Yes, using the peer teaching strategy can be very helpful & powerful.
Simon,
I think that letting your students know that you are okay with them stopping you etc. is good. I think some dont do this because they feel it is somehow disrespectful. So I find that I have to continually repeat the necessity of making sure they grasp the concept and not just moving on and giving them the freedom to interrupt.
I like to put my students into groups that include strong readers with students with learning needs. If the personalities are what I thought they were, then my strong students are able to follow-up with the vocabulary and concepts covered in class.
Absolutely Fredrik. I encourage my students to stop me if I am going too fast (sometimes I get carried away), backtrack and repeat, rephrase, whatever it takes to get the point across.
I found that animated power points augment the learning/teaching processes. I incorporate, videos, and audio into my presentations. I encourage feedback and discussions. During class I may create a spontaneous quiz, I call rapid fire. This is verbal questions and answers. There are no winners and to bring the shy ones out, I often tossed a soft bean bag to the students to catch. That student must answer the question. It’s fun. This works with the handicap student, they like the attention of receiving the bean bag. Often they cannot catch it… I just hand it to them and they will always laugh and toss it back. The prize is usually a stick of gum or something stupid like a pencil. Again no one wins.
Your "Peanut Butter and Jelly" strategy is marvelous. Why haven't I thought of that? !!!
The best stratgy for me is patience and encouragment.
Greetings!
Lenore, when students don't feel pressured into learning and they can process information at their own pace true learning takes place. This is probably not a practical approach for most college level course, but somehow educators should be able to encourage students to work that into their study habits.
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED10 Facilitator
I had to change the way I did a few things in the classroom for a student for which English was her second language. The practice of orally quizzing students at the beginning of class to determine their readiness for the lesson was changed to writing these questions on a short piece of paper - She explained that her response was quicker in response to written English. Another thing I did in relation to written essays in class was to reveal the topic or topics to choose from the lesson prior to the class assignment. This allowed her(and any others)to pre-write, organize and formulize her/their thoughts at her/their own rate and relieved pressure in class. She has graduated and I have kept these practices. I have discovered that the quality of writing for these adult students has risen.
That little extra attention is so important. it certainly can help students build self confidence.
Good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
math is often a problem in my classroom that has brought such fear to my class that soemhave shutdown completely to even trying to learn it. I often use my own experience as having very little math skills as an example to encourage them to try and to show them that if I can do it they can. most importantly i tell them i will teach them after class one on one as the stigma is often the reason behind their feelings of shutting down with math.
I have found when I identify a student with needs, I offer them time on either side of class to come in and go over the previous day's topics. Really reinforcing them to come prepared and repeating the lecture, terms, and demonstration notes seems to have an impact on their grasp of the class.
I have worked with a variety of students with learning needs including one individual who suffered some brain damage from a car accident. They had trouble with memory retention when it came to some culinary techniques. I gave them a small notebook with a pencil attached and said "as we review everything, I want you to write it down with words, symbols, pictures or what every you need to do to understand it as we proceed on." It worked.
Some strategies that I have used are to let them come in early or stay late to ask questions and have clarity in assignments and course content. I would also pair them up with a strong student sitting next to them. Please remember to ask the stronger student if they mind helping out a little. The stronger student can be another voice to help them understand concepts and content.
I love your example of a "peanut butter and jelly sandwich"! I'll definitly have to try it! Thanks!
I try to approach the material from various ways and also to reassure the student that they aren't "stupid". If we experiment, we can often find a way the student can learn to learn.
You are very fortunate Heather. I agree that having support is beneficial for both faculty and student. At my campus we have Academic Support Staff as well as the Academic Skills Center where students can receive free tutoring in the basics such as writing and math, receive help on editing their term papers, and many other free services. I still like to help my students 1-on-1 if necessary, but it is nice to know that there is a back-up plan if there is a conflict in schedule.
Hi Heather!
What a wonderful support person for both the student and the instructor! It is difficult for an instructor to be all things to all people in a classroom setting.
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
We are fortunate at our campus to have an Academic Support Specialist. Students are able to meet with the Specialist to determine what their needs are and waht accomodations have to be made in the classroom. The Specialist then meets with the faculty to make sure that the accommodations are implemented.
I recently had a situation with teaching a student where English was her second language. I couldn't get basic concepts across. However, when I evaluated her class projects and written quiz, I realized that the missing link was speech. So, I got her tutoring that just involved conversing in English.
