Early Childhood Educator in Edmonton, Alberta

I work with children aged 4 months - 12 years. It can be stressful, and you have to have a lot of patience but it\\\'s a very rewarding thing to do and I would recommend it to anyone. Teaching learning disabled youngsters will present you with some unique and distinctive challenges. Not only will these students demand more of your time and patience; so, too, will they require specialized instructional strategies in a structured environment that supports and enhances their learning potential. It is important to remember that learning disabled students are not students who are incapacitated or unable to learn; rather, they need differentiated instruction tailored to their distinctive learning abilities.\\r\\nProvide oral instruction for students with reading disabilities. Present tests and reading materials in an oral format so the assessment is not unduly influenced by lack of reading ability.\\r\\n\\r\\nProvide learning disabled students with frequent progress checks. Let them know how well they are progressing toward an individual or class goal.\\r\\n\\r\\nGive immediate feedback to learning disabled students. They need to see quickly the relationship between what was taught and what was learned.\\r\\n\\r\\nMake activities concise and short, whenever possible. Long, drawn-out projects are particularly frustrating for a learning disabled child.\\r\\n\\r\\nLearning disabled youngsters have difficulty learning abstract terms and concepts. Whenever possible, provide them with concrete objects and events�items they can touch, hear, smell, etc.\\r\\n\\r\\nLearning disabled students need and should get lots of specific praise. Instead of just saying, �You did well,� or �I like your work,� be sure you provide specific praising comments that link the activity directly with the recognition; for example, �I was particularly pleased by the way in which you organized the rock collection for Karin and Miranda.�\\r\\n\\r\\nWhen necessary, plan to repeat instructions or offer information in both written and verbal formats. Again, it is vitally necessary that learning disabled children utilize as many of their sensory modalities as possible.\\r\\n\\r\\nEncourage cooperative learning activities (see Teaching with Cooperative Learning) when possible. Invite students of varying abilities to work together on a specific project or toward a common goal. Create an atmosphere in which a true �community of learners� is facilitated and enhanced.