My biggest challange would be how to balance helping one student without shorting the other students.
Yes, opening up. Alot of times they are shy, but I tell my students I have taught students with learning disabilities before and they open up.
I’d say the biggest challenge for me is know when to push and when to let the student grow. I think it’s a fine line with for students with disabilities when it comes to learning and as an instructor you have to know when to give the student the extra help and attention and also when to pull back so that the students don’t become upset by feeling they are not able to grow on their own.
The biggest challenge is determining which students have disabilities. They must be open to self-advocacy so that the instructor can set up a plan to assist. Knowing what methods were used successfully in the past is also a challenge. Finally, adjusting the teaching method or objectives to fit the needs of these students can take a bit of planning.
My greatest challenge in the past has been being uninformed of the student's challenge. I've held them to the same expectations as everybody else and become frustrated with the student when they wouldn't (couldn't) deliver. Now that I've been teaching for a while, it has become easier to see from the beginning which students have potential challenges, and to make sure I'm available to offer them any additional support if needed.
Warren,
and I'm guessing that in turn that helped you to be an even more effective instructor. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I have a student that needs letters written large on the board. Needs more time taking exams. She is legally blind and needs alot of attention during instructional time.
Time...in the fast paced class that we have, you want to do your best for those with learning disabilities but you also have to teach to the class, not just the individual. I try very hard to identify the LD students within the first week as to try to get them into a tutoring, or some one-on-one time after or before class starts so we can all be on the same page while in the actual class realm.
I think my biggest challenge was getting them to retain the info so they could apply it to the hands on training. I tutored my students and gave more time but sometimes thye need to repeat the classes still.
In over 31 years of education I have had the great pleasure and opportunity to work with students with learning disabilities. It has given me the chance to see what I teach from a different point of view. I wouldn't say that it was a challenge to teach them under conventional manners but to be able to take my knowledge and skills and turn them around/tweak them so that I was now able to teach the same subject matter in a different light.
Jim,
yes knowing those methods & being there for the students & trying to understand them is a key to helping all of our students be successful.
Dr. Ryan Meers
The greatest challenge for the instructor at a career college, is gauging the student’s limitations, and evaluating whether or not they will hinder the student from being a good fit in their chosen discipline. You don’t want to allow someone to get through a program, if they can’t function in an esoteric work environment once they graduate.
The fist thing to do is to understand the four learning processes. It takes a special teacher to understand these and to help each student who may have learning disabilities to try different methods. Taking time with the student will eventually produce results. Small successes will result in the large success and positive student attitude. Its all about the teacher knowing all teaching methods.
The greatest challenge is getting the students to open up about what kind of accomodations will help them to succeed.
the biggest problem or concern would be patience from the instructor's side.
To understand what they need from you. Also to be fair. The require extra help however, you also don't want to the other students to feel that they are being given an unfair advantage.
One of my biggest challenges is dealing with students who have difficulty with reading comprehension. It is sometimes hard to figure out who has an actual learning disability, and who just doesn't like to read. However, one of my classes is very reading based and I don't know how else to supplement the in-class material without using reading assignments.
Timothy,
you always want to follow the protocol established by your school. However this, in my opinion, does not prevent you from offering assistance to these students in any way you can. Offering to tutor them or (if allowed) provide more time on tests/quizzes until they have an official protocol from someone in authority on this can be helpful.
Dr. Ryan Meers
To me the greatest challenge is the legality of the issue. I teach at several schools and the rules for students with learning disabilities is quite diverse. I am told at certain schools that I am not allowed to talk to students about learning disabilities unless they first go through ADA; the administration then informs the instructor of the learning accomidations the student needs.
So if a student approaches me with a learning disability and discusses it with me I feel complelled to tell them that they need to follow the ADA procedures, so it can be handeled appropriately.
Dr. Meers, how do you address this issue?
The greatest challenge to working with students with learning disabilities is that if they are grouped in class with studentsn who do not have learning disabilities, it is difficult to maintain a classroom balance of learning. I do not want to cut short stuents who can move at a faster pace, but I need to show students with learning disablities that they are respected, valued, and that their learning is just as important as everyone else's.
