Students with Learning Disabilities

Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities

Demands Placed on Adolescents

• School Demands Gaining information from written materials

and lectures Demonstrating knowledge through tests Expressing information in writing Demonstrating a broad set of cognitive and

metacognitive skills Interacting appropriately Demonstrating motivation to learn

Characteristics of Adolescents with Learning Disabilities

• Academic Deficits Poor academic achievement is primary

characteristic of adolescents with a learning disability

• Cognitive and Metacognitive Deficits Executive processing deficits Deficiencies in learning strategies and study skills

• Social Interaction Deficits• Motivation Deficits

Challenges in Secondary Programming

• Program Services Diverse range of services needed provided in a

variety of instructional arrangements

• Premises of Secondary Programs• General Curriculum Alternatives

Generally means student will not be going to a university for an academic degree

Selected if standard curriculum is important but additional instruction in skills and content is needed

Challenges of Secondary Programs continued

• Types of Intervention Skill-oriented approaches Content-oriented approaches Strategy-oriented approaches

Secondary Programming Models

• Three major areas of program development: Clearly specifying the nature of the

curriculum Identifying the instructional methodologies Specifying how the instructional

environment will be arranged

Supportive and Alternative Curriculum Approaches

• Motivation Extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation Using student beliefs

• Social Development• Academic Remediation• Learning Strategies• Functional Living Skills• Career-Related Instruction• Transitions from Secondary Settings

Instructional Procedures

• Acquisition and Generalization of Skills and Strategies Use activities involving guided practice, modeling,

peer instruction, provision of feedback, and task analysis

• Acquisition and Generalization of Secondary Content Content enhancements Advance Organizers Visual displays

Instructional Procedures continued

Study guides Mnemonic Instruction Assignments Adapting Materials

• Collaboration with General Classroom Teachers

Adults with Learning Disabilities

• Young Adults Some difficulties experienced: underemployment,

job dissatisfaction, dependent living arrangements, social skills problems, poor work habits, job selection

• College Students Students must identify or refer themselves for the

university to provide full program accessibility

• General Adulthood