The greatest challenge is to balance what the student with disabilities needs with what the remainder of the class needs ... and not making a "production" out of it. For example ... I have always made a study guide for class lecture (basic outline) however, now I make the outline a bit more specific for learning outcomes and bullets points in order to "help" the student who needs it without drawing attention to the disability.
Ghaleb,
it is definitely true that the more informed we are, the better chance we have of helping our students. Also, knowing general guidelines to help our students can assist in their learning as well.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I think one of the biggest challenges to working with students with learning disabilities is getting to to believe they can be successful if they want to be. It may take them longer to grasp the concepts than other students and they may not get through as much of the course material as students without learning disabilities, but they are still successful.
By understanding the different types of learning disorders and their signs, you can pinpoint the specific challenges your child faces and find a treatment program that works. Same rules will apply to adults with same diagnosis
gary,
this is definitely a challenge & in these situations we really must do all we can to encourage them & help them be successful.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
One of the greatest challenges i have found with learning disabilities is keeping the rest of the class focused as the slower student tires to understand the material.
Time is our greatest problem. Our instruction is broken down into phases which change on a regular schedule. Students who learn at a slower pace sometimes are not ready to move on with their class and have to re-phase. This can frustrate them, and requires the instructors to encourage the student to keep them from dropping out.
for me, the greatest challenge is lack of real exposure to it. I haven't really had any experience of having to deal with it. i could imagine that I would have would be fully understanging it and being able to apply meaningful techniques to help with it. The part of the class that was most helpful to me on this was the section stating that these folks have been dealing with it their whole lives and know how to work with it. Their advice would be my biggest help at that point. One would also have to ensure that the class progression doesn't slow down to the point of losing other students interest or focus while giving extra time to the one(s) with LD. Again this is kind of speculative for me since I don't really have much experience with it.
Mike,
yes, we need to work closely with these students to encourage them to really open up & be honest about what would help them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
getting them to open up about what they understand and what they dont understand
benny,
this really is key & can sometimes be a balancing act as we want to help them, but not single them out or make them feel awkward.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
benny,
this really is key & can sometimes be a balancing act as we want to help them, but not single them out or make them feel awkward.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Finding a way to help them learn the material without drawing unneccessary attention to them or making them feel less than
Making sure that they retain and understand the material without you making them feel embarresed.
