One great challenge is when such students do NOT make any of their needs known, even when I'm warned in advance about their condition. I've asked such students what I can do to help, what they need, etc., and on some occasions, they say they don't need anything. I admire their confidence and self-reliance, but it leaves me floundering around in my desire to help.
The greatest challenge I have is providing an adequate amount of individual time with the student while not allowing time for other less challenged students. This requires monitoring my self and remaining aware of both my time and the classroom dynamics, and allowing them to dictate when I need to proceed to assisting other students.
In my experience, the greatest challenge is earning the student's trust so the student is comfortable enough to share the disability with the instructor. Particularly if the student has had certain kinds of support in the past, it is useful for the instructor to know about it and help the student in the same manner which has proven successful in the past.
After becoming aware of the situation, I also think it is important for the instructor to handle the situation with tact and sensitivity as far as the rest of the class is concerned. The rest of the class may not need to even be aware of the situation, depending on the solution.
And congratulations to you on viewing it as a learning experience. Like you said what a great opportunity for you as well as the rest of the class.
Ryan
This one is a toughie for me as well, recently I had a hearing disabled student who came with a translator, I usually talk fast and I had to slow down the pace a bit for the translator to sign the lesson, don't know what I would have done without her because I have only 15 days to deliver the course. All in all it was a learning experience for me sa well as the class and an excersise in tolerance and paitence
Yes that is an ongoing struggle for many instructors. But as has been said several times the important thing is for the instructor to consistently demonstrate the desire to help all students.
Ryan
Yes. Studies have actually shown that resilience can actually be a greater indicator of success than "talent" or intelligence.
Ryan
What would you say is the greatest challenge to working with students with learning disabilities?
The greatest challenge to a student with a learning disability is to discover and admit that he/she as a disability. The challenge for the facilitator is to provide instructional material at a pace for all to understand and not allow the advance student to tune out.
I agree Estella, that is my experience too. I guess such students have spent their lives having to work extra hard to succeed. I have found they can be the students with the highest motivation too.
Adiran, I totally agree! I think some of that defeatist attitude comes from early educational experiences. Students with learning challenges are labelled by a system and teased by their classmates. So - I can see how they might want to give up - it's about self esteem
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
The thing that is frustrating the most for me when working with a student with learning disabilities is seeing them want to give up so easily at times. Giving them that motivation and encouragment to keep going is very difficult at times.
Getting the student to talk about their disability
The greatest challenge is the process of identifying the problem. Often in a culinary school, the learning is focused on practical application. Students tend to focus on that aspect and push aside the reading/test taking part. Understanding why they have issues with tests/homework can allow for progress. But I can't help them until they reveal their disabilities.
Hi Betty!
Yes, it makes it difficult on everyone involved when a students does not self-disclose. It's difficult to catch up.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
I would say the greatest challenge to working with students with disabilities is the fact that sometimes they want to hide it. Then overcoming it becomes more difficult. I was never aware that so many studnets have some form of a learning disability, but furthur more that the solutions can be so easy to accomodate. Giving a student extra time or explaining what certain phrases or words mean to help them to understand, are some simple ideas that I have used most recently to help my students to be successful. It is just encouraging the students to come forth and ask for the help that is sometimes the challenging aspect.
it is not working with them that is hard...it is not knowing until you are half way through the term and you have ask if anyone needs help and no one speaks up. Then that person will come to you and go I know I should have told you sooner but I have a learning issue. I encourage students to let me know up front and then we as a team can work on helping that person.
First you have to recognize it or the student needs to come forward and talk with you about their disability. Once you are aware of the disability, you can normally address it without too much difficulty.
The greatest challenge that I have experienced is the challenge of time allocation with students who are having trouble grasping concepts. With each class planned out, there is often a tight schedule to maintain. Having to re-explain simple points can put the instructor behind the power curve. I like to assign someone that can help these students by providing the basic information the student with the learning disability may need. For example, you have just spent 4 minutes explaining where and when the class will meet tomorrow and for what reason.
After this explanation, a student asks "Are we going to meet here?" With a helper assigned, this student can ask his helper instead of stopping the class to ask what seems like a silly question.
Kent Dolasky
Bravo Andrew!
Typically students who have learning disabilities been labeled by the system and called names by their peers. So focusing on their strengths rather than weakness certainly builds self esteem and own self worth.
Good job!
Jane Davis
Ed106 Facilitator
The greatest challenge I have with students with learning disabilities is building up there confidence level. I have found that students with learning disabilities tend to have low self esteem which makes them reluctant to participate in class discussions. More so than not I find these students do much better in class when you help them realize there strenghts rather than focusing on there weekness.
