Understanding diverse learners is key in all classroom environments. The instructor is seldom aware of the kinds of students / learners in most classroom settings. As noted in this segment, many students are deficient in many basic abilities. Therefore, the instructor should expect and have the ability to adapt their instructional designs accordingly.
Announce that..."If anyone has suggestions for me about ways to help you grasp subject matter easier feel free to call, email, text, or set up a meeting time with me. I will be happy to implement any tool to make this course successful for you!"
I use TBLS(Think,Build,Live,Success)which is a three-part life skills and self-empowerment program whose goal is to help students realize their full potential.The program utilizes a variety of creative means to help students assess their strengths and weaknesses ,establish and achieve their goals .Through group discussions,games and other activities we focus on topics such as previous experience,motivation,learning styles and study tips,managing stress,establishing plan of action for moving forward.
1 - Enquire about their backgrounds , where they see their skill sets and deficiencies.
2 - Pair them with other students who have had the same life experiences as well as learning challenges , and then succeeded.
3 - I present materials in a variety of ways , then take note of what seems to get across more effectively.
4 - Have them complete a psychomotor skill or demonstrate a concept after verbal instruction , lets you know if the information was retained.
5 - I " always " instruct my students to be honest with me about the comprehension of the material. I say to them , " I'll explain it upside down and backwards " if that is what it takes. Students all learn in different ways , and I need to know if I am getting across.
The student I had in my class once just came up and told me after class. I was then able to figure out how I could accomodate that student without any problem to the other students.
In today's global economy and increasing enrollment in post-secondary institutions, it is important for colleges to provide faculty and administration with diversity training. Simply, web based instruction may reach staff far and wide. Additionally, faculty and administration should engage in action research projects to better manage risks and gain a shared understanding on this topic.
Get personal with your students. Show them that you care about their success. ASK about their needs. Protect their personal confidences. the better your rapport with them, the more they'll open up to you. Training courses such as this one will provide you with the "Tools" you need, but it's important to remember that: "They ARE looking up to you - for instruction, guidance, assistance, and as an "Accomplished" example. Try you best to be the HERO that they think you are. You'll always go to bed at night with a smile on your face.
What are some ways you can learn about the needs of diverse learners?
A "First day" written assessment-quiz will reveal an amazing amount of contextual, social and academic information about each student. I usually arrange the order of the questions, in a fashion that allows me to make each one progressively more intricate than the previous question. This then, becomes a "Base" which allows me to accomplish (2) things. First, it gives me a feel for how the students are able to "concept-build" on the answer to the previous question. Secondly, I formulate a personalized comment for each answer. Example: "Your concept of this problem (or lack thereof) seems to be somewhat (or not at all) correct, however, if I were answering this question, I might have phrased it in this manner ....etc. Then I would propose the correct concept, being sure to state it in the best possible language, grammar, and spelling, so that the student (A) grasps the idea and sees the relevance, and (B) gradually overcomes the fear of not being able to express themselves properly. Over the long haul, you will ultimately help to fulfill both needs.
The simplest way is to be direct and ask students about their individual learning styles without making assumptions. Quizzes also give you an opportunity to assess whether you have met your objectives in meeting the learning needs of students.
That is a great idea. Sometimes student's do feed off of each other and can get learning technique's by observing or asking a peer for help.
I think you can learn about diverse learner by talking to instructors that have had this issue before. Maybe go on a website about diverse learners. You could also just talk to the student and ask what has worked best for them in the past, and see if you can incorporate that technique into your classroom.
WENDY,
I agree that by engaging each of our students at the individual level we have a much greater chance of identifying the learning diversities we have.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Thomas,
I appreciate the way you have broadened the idea of diverse learners to account for the many ways in which our students are diverse & realizing this does impact their learning.
Dr. Ryan Meers
We can learn about our student's needs or learning styles by openly discussing what their expectations are for the course and the instructor. We can also get a real understanding of the learning capabilities and a sense of their learning needs by asking them each to write a brief biography at the beginning of the course. This will give the instructor a look into the reading and writing ability too from the first day of the course.
It is important to create diverse groups as we learned earlier. Identifying students who are strong in some areas and paring them up with students who may be weak in areas can benefit both students.
As an instructor you first have to find out what type of student(s)you have in your class. Taking that into consideration then look into their background in education, life interest, and most of all why are they here at the school. The students are from different cultures and religions and this has to play a factor in the teaching style.
I tend to ask my students how they learn best. If they are not sure then I explain to them the different types of learning: visual, auditory, or kinesthetic and give an example of each to see which one they can relate to. If this doesn't work then I will ask them after a lesson if they felt that they were able to grasp the information or if another type of presentation would be more effective. The reason this has worked for me so far in my short experience is that my classes have been rather small, only from 1-3 students so I can easily personalize my course.
Emily,
This is a great idea. It is very possible that some of our students have never really thought about this before & this might help them determine their best way to learn.
Dr. Ryan Meers
An early discussion with the entire class about different learning styles can really help; some students are very clear that they are "visual learners" and like clear instructions written on the board and/or hands-on demontstration. Others may say they really need aural cues and repetition of the material read out loud. As other (diverse) learners, who may be unaware of their preferred learning methods, listen to their peers desribe their own needs toward optimal learning, they may be cued to think about how they learn best. The instructor can help by suggesting that students often do have a variety of learning styles that suit them and offer examples that can be embellished by the students.
Maksuda,
I think you nailed it; the key is to be tuned into our students & really pay attention to whether or not they are understanding what I am teaching.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Sometimes asking students directly, one by one how they learn best will elicit a lot of information. Those students who know their particular learning styles can describe them and the students who are unaware of their most effective learning styles are stimulated to explore their own experiences and come up with personal examples illuminating learning styles when their learning was easiest and most effective.
