Get Your Students Hired
Since students with learning disabilities take a little more time on class exercises than my other students, the real challenge becomes keeping the focus of those waiting for the LD student(s) to finish.
I think you need to spend some time with the student, one on one, to attempt to build a rapport with them and to help you determine the specific needs of the student. Offering more time is easy, and it's what most students need. It's not hard to modify your lesson plan, you just need a little bit of time to prepare.
Just wanting to know and wanting to make sure that they are getting the available help needed. We have to take out more time for that particular student to make sure that they can comprehend and understand the lesson that has been covered.
Robbi,
I agree that our goal should be to help students as "quietly" as possible. We do not want to embarrass anyone.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I would say is helping that student without embarrassing them. You want to encourage them and give them all the extra help you can. Some students however view this as humiliating and would rather take the low grade then have other students see they need extra assistance.
Definitely accomodations can be made in the classroom if the student makes the teacher aware of the disability. That will help them to learn the material and perform the tasks necessary to pass the course. I do wonder what kind of follow up research has been done to see how these students end up doing in their careers.
As a youth I myself had suffered learning imparements (spelling recognition) being one of them - spell check can only help so much. thus, I understand the need for better recognition and support systems for learning defficiencies in students. probably the most useful thing is the will of the teacher to listen to the individual student and observe his/her behavior. Not making them feel inadequit is the first step to success.
the greatest challenge for me is that the students have to learn both the practical and the theory side to their career field.
Edwin,
as much as possible, if we can identify their specific area of need we stand a much greater chance of really helping them succeed.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I have found it difficult to keep them up with the rest of the class. I have tried different things in the classroom to see if I could bring them up to speed, it helped but it definitly is a challange that I will keep working on. Trying not to let it slow the rest of the class...
The greatest challenge in working with students with learning disabilities is working the applications that can best help them into the classroom along with the other students. If differences are seen by the other students in how one student is receiving information, they may see it as preferential treatment. I have had students ask why another student is allowed to such and such while the others are not. The concept of "fairness" within a standard classroom becomes an issue that must be dealt with and all instructors need to be very aware of how they implement the changes made to assist those with learning disabilities better succeed.
I think sometimes it is getting the students to level with you that they need additional help. I have tried to find the greatest balance in my instuctional methods and strategies in helping each of my students individually. I zero in until my students show me that which works best for them. We move forward from that point. I can also note that this seems to help all the students as a group.
Narrowing down the exact areas of dificiency, and the enabling supports techniques that will allow a greater amount of success for the student. Pre-testing is parramount. careful development of the course curriculumn and the development of study habbits for the student go a long way to achieving success with learning dissabled students.
Identifing the problem with the learning materials and then adapting the materials for the special needs of each student involved. It is easier to make some of those changes when the students involved, those who have had structured help in previous educational situations, are involved with creating the required adaptations.
I found this approach seemed to encourage the student to become more involved with course content.
I found the accomodating students section of this course most helpful.
I find this to be very true in my class rooms. I even have students that are homeless. Its taking the extra time to find out what is causing the distractions in there learning and comprehension and helping them yourself or getting them in touch with the right people to make things right
Jon,
this is a significant challenge as many don't want to be labeled or separated because of this. Yet, if we can help them see the problem they will then ask for help.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Travis,
it definitely is; I think this is an ongoing struggle/tension that we have to keep in front of us so we continue to walk that fine line.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I feel the greatest challenge is not allowing the student to use the disability as a crutch. I find that trying to identify the fine line between accommadating and pushing to be very hard to define.
Identifying the learning disabilities is the greatest challenge when working with studetns with learning disabilities
The greatest challenge for me has been not knowing there's a learning disability until there's a pattern of low test scores. Rather than wait for the results of their tests, I now ask students to let me know if they need additional support from the start of their course. Getting additional support right away helps with stuent retention and confidence.