2. Auditory Signs
• inattention to the spoken word, or
• inability to follow verbal explanations.
Possible Causes
• attention issues,
• auditory discrimination, or
• language-specific issues.
Strategies
• May have to rely on diagrams, videos, or other visual information.
3. General Attention Issues
The hardest to resolve, and may require working with a physician or a behavioral psychologist.
4. Memory Issues
• Some students have success with memorizing techniques, such as flash cards, mnemonics, memory drills, repeated writing, or association.
• Some students will have to learn their limits, and prioritize which information to commit to memory. 5. Output Issues
A student will rarely take in and understand the knowledge and skills of the class, but be unable to write a clear explanation, especially as an essay.
Strategies
If you are satisfied by interview the student really is proficient in the subject matter, this is the time to develop appropriate “alternative” test/evaluation methods.
Where Have These Students Been?
Some education problems turn up in adulthood, but most have earlier roots. Adult teaching problems can start with an injury, high fever, small stroke, side effects of medication, or other change that affects the brain or the senses.
Some students have relied on compensating behaviors to get through school (social skills, distraction, cheating, excuses, etc. Others gave up and dropped out, and are coming back as adults to try one more time. Luckily, many have allowed time to mature, and they are now intellectually “ready” to cope with a higher level of knowledge and skills than they could as teenagers. Learning disabled adult students often have decided to give education “one last try,” and the teacher feels pressure to find a means to success for each of these returning students.
As adults, all are giving up family time, additional earning time, and other obligations to come back to class. They generally come tired, preoccupied with life’s problems, after a full day of raising a family, employment, job-seeking, or other activity. They can’t show up for class every week, and outside readings and assignments are difficult to complete.
Often the class is like a refuge, a change of pace, a view of a better life, and a source of hope. The role of each teacher is to encourage, motivate, and enable each student, as effectively and efficiently as possible.
What Can I Do to Prepare?
In near-term, the quickest way for an adult educator to prepare to help students who bring a wide variety of learning patterns and issues, is to become aware – to read the articles about adult education.
In long-term, your experience with students, ever improving your diagnostic sense, strategies, methods, and materials will make you more effective each year.
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