Strategies for working with students with learning needs involves the instructor first establishing what learning needs the student has. If the learning needs of student is not properly identified, then there is no way the instructor can properly help the student. After identifying the learning needs of the student, the instructor should try his best to teach the material to cater to the different learning needs of the student or provide extra sessions to cater to this needs if more help is needed. Furthermore, the instructor can also talk to the student, since the student should know best what his/her learning needs and styles are.
Karl ,
yes, this is one of the big advantages of working in these fields & areas.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Kerri ,
these are all good ideas & show your willingness to help them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I too work in the trades and hands-on does give you the ability to start with easy tasks and to increase their confidence and make them aware that you care.
Did a 6-mo internship with Special Needs students, in the 70's. This particular group was training for the Special Olympics. We would work-out with them and when they saw we were pushing them, they would try that much harder. Prior to the Special Olympics, the group challenged us, saying: "You run faster and so do we". After the training session, we would sit down and read back and forth. The group was "Educable" to a certain degree, but they really tried.
I have done various things when working with students with learning needs, such as giving them extra time on tests and sometimes giving them verbal exams.
Ellen,
these are all great ideas & demonstrate the variety of ways we can help our students who may struggle.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I work at three community colleges. There is variation in the number of student that we have that have some learning needs, but I have some at all schools. If they have used disability services I recommend that they do this for my class as well. I give suggestions about how they can use different methods to take notes, using cards, pictures, videos etc. I have recently started to vary my test questions so that students with different abilities can use different ways to recall information. I do a lot of one on one time with students. This way I can see exactly where they are struggling and guide them in a new direction if necessary.
Also using life experience stories greatly helps students put their needs into perspective
When teaching students with learning needs I find it helpful to meet with the student one on one and find out sort of learnning challenges he or she may have. I then discuss what the student found to be their learning style and move forward from there with a solution that fits their individual need. Close observing in the classroom and extra tutoring has been successful in my particular cases.
Sitting down with themand figuring out where they are having trouble. I had a student that in high school her teachers told her she was dyslexic. She wasn't at all. She just need some help in study habits, taking tests and time management. Her grade point average went from a 1.0 to a 3.85.
Ron,
this is an excellent idea for the reasons you said & can really help them to feel more comfortable & to have that resource for help.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Here at our school house we have foreign students that come for 8 weeks during our course. We make it appoint to assign them to one of our students who can speak their langue. This process allows that foreign student to feel more relax knowing that he or she has a partner that can help them through the process of our course.
Ron
Working with students in a technical training capacity, we must learn to adapt to a different learning environment. During class time I will try to use normal life experiences that the students have encountered and incorporate those examples into the lecture.
I have used hands on activities also showing videos that deomnstarte the skill or topic being discussed help students to understand the concept.
Brenda,
making ourselves available both with our time & in our approachability is key for helping struggling learners.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
In teaching radiology there are many difficult concepts to understand. The first thing I do is breakdown the information in simple terms and relate other items to these concepts helps them understand. For example in explaining contrast of an x-ray I tell them to relate it to the contrast on their television, what happens to your picture when you increase or decrease the contrast. They are many others I use and they work!
I try to assess those students with learning difficulties by confronting the issue immediately and I informed the student that I am available for additional work and time.
Cindy,
this is great advice to the student who is struggling & needs that extra help in retaining the information.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Georgia,
this is a great comment & a good reminder of who we are working with & the perspectives we need to have. Using examples is a great way to help these students connect abstract & new terminology to familiar ideas.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
