You can monitor your students during class. Be aware of writing and reading skills.
Great idea Jeanette!
I give students 3 x 5 cards asking them for for info about themselves with a very brief bio. Then we give to another student and they share with the class. This has worked very well and often leads to some fun conversation - a great ice breaker.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
On the first day of class I have the student journal (at least a page) why they are returning to school, their personal goals, and any additional information they believe to be necessary for me to know in order to help them learn effectively. At the same time I can review handwriting and sentence structure.
Hi Dawn!
Assessing student needs and then addressing in a classroom setting is not easy and can be very time consuming. I continue to suggest that what we do for one student we work into our presentations and we do it for all students. We can all use a little extra help. Of course, you will have those students who have greater need which has to be addressed one-on-one.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
I look closely at their assisgnments and this is what works best for me. Some of my students have a very difficult time writing complete sentences and their grammar is poor. We have a high number of spanish speaking students and I have notice that their is a little bit of a language barrier as well. However, I encourage my students to come and see me if they have any problems with their assignments. They know that I have an open door policy and I am never too busy to help them.
I love to work with the students on a one on one basis. It lets me see what they know and also makes them feel like you actually care about how they are doing. I have worked with a few Russian students at my school and have gotten along fairly well with them and have understood and met their needs for learning without sacrificing the rest of the class.
Individual meetings. Whenever possible, I take time to meet with students and discuss any issue that they may have. Sometimes, when the student has no perceived issues, we just "chat." This provides an opportunity for me to assess their progress both as a student, and as an individual. In these meetings, I can get an overall picture of how the student, and the class, is progressing and aquiring the information and what, if any, adjustments I may need to make.
Students "tell on themselves" as to their absorption of the skills, concepts and techniques by their daily verbal interactions with me, their task performance and their written assignment or quiz performance. Paying close attention to all three areas helps me know when there is a learning need to be addressed.
The first day of class, administer a Pre-test questionaire that will allow the student to honestly share how they learned in the past and if they had any learning challenges when they were in high school. The information gathered from the survey will give the Instructor background information to assist the student with their learning in the course.
I like to present an instructional video or movie based on the subject and have learners write their views and synopsis. This has been quite an eye opener as an assessment tool.
What are some ways you can assess student learning needs?
Through testing and, quizzes, papers and presentations an instructor can develop a comprehensive assessment of a student. The instructor will see ways the student learns and then develop methods to enhance the learning processes
Use a variety of tasks and assignments early in the class sequence so ther are no surprises for you, or the student, later.
Another simple way to gauge if their might be any learning issues is by monitoring the level of class participation. Students who seldom participate may lack an understanding of course material although other factors may come into play (personality, interest level, etc.).
Learning just like life is a 2-way street. Allowing ample opportunties for students to raise questions and express their frustrations can open new avenues for learning if guided correctly.
I believe the every student has the capacity to learn. Being creative in teaching unconsciously alows the students to explore new ways of learning.
Very good point Joseph. Every person has their own learning style. Having an understanding of how students learn can better need the needs of the students.
One course I teach is called career development. In this course, I have them do a pre-test are the begining of the course to have them assess problem areas. Students are provided information on those areas throughout the course. They are them given a post-test at the end of the course (similar to pre-test).
There are two basic ways to assess student's needs: one way is the direct approach. They can be approached directly via surveys, quizes, or questionnaires. Their learning needs can be assesed indirectly through classroom observation, past academic experiences (report cards, transcripts, etc.) and feedback from other faculty.
Hi Virginia!
Making students feel important is a very reenforcing teaching technique. I like the idea of students participating as well. I am of the mind that often more is to be learned about a subject from experiences that a text.
Good job!
Jane davis
ED10 Facilitator
Encourage questions. When answered give recognition to the student in a positive way--use praise when appropriate. Love your technique of asking other students to help add clarity if a student gives an inaccurate answer. This creates a forum where students participate and learn--even the hesitant ones.
