I would say first being able to identify that there is a learning disability, not just a student frustrated that the course is more challenging and/or more detailed than they expected or wanted. The next is that they would open up about it instead of pretending it doesn't exist before their grade is unrepairable. Then it is hoping they follow thru with suggestions and tips during their time in the course.
Since I have not yet had the opportunity to work with a student with a learning disability I can only guess. I believe it would be that my preparation is for plan A+B for the ideal classroom. It would be hard to shift into a new delivery without preparation. I would need to provide instruction for that student without alienating said student. I would also need to make sure the whole class still recieve the necessary content.
Working with students with learning disabilities can be challenging. Although giving more time may be helpful, I have found that putting a test on yellow paper to jog their memory has worked, creating a quiet environment also works. Most of all giving more time works best. As an instructor we must find out what the disability is and how we can accommodate the student. Not all learning disabilities are the same.
I sometimes lack patience in dealing with students that I can tell are on a very low reading level. I need to take more time to communicate with students to determine if a disability exists.
I have not had too many students that have admitted to having a disability. Many have admitted to having test anxiety, but thats about it.
Pearlmarie,
this is a great strategy as we do not want the students frustrated because this does interfere with their learning & their success.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Life circumstances seem to be a huge barrier with our student success.If a student is having problems at home, it is often difficult for them to leave those problems at the door. We have a fast paced program that does not really allow for students with big disabilities. We often have students with test anxiety or who must have a completely quiet room. We do make special arrangements for thses students.
I have found that, at times, the student gets frustrated with him/her self. Usually by giving the student more time and a quiet place to take tests, the student can succeed.
I have found that an occasional student appears to have a learning disability trough initial writng or classroom/course testing and when I have approached a student to inquire about a learning issue, the student does not admit to a known problem or disability. When this has accurred I have wondered if this/these students somehow get through the system undiagnosed or are too embarrassed in a new school environment and opportunity to be forthcoming about their learning disability.
One of the greatest challenges in working with students with learning disabilities is in both understanding their needs and assisting them in developing their own strategies for success. It can be difficult to be empathetic in a way that benefits your students if you do not truly understand the nature of their disability. An even greater challenge can exist in helping the students develop strategies that work for them as individuals.
I have students who have difficulty with reading a ruler and working with fractions.
The greatest challenge to working with students with learning disabilities is not having enough time. In a career college setting, the students have only a few weeks to complete a course. Regular students have to work hard to complete all the requirements. Students with learning disabilities need extra time and effort.
I would say that the greatest challenge is to maintain the fluidity of the lesson. To be able to accomodate and adapt the lessons for the learning disabled and to also maintain the interest of the rest of the class without bring attention to the special needs. I think though, by incorporating a multi-dimensional approach to the lessons, all diverse learning style students would benefit.
Mark, sometimes my students struggle because of their life circumstances, not necessarily a learning deficit. They are enrolled in a rigorous program and they may be single parents taking care of their parents as well. They may also be struggling financially and all of this stress impacts their performance. Sometimes just asking what is going on in their life and a little counseling can help. But you're right, if there is a learning disability, it would be helpful to know what it is so that the best strategy can be applied to the situation.
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 that the disability requires.
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.
You can't forget empathy. It's so easy to sit in a seat of authority and reign over your students... sometimes that's not the way to go. These students help remind us of that, I think.
Having the student acknowledge that they need assistance. Keeping them motivated.
Keli,
this is definitely a challenge, especially if they do not want to disclose. The best thing we can do is to show them we want to help.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The challenging aspect of working with students that have a learning disability is to understand what exactly their disability is and then how best to support it.
Tawana,
and this is a difficult situation as we must be careful about the information we share & what we disclose.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The greatest challenge Ive noticed with having a student with a learning disability comes more from the other students in my experience. I have found it is harder sometimes to get other classmates to understand the time you make for those who may suffer some sort of learning disability.
