How Are Instructors Dealing with Learning Disabilities Issues in Their Classrooms?

Submitted by Heather Erwin on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 07:46
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I'm interested to know if, and how, any of you deal with issues surrounding learning disabilities in your student population.  I'm partnering with our local community college to gather resources for an off-line collection of resources, specifically for high school completion, and keep thinking that undiagnosed learning disabilities are going to be a continuing obstacle.  Do any of you deal with this issue on a regular basis, and how do you handle it?  I know that in adult populations you aren't supposed to ask if someone has a learning disability.  They can self-disclose, but many have never been assessed or diagnosed.  Thanks for contributing to the discussion.

Comments

Hi Heather, 

I think it is a safe assumption that there are about 85% of adult leaners with diagnosed or undiagnozed learning disabiliites. I would encourage you to consdier working with your EFA to bring in technology. 

If a student has ADHD - then the interactive and self-paced nature of a well deveoped curriculum will help keep students focused. Keyboarding will help students with disgraphia. The visual and kinestetetic nature of the screen and keyboarding will also help enagage a learner. Ultimately, the key is to match the instructional resources to the ability of the studnet and use as many of the learning modalities as possible when providing instruction. 

 

Hi Heather,

One of the biggest problems is providing documentation for accommodations. This obstacle results in teaching strategies to increase fluency in reading, attending to key vocabulary, especially in questions, teaching strategies for math fact fluency ( coupled with conceptual understanding ), and test taking strategies.  I have had unique situations which required a talking calculator.  It has been my experience that the LD learner, who trusts their instructor for guidance, fair well, learning and applying these strategies.

Best regards,

Geri

 

Hi Heather,

Welcome again as the new SME for the Corrections group.  Your question is an excellent one.  This was something that was discussed often on our previous Learning Disabilities Discussion List.  Archives containing those old messages are still available at:

http://lincs.ed.gov/pipermail/learningdisabilities/2012/date.html 

Previous years are available too.  By editing the URL to the year you want to seach (2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, etc.) you can find them all going back to at least 2005.  Once there, you can search by thread, subject, and author.

On the Disabilities in Adult Education group within this LINCS Community, there has also been much discussion on Learning Disabilities.  I invite your members to start a discussion on LD and Corrections in both your group and the Disabilities group.  I think it would generate lots of participation.

Also, what would you and your group members think about having a joint guest discussion on "Learning Disabilities and the Correctional Educator?"

 

Rochelle Kenyon, Subject Matter Expert

Disabilities in Adult Education Group

To register go to: https://community.lincs.ed.gov/group/disabilities-adult-education 

 

 

Thanks Geri, Rochelle and Kathy. I won't feel so much like I'm playing catch up after going in to check out some of the archived discussions. It's intriguing to me that so many adult learners have some LD whether diagnosed or undiagnosed.  It is also intriguing to note that much of the new technologies and educational software tangentially address many of the issues that create challenges/roadblocks for those same learners. It's encouraging.  I think a joint discussion is a fabulous idea, Rochelle! How would we go about facilitating?

Hi Heather,

If you are interested in planning a joint discussion for our groups on this topic, contact me offline by email at RKenyon721@aol.com.  Our first step is to brainstorm together and then contact our group leaders from Kratos.  I think this will be a fascinating topic that our members will benefit from.

Thanks,

Rochelle Kenyon, SME

Disabilities in Adult Education group

To see the connection, please read these two article entitled

1- Phonics, Spelling & Dyslexia Solutions

http://spellingrules.com/free-spelling-rules/phonics-spelling-dyslexia/

 

2- Uncovering the Mystery of Dyslexia

http://spellingrules.com/free-spelling-rules/uncovering-the-mystery-of-dyslexia/

 

Regards,

Camilia Sadik