| As a tutor, it is common to find yourself tutoring a | | | | tested in a standard school LD assessment. The |
| student with learning difficulties (LD). These students | | | | diagnosis of learning disabilities is not an exact science |
| need a learning environment which will facilitate their | | | | but will provide valuable insight. It should indicate what |
| unique needs. This learning environment is often not | | | | type of learner your student is: tactile, visual, auditory, |
| available in a public classroom setting. | | | | etc. You will also discover where your student is |
| You have the opportunity to provide for your student | | | | struggling in the learning process: short term memory, |
| the environment and encouragement she needs to | | | | reading comprehension, etc. |
| have a successful learning experience. Here are three | | | | - A plan must be formulated for implementing |
| tips for you to use which will help both you and your | | | | strategies which will build on your student's strengths |
| student enjoy a rewarding tutoring experience: | | | | and re-route the learning path around the disabilities. |
| - Learning Assessment by a qualified professional -- | | | | Your role as tutor will be to create this plan based on |
| this is your first step in being able to determine what to | | | | your own research and skills, and to incorporate input |
| prepare for your student in terms of types of activities, | | | | from your student, her parents, and teachers. For |
| lesson plans and teaching methods. Because the types | | | | example, if your student has a short-term memory |
| and variety of learning challenges is broad, the | | | | disability she may not be able to take effective notes |
| specifics of the learning assessment will determine | | | | in the classroom. Her notes will appear to be disjointed; |
| which teaching methods are most likely to benefit your | | | | that's because she is trying to listen and write at the |
| student. | | | | same time. By the time she has written the first half of |
| As a tutor, your role will be to encourage the student's | | | | what the teacher has said, the teacher is on to a new |
| parents to request the assessment. Most of these | | | | sentence and the student cannot remember the last |
| assessments are done through the school system. For | | | | half of the first sentence. This is a very frustrating |
| students who are finished high school, contact your | | | | experience for your student. |
| local mental health facility and ask where to go for | | | | An effective strategy for this example is to obtain an |
| testing. This could be a very worthwhile investment for | | | | outline from the teacher ahead of time for each day's |
| your student. | | | | classroom instruction so that the student can just add |
| An assessment of learning disabilities does not mean | | | | some side notes. This works well for high school |
| the student should feel she should give up on learning. | | | | students, because many teachers these days post |
| Remind her that this does not equate with lower | | | | their lectures or notes online for the students to |
| intelligence. There are many famous people who are | | | | access. |
| known to have had learning disabilities, including Albert | | | | - Encourage success for your student in her learning |
| Einstein, Thomas Edison, George Washington, Walt | | | | experience. Foster confidence in your student that she |
| Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, and Winston Churchill, | | | | can succeed not in spite of-- but because of-- her |
| to name only a few. In fact, I like to use the student's | | | | learning difficulties. |
| LD assessment to challenge them to find a way to | | | | In successful tutoring your role is not only to transfer |
| use it as an advantage, something to motivate them | | | | knowledge to your student but also to help them build |
| toward greater success. | | | | self confidence in their learning experience. |
| Become familiar with the basic areas which will be | | | | |