Learning Disabilities

As part of an inquiry project for my Principles of Teaching and Learning class, I am studying how best to cater to the needs of students with autism. In my Child Development class, we are currently studying learning difficulties. I have been surprised to realise just how much I did not know about learning disabilities and want to share some information for other teachers or teachers in training.

Most learning difficulties are invisible and many students, especially in earlier grades, are as yet undiagnosed. For these reasons it is wise to always practice curiosity before judgement. The student who is answering a question that has already been answered or the student you call on who always says "I don't know" could have learning difficulties and still be attempting to process information that the other students, and yourself, have already put behind you. There is a perception that students with learning disabilities are lazy or intellectually challenged but, just as with the rest of the students in your classroom, this is generally not the case. Have the patience and respect to wait a little longer for an answer, giving the student a chance to process the information. Also be sure to praise good work; the anxious student with a learning disability will always be afraid to put their hand up or volunteer if the best they can hope for is getting through the task without being corrected.

Look for signs of students feeling tense or frustrated. It may seem simple and straightforward to you but perhaps, through no fault of their own, they do not understand the work they are assigned. In these instances, it pays to know your students and to design work that conforms to their interests and ability levels without belittling, embarrassing or isolating them. Always try to view the world through the eyes of every student in your class. Their perception is key to their academic, social and emotional success.

I am still working on my inquiry project but, so far, can speak to the efficacy of having a strong working relationship with your students' parents or guardians, to ensure continuous exchange of ideas and best practice. Also, always be mindful that each student in your class is an individual, with their own unique interests, weaknesses and strengths. A blanket label, such as 'autistic' or 'dyslexic' does a student no harm when we maintain awareness that they are still unique and as special as the other students within the classroom. Many students with learning difficulties have a hard time in school as they often require more attention from the teacher, and can be a bigger burden on workload than other students. However, it is our duty as teachers to do the best that we can for those students under our care, regardless of their personal circumstances. Perpetual curiosity and focused inquiry will build on the knowledge we already possess and provide us with more tools to help our students.

Perspective and Investigation

I'm now a few weeks into my second semester in the B. Ed. program, and have begun to take a look back to the lessons I learned last semester. It has taken me up until now to feel like I am getting into some semblance of a routine, and to carve out little niches of time where I can think about my role as a teacher and how best to help the students under my care. I do have an excellent reason for the apparent sluggishness, namely one 10-week old, drooly, smiley, bundle of cuteness. Entering parenthood really makes me that much eager to get into teaching as I can directly see, even at such a young age, the effect that interacting with and tending to my little girl has on the way that she reacts to the world around her. She also helps me to see more clearly the inherent value of children and to consider the mix of nature and nurture that will go into how she conducts herself and will affect what kind of life she leads. My wife will go back to work full-time in May, and I have been approved for a one-year leave of absence from the B. Ed. program after the end of this semester in order to look after my daughter before she enters daycare next year. This obviously means it will take longer for me to become a fully-fledged teacher but, in our minds, the benefit of being a stay-at-home parent, at such a formative time of my daughter's life, definitely outweighs the cost.

My key takeaway from last semester, and one that is repeated on a daily basis in class this semester, is that perspective is key. We cannot approach teaching purely from within our own heads; rather, we have to concentrate on what the student will take from the experience. To do this, we must strive to learn as much as we possibly can about our students, their hopes, values, abilities, desires, experience, culture, socioeconomic status, and all other aspects of their lives that may affect their performance in school. This way we can gear learning experiences to them, giving their education relevance, meaning and imbuing them with an interest in their schooling. Finding out about your students can be done through a variety of means, including student introductions, in-class question time and conversations, letters home, chatting to parents in the hallway, and more formal means such as parent-teacher interviews, assemblies, open days and field trips. Once we can gear our teaching to those in our care, everybody wins. The student is excited to come to school, a place where they are understood and their interests and abilities recognized and nurtured, and consequently participates more fully in class, which is a direct reward for the conscientious teacher's hard work.