One of my literacy students is working on citizenship, getting ready for the test. We’ve been stuck on chapter 1 for at least three weeks, and I think it’s because he has a learning disability. He can READ and WRITE the questions and answers pretty well, but when I ask the question ORALLY he struggles to reply. When I give him the answer orally and ask him to repeat it, he almost always gets it all mixed up. Nothing in my experience or training has prepared me for this! So I went looking on the web for resources and found the Learning Disabilities Association of America, http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/adults/index.asp
There’s a subsection on their website with Adult Literacy Reading Programs for Literacy Providers, http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/adults/assessment/literacy.asp with a list of multi-sensory resources (almost none of them electronic, unfortunately).
If anyone in LVGS has some suggestions for how I can help this student to learn, I’d really appreciate hearing them.
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Since we @ LVGS have no way to determine intelligence or verify learning disabilities, the tutor and student together discover what works best. Make the student a part of the discovery. Example: Teacher: Can you listen and say back exactly what I say...using 2 words, then 3 words, a sentence. Can you read this sentence and tell me what it says? Can you tell me what it means? Give choices for answers: Does it mean....or does it perhaps mean.....
ReplyDeleteWrite the same questions and have the student read and answer. Which is more comfortable for him
Listen to a video together or use computer programs that rely on listening or listening and reading. Since this is a tutoring situation and not a class, the tutor is free to adapt to the student's strengths. Together the student and tutor might create strategies for recalling information. An example: After 10 minutes of instruction ask the student to review what he/she has learned. Jot it down in his notebook. After next 10 minutes do the same. Review 1st notes and 2nd notes.
Regarding the citizenship test. Isn't most of the test identifying answers? Or is there now an oral part and writing part. If he reads, perhaps you can help the student identify clue words in the sentences. Evaluate answer choices together. Acknowledge what works and what is more difficult. Concentrate on strengths.
If the student is ESOL and newer to English, he still may be thinking in his first language. He may not be able to process what he hears if it is too fast. He may be limited in English vocabulary and the way English sentences are created.
Each day of tutoring do one thing that is a change and fun. I.e. play a checkers game and talk about your moves, review a few cartoons, discuss a tv series, look over and discuss newspaper articles, letters to editor, and check out sales inserts in the newspaper. If the student can give his opinion it helps him value himself. Consider using Young Adult non-fiction history books that give meaning to the citizenship questions and could create a basis for discussion. The student needs to feel like an adult. Find out what he thinks he does well that's not academic. Help him identify his growth and stay positive.
Could it be a Central Auditory Processing Disorder? If so, maybe a referral to a Speech Language Pathologist or contact the Gebbie Speech and Language Clinic at Syracuse University.
ReplyDeleteCould it be a Central Auditory Processing Disorder? If so, maybe a referral to a Speech Language Pathologist or contact the Gebbie Speech and Language Clinic at Syracuse University.
ReplyDeleteIT does sound like a language processing issue; it also could be difficulty
ReplyDeletein auditory memory ( memory for information heard) - I wonder if the person
has these difficulties in his/her native language? Have the person use
visuals to support him/her and attempt to use smaller bits of information
when dealing with auditory information. Without more evaluation, that is the
extent of my suggestions.. Of course, a full evaluation by a SLP would be
excellent - and yes, we do work with adults too!
Here is a response from a SPL therapist. Again my suggestion would be to contact Gebbe Clinic.
ReplyDeletehttp://csd.syr.edu/GebbieServices.htm