Educator
Portal · Learning Disabilities
Learning
Disabilities (LD)
Some
adult learners may be challenged by learning disabilities
(LD). Learning disabilities may—or may not—have
been identified during previous schooling. Adult
educators are not expected to be LD specialists,
but all should know enough about LD to…
-
Recognize LD as a possible cause of learning problems
-
Provide a variety of classroom activities and
modalities of teaching that may respond to the
needs of LD learners and that will be helpful
for all students
- Work
with each student to identify learning strategies
that allow the student to capitalize on strengths
and compensate for weaknesses
-
Know that you cannot ask a student if he/she has
a learning disability
-
Know how to respond if a student self-discloses
a learning disability
-
Know when to seek help from an LD consultant
-
Know that students with diagnosed learning disabilities
can seek accommodations for GED testing
In 2009, the National Institute for Literacy introduced the Learning to Achieve program to provide practitioners with up-to-date research-based guidelines for serving adults with learning disabilities. New Hampshire adult educators Amy Smith, Katie Delaney, Kimberly Cartier, Robin Letendre, and Sarah Bennett completed five days of intensive Learning to Achieve training. They are now qualified to offer Learning to Achieve training modules in the state. Contact Debbie Tasker deborah.tasker@doe.nh.gov for more information about Learning to Achieve training.
The New Hampshire Adult Education LD/Disabilities Committee includes adult educators trained in Learning to Achieve and its predecessor, Bridges to Practice and other adult educators interested in serving adults with disabilities. Pat Nelson, Robin Letendre, Sue Katz, Lauren Osowski, Joan Gallagher, Penny O'Connor, and Amy Smith meet several times a year to plan professional development activities and to help their colleagues improve services to learners with disabilities. They work with disabilities coordinators in each adult education program that offers Adult Basic Education and English for Speakers of Other Languages.
