JAASEP SPRING/SUMMER 2009 Part 7 of 9
All series
- ADHD Series
- Assessment in Special Education Series
- Autism Spectrum Disorders Series
- Bullying of Children
- Classroom Management Series
- Diagnosis of Students with Disabilities and Disorders Series
- Discipline of Students in Special Education Series
- Early Intervention Series
- Genetics in Special Education Series
- How To Series
- IEP Components
- Inclusion Series
- JAASEP – Research Based Journal in Special Education
- LD Report
- Lesser Known Disorders
- NASET News Alert
- NASET Q & A Corner
- NASET Survival Guides
- Parent Teacher Conference Handouts
- Resolving Disputes with Parents Series
- RTI Roundtable
- Severe Disabilities Series
- Special Education: What Do the Latest Numbers Tell Us?
- Special Educator e-Journal – Latest and Archived Issues
- The Practical Teacher
- Treatment and Support for IEP Students with Disabilities
- Working with Paraprofessionals in Your School
The most critical part of long-term student success is teaching skills and techniques for learning that the student can implement on his or her own. Teachers, mentors and counselors must provide a student with unique learning needs with support and tools necessary to assist the student throughout his or her academic career. Some tools may include, but are certainly not limited to: teaching the use of a calendar book or an electronic organization device, if you were supporting someone with organizational issues. This electronic device could be a palm-pilot, a data phone (such as a blackberry with sync capability) or even just using a computer based calendar that provides reminders when necessary. It sounds simple but simply suggesting or providing such a device would be inadequate for the student. The teacher or mentor would need to come up with an organizational technique that works in each unique case, and help the student learn to use any one of these modalities.
There are so many tools that can be used to support the needs of unique learners, that this article would not in any way do such a discussion justice.
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to espouse and highlight some essential ingredients for a student with learning disabilities and differences to survive outside of the K-12 setting. Many students with LD move to colleges and universities throughout the United States, and perhaps even the world. As they earn undergraduate and even graduate degrees, they are clearly using many techniques of self-support to complement their areas of need. This article will focus on the key skills that an LD students needs to thrive and be successful to go on to earn advanced degrees and certifications in very challenging fields. The perspective put forth in this article is one of a firsthand encounter. I, (Josh) the author of this piece can attest first hand to the challenges of going on to college, graduate school then enrolling in a Doctorate program. It is the goal to provide students and teachers alike with a general sketch of how to prepare students for college.