire previous many years of teaching. Reading this module has actually taught me that I was actually doing the right thing in the most recent cases. For instance, I would allow a student to take a test in a separate room and allowed them additional time. Once I realized the student's situation and discussed this technique with them they always produced resulting grades comparable to the other students in the class. I also began preparing "notes", or "bullet points" typed in larger print. These notes were distributed to all class members at the beginning of each week. I did this to avoid accusations of "special treatment", nor did I want the intended student to feel any "shame" for receiving them. It was amazing how all the students enjoyed and benefited from these notes. This little extra effort on my part produced incredible results with all students and not just the students needing the special attention. The students with the learning difficulty never did forget what I did for them and never hesitate in telling others how I helped them become better students. I was amazed and thrilled with the results and response received from just a small amount of extra effort and concern on my part. If that is all it takes on the part of a teacher to affect a change in our student's lives then there is not a single one of us that would hesitate in doing the same thing anytime. -Alan Whalen

Related Learning Opportunities

ED101 - Effective Teaching Strategies

ED103 - Student Learning and Assessment

ED106 - Enhancing Student Learning

ED107 - Creating an Accelerated Learning Environment

ED111R - Active Learning Methods

ED114 - Questioning in the Classroom

ED124 - Flipping Your Classroom

ED125 - Effective and Efficient Instructional Strategies

ED129 - Practical Applications for the Flipped Classroom

ED136 - Assessment Alternatives for Instructors

ED143R - The Most Effective Instructor: Scholar and Facilitator

ED206 - Teaching in the Lab and Shop Environment

Instructional Delivery & Assessment