Get Your Students Hired
I feel the greatest challenge with working with students with a disability are that you must keep their attention, bc if you loose them they will be lost
Candace,
yes, we have to demonstrate, as the instructors, our willingness to listen to them & help them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Candace,
yes, we have to demonstrate, as the instructors, our willingness to listen to them & help them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Working with students with learning disabilities will benefit from understanding and trusting the instructor with work with them.
Karen,
this is definitely an argument for strong self-monitoring to try to make sure we are helping all of our students be successful.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The classroom setting is the greatest challenge to working with students with learning disabilities. It is a challenge when trying to provide specific accommodations/modifications for one or more students, while trying to keep the average and above average students motivated. While well meaning, sometimes an instructor can fall into the trap of catering to the learning disabled students and start to sense the loss of the average/above average student’s motivation.
The classroom setting is the greatest challenge to working with students with learning disabilities. It is a challenge when trying to provide specific accommodations/modifications for one or more students, while trying to keep the average and above average students motivated. While well meaning, sometimes an instructor can fall into the trap of catering to the learning disabled students and start to sense the loss of the average/above average student’s motivation.
Dave,
and demonstrating the openness to help them & be there for them is key.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I taught at a private university for 14 years -- considered at the time the largest, world-wide institution -- and now for six months at a local career college. I have not yet experienced a student with a self-disclosed learning disability. However, this information will be helpful when I do have a student who needs this help.
Sharon,
this is true & to keep the positive in front of them so they stay motivated.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Retaining the student and keeping them motivated can be a challenge. They often become frustrated as they see their peers progressing at a faster rate. It's important to acknowledge and reward each small success these students have.
To make him/her open to me and share his/her difficulties in life or support he/she needs in order to succeed. Once I am able to gain their trust, then life becomes smoother. I can help them based on their shared difficulties.
Joseph,
yes, many times we are bound by these policies; we can demonstrate to these students our openness to listen which might encourage them to share/disclose with us.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I feel cold sometimes but our policy is that we will make accomadations with proper documentation. And until they bring that from a physician, I must treat them the same as any other student.
George,
and this is the reality. Unfortunately we cannot help all of the students no matter how hard we try or may want to.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Gregrey,
this is a good point & I think through demonstrating our openness & concern for our students they will be much more likely to disclose.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I run a medical support program at a for profit institution. The biggest problem we have is granting the student access to the program. The law for my program says that if the potential student has the minimum requirements to enter the program and wants to enter we can't deny enterance. As you can imagine medical programs with their long unpronounceable words is difficult for regular students but nearly impossible for the learning impaired student. When a student is identified by admissions they will try to point the student in a more reasonable direction but ultimately its the students decision. A lot of these studens will eventually drop out despite the best attempts of the instructors
Getting the student to let you know that they have a diability. I am not a mind reader and not able to tell imediately if someone has a learning disorder. Once a student opens up and talks to you about the disability it is only as difficult as you make it.
James,
yes, if we can get them to take ownership of their own learning & success they will be much farther down the road to success.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.