Identifying the student early enough to ensure that all theirs needs are being met and getting them the resources they need to be successful.
Jeff,
Yes if we can possibly identify them early on in the class this is the best situation.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Catering your lesson to meet their needs and hoping that others are not neglected in the process.
As you said it is a big challenge for the instructor, as instructors we should keep a balance into the classroom, so we have to personalize each students needs.
It would seem that that challenge here for me when I have a student with a learning disability is to discern what will work best for the student. Some students are very forthcoming and they will let you know what works for them, others not so much. For the forthcoming students, facilitating their needs is a matter of figuring out what works best for them into the class structure. For the others, I find that a conversation that continues throughout the term which seeks to be flexible and integrates what turns out to be best for the student as we go along is ideal. With the ongoing conversation between the student and me, the facilitation for the student can change as needed. This adaptive methodology seems to work.
B. A.,
I love the emphasis here on the personalized touch & conversation; I think this is key to finding success with our students, especially those who are struggling.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
The hardest part is making sure they are getting the proper amount of support they need, without shortchanging my other students. On a number of occasions we will have another Instructor read the test with the student to make sure he understands what the questions are asking for.
Craig,
the balancing act is a difficult one but can yield important results.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
My biggest challenge has been not having students that are fully aware of their learning disability. Perhaps they had an idea that they struggle to retain or comprehend information in a learning environment, but they haven't been properly guided into Understanding what that means for them. They sometimes resort to believing themselves "dumb", "slow", etc. Until they are evaluated by an observant educator and taught, guided through their disability in a respectful environment. However, I've also seen adults with learning disabilities that are in denial, or refuse to address the issue and rely on manipulative means to accomplish tasks; This is usually a result from previous ridicule or fear of being labeled unintelligent.
Reading issues are difficult but to me, students with speech impediments are the most difficult to support.
Stephanie,
Sadly this is all too often the case & while we want to do what we can to help we are limited without an official diagnosis.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
This is a great question. This is a good thinker. I would say the greatest challenge is to determine whether a student has a legitimate learning disability.
First, it's understanding if there is an actual learning disability with proper documentation or (senior) academic advisement. Then meeting with the student to determine the best enhancements for their success in the course.
The second part is not allowing students who say they have a learning disability without validation/documentation to use it as a crutch. I am not making light of a possible learning disability. There are many adults who might not have been properly assessed in their previous academic environments. I am referring to those students who were told that they had a disability by a family member or possible educator, which hindered their previous chances to succeed. Now that they are in college, they might expect special concessions with testing, grading, etc.
For me, I have found that self esteem in students with learning disabilities is the greatest challenge. Getting that student to see themselves as able to do everything that the other students are doing just as good if not better is sometimes a daunting task.
I try to see learning disabilites as obstacles similar to those everyone expereinces, while still unique to the individual of course. In doing this, I look for ways to challenge the student to build skills that they may have feared they were unable to build before. By acknowledging their past difficulties, but still challenging them to develop truly competitive skills, I find many students with learning disabilities can move beyond a previous comfort zone to a place of higher personal educational growth. Sometimes, however, a student may need to feel comfortable enough to give it a try. This can be the greatest challenge.
Holli,
yes, the help & attention mixed with continuing to challenge them is a great way to help these students succeed.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I really don't see a challenge when it comes to working with students with LD. Once you find out what the LD is then we can work to help that student. It may require a little more time on my part, but that's okay. We are here to teach and enable every student to be successful on the pathway to their chosen journey.
I'm going to keep this simple. Growing up I was on a IED. This I found was degrading and being that I was on a IED I gave up. Once I realized that I needed I can do what ever I applied myself to, I did it. This took work on my end and my end only. So the hardest thing for me is I was not trained to handle students with disabilities and helping them understand that they too can do it if they try.
The biggest challenge is remembering that the student has a disiability and adapting ac lass around that.
Kathryn,
We do need to always keep in mind that we are there to serve the students & should have a positive attitude toward them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Sometimes I have a class with more that one student with learning disabilities so I find it hard to juggle their needs with class as a whole at times.Allowing extra time after class to address their specific needs has seem to work best and it helps them get caught up if needed.
