Tutela a guiding influence

Melissa’s Corner

In the interest of saving space for this special issue of Tutela on learning disabilities, I am going to take a little vacation from my normal column and pass along just a few announcements. I am very happy to announce that Kristi has returned and we are returning to life "as usual" in the office.

Please keep me informed of your tutoring status, i.e., whether or not you are able to take on more students. We still have a large number of requests to be filled in most areas so please let me know where you stand. As always, please double-check your Tutoring Reports to make sure they are filled out completely before turning them in. You may have noticed that your student’s social security number is no longer on the Request for Services form (RFS). Thus, for now, you may leave the social security line blank. Lastly, please make sure that you do not go over the allotted number of tutoring hours a week for your student unless you have checked with us. The number of approved tutoring hours is on the RFS form.

That’s all for now. Good luck to all of you who are going through midterms right now!

Editor’s note: The theme for this issue of Tutela is "working with students with disabilities." Since a large number of students served by NDIL have disabilities, this is a very pertinent issue for all tutors. Please refer to Part III.E. (the yellow pages) of your Tutor Tool Kit for more tips and much more information about learning disabilities.

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Tutoring Students with Disabilities

By: Christi Johnson

For many years in American history, persons with disabilities were not able to participate in many activities. Having a disability too often meant that the person would be unable to attend college or work in the job of their choice. Today, clearly, that is not the case. Many people with disabilities attend college and are extremely successful in school and work. Two relatively recent laws, The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) have ensured that persons with disabilities have equal opportunity in school and the workplace.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, often referred to as Sec. 504, addresses issues of access in education. Specifically, Section 504 speaks to all institutions receiving federal funds, like the University of Iowa, and says that each must be accessible to people with disabilities. "Accessible" includes physical access to buildings and facilities, access to materials such as texts and computers, and access to programs and activities. The Americans with Disabilities Act does not add anything to Section 504 in the arena of higher education but makes the stipulations of Section 504 binding to all institutions, receiving federal funds or not.

Section 504 demands that institutions make "reasonable accommodations" to make the facility accessible to disabled persons. In legal circles, there has been much discussion of the definition of "reasonable accommodations." Generally it has been concluded that some accommodations are unreasonable. An accommodation may be unreasonable if:

• It poses a threat to others.
• Making the accommodations means a substantial change in student’s curriculum.
• It means a substantial alteration in the ways services are provided.
• It means undue financial burden on the institution.

Although tutors are not informed officially of their students’ disability statuses, many students choose to reveal general information about their disability to their tutor. The tutor must strive to create a comfortable atmosphere in which the student is at ease. In this setting, it should become easier for the student and tutor to talk about their limitations in learning and studying. In any case, the tutor will always need to conform the tutoring style to the specific needs of the student.

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Practical Information for Tutoring Students with Disabilities

Since about 25-30% of the students that NDIL tutors serve have some sort of disability, it is important for tutors to be familiar with techniques applicable to different situations. As an NDIL tutor, you may encounter many unexpected situations in tutoring students with disabilities.

Tutoring Deaf Students

• If your student depends on lip reading, don’t point to illustrations or text while talking. Instead, use one hand to point to your mouth to indicate "speaking" or to point to the page to point out an illustration or text.
• If a student’s first language is ASL (American Sign Language), the student may struggle in writing. Since ASL does not include many of the subtleties of spoken English, the student may have the same difficulties as those learning English as a second language.

Tutoring Students who have Partial Hearing Loss

• Many students will also rely on visual cues and lip reading. Tutors should use the same pointing technique mentioned for deaf students.
• The location of the tutoring session is of critical importance for students with a hearing loss. Since background noise becomes extremely salient to people with hearing aids, the location should be as quiet as possible with few auditory distracters.
• Students with a hearing loss may have trouble discerning tone of voice. These students may have trouble recognizing sarcasm or humor based only on the tutor’s tone of voice.

Tutoring Students with Mobility Impairments

• Again, location is a key issue. Students and tutors must choose a place that is accessible and where the student can be comfortable working. Tables should be high enough to accommodate wheelchairs, and the student should be able to move around the room easily.
• Although tutors normally should not do things for their students, when working with a person that is mobility impaired, in very limited situations, tutors may need to consider doing such things as acting as a scribe. If a student struggles with the physical act of writing, the tutor may help the tutoring session progress by writing down notes on the tutoring session or take dictation of the student’s ideas. If the student seems to be in continual need of a scribe, the tutor should contact the NDIL office. Such assistance may be available from other sources.
• Mobility impaired students may have trouble "passing over the midline." They may be able to move within either the right or left hemisphere of their bodies, but passing things from side to side may become very difficult. Therefore, the tutor should be sensitive as to the students’ "best side."

Tutoring Students with Visual Impairments

• Tutors must alter their presentation style to accommodate the student’s functional limitation. Tutors must not rely on visual presentations if the student struggles to see them. Tutors may also want to consider enlarging their notes to help the visually impaired student.
• Students with visual impairments may have trouble discerning contrast. That is, they may be able to read things in certain colors on certain backgrounds and not others. Depending on the student’s impairment, tutors may need to use colored paper or colored pens.

Tutoring Students with Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder

In working with students with learning disabilities (LD) or Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (AD/HD), tutors will encounter new demands and challenges. It is often helpful (if the student is agreeable) for the tutor to ask what learning strengths and limitations the student has and what strategies the student has used to compensate for their limitations. Regardless of the student’s preferred learning style, generally, the multi-modal approach is the best. Tutors should try to incorporate many learning approaches when working with these students.

Tutors must also be aware that there are differing levels of skill development in these students. For example, some may be very good at writing while others may still struggle. Also, many AD/HD students’ disabilities are more attention related while others struggle with issues of organization. Using the outline function found in most word processors can help to organize thoughts and notes. For students with attention problems, tutors may want to try putting one question or one problem per sheet of paper. This will help the student to focus on that problem only.

It may be helpful for the LD or AD/HD student if the tutor breaks the task down into smaller steps. This includes:

• Describing the steps required to learn the material.
• Showing the student all the relevant features of the task such as key vocabulary words, new concepts, etc.
• If necessary, using different approaches to explain the new material based on the student’s strengths.

Tutors should also provide the student the opportunity to practice the new skill or post-test the student’s understanding of the material learned.

In the coming issues of Tutela, we will be spotlighting several academic disciplines. In doing so, professors from a number of different fields will be interviewed. In general, the interviews will center on their concerns about students in their classes and departments. They will also be asked to provide suggestions for tutors working with students in these areas. Although the spotlight may not fall on your specific academic discipline, many of the suggestions may still be applicable. In future issues, look for spotlights on the following: foreign language, chemistry, biology, statistics and math, business and more!

In completing general education requirements, students will undoubtedly find themselves in a social science class sometime during their college careers. Many students elect to take Elementary Psychology (31:001). A growing number of students have also chosen psychology as their major. As one of the most popular areas of study at the University of Iowa, it is also demanding. Many students enter these classes lacking preparation. Often, it falls upon the tutor to help them to success. In speaking with two experienced faculty members in the Psychology department, Dr. Bob Kirby and Dr. Irwin Levin, four important themes came up.

To begin, Dr. Kirby suggested that students are often times lacking in preparation for statistics and research methods courses. Dr. Levin reiterated that idea saying that students many times find themselves facing courses with unexpected mathematical content. Levin went on to say that some students encounter real blockages with regard to mathematical content in classwork. The tutor can be very helpful in guiding students through the problems and encouraging their questions.

Kirby suggested that students often don’t understand the validity of research methodology and statistics courses. Since both are vital to the social sciences, the tutor can often help students understand the applications of the research methods and statistical problems. In addition, tutors can provide a different viewpoint, allowing students some diversity in their learning.

Dr. Levin’s second major concern was with students’ written work in the context of his classes. In his experience, Dr Levin has noted that some students struggle to produce written work that is understandable and grammatically correct. Tutors may need to help students with written work within individual classes, even though they are not tutoring writing specifically.

It is important that writing for both assignments and papers be clear and coherent. Levin said, "…[students] must have the ability to express themselves clearly." Levin suggested that sloppy writing skills could have a "halo effect." Colleges, graduate schools, and employers often form first impressions about applicants based on written work alone. Poor writing may give the impression of a sloppy or disorganized person. Unfortunately, in a large class, instructors often don’t take the time to make specific comments about the grammar, content, and organization of each student’s paper. In these situations, tutors can act as helpful "editors" of their student’s work, but the focus must go beyond grammar. Tutors must also consider organization and understandability. If a tutor feels as though a student has serious problems with writing, the tutor may want to consider referring the student to the Writing Lab in the Rhetoric Department which can assist a student in developing his/her writing skills.

A third important issue was that of class attendance. Students need to be reminded that going to class is a vital part of being a student, Levin stated. Although tutors clearly cannot force a student to attend class, perhaps describing the importance of class attendance would help. Levin also suggested tutors describe what worked for them, stressing the issue of regular class attendance. In addition to merely physically attending the class, students must also be active listeners. Some students’ attendance may flag because they do not understand the importance of the class in their careers. Again, the tutor can play an important role in offering ideas about the relevance of the course.

Finally, Dr. Kirby pointed out that tutors can also act as advisors to their students. Though it is not technically part of the job description, many tutors find themselves offering advice about good classes, not so good classes, and various professors. Kirby stated that "[Other] students are the best advisors…Faculty members aren’t prepared to answer many student questions." Tutors can help their students overcome fears about being in a new big place. Students must move beyond being intimidated and face the challenges of university life. Tutors can help to make their students’ academic experience more fulfilling.

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SSP Welcomes Andy Freeman

By: Christi Johnson

For those of you who frequent 310 Calvin Hall, you may see a new face and hear a new name. Andy Freeman has signed on with Support Service Programs as the Coordinator of Academic Planning. While his responsibilities as the Coordinator of Academic Planning include a wide variety of things, Andy thinks "coordinating" is the key word. He’ll oversee various projects and also work closely with the Academic Planning Counselors.

Andy also says that Iowa City is a bit of a change for his family and him. Born and raised in North Dakota, he completed his Master’s degree in English at the University of North Dakota–Grand Forks. Following the completion of his degree, he worked at UND’s learning center in a position similar to Academic Planning Counselor at the UI. Here at SSP, Andy hopes to plan and discover many new projects and ideas, plus increase outreach and interaction with other departments in the university.

Best of luck in settling into Iowa City and Support Service Programs, Andy!

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The Voice of Experience – An Interview with Peter Telenson

By: Christi Johnson

Being a tutor begins with being a learner. It also means being willing to learn more about yourself as a student and as a tutor. This became very clear to me in a recent interview with Peter Telenson, a tutor for two semesters in literature and history. Although two semesters may not seem like a long time, Peter has had a wide variety of experiences tutoring both for New Dimensions in Learning and Women’s Athletics and also monitoring his own development as a student in English and Theater Arts.

Peter views education, his own and that of his students, as a socialization process. That is to say, education is not limited to the classroom, but rather includes all aspects of university life: overcoming a cultural change, coping with daily frustrations, self discovery, and learning how to express oneself. As a tutor, Peter sees himself as a small part of his students’ learning experiences, but perhaps a critically important part for facilitating future academic growth.

In his tutoring sessions, Peter takes a very open-minded approach. He believes that students should learn to express their own ideas. In his experiences as a history and literature tutor, Peter has found that a key hardship for students is developing their own perspective. Many students, in his experience, have struggled to find the confidence to develop and express their own opinions in class or in writing. Although he believes there is really nothing wrong with seeking to find a "standard answer," it is important to learn to argue your own ideas.

In tutoring, Peter has become more open to the idea that everyone approaches learning differently and each individual has unique goals in a class. He feels it important to ask students their purpose in taking a specific class or going to college. This allows the tutoring relationship to proceed with the students’ goals in mind. Peter says, "It is also important to remember that students treat class work as an allocation of resources." That is to say, one class often takes priority over another. The student and tutor must understand that some classes and projects are going to be more important than others.

When asked how he chooses a tutoring approach with a student, Peter told me, "Students will teach you how to teach them." It is just a matter of listening and being sensitive to their needs. The tutor must be flexible enough to change approaches and seek out new methods should the situation demand it. He shared the example of one student that had trouble remembering when scheduled tutoring sessions would be held. Although this student was never able to completely overcome the inability to keep appointments, Peter worked with the student and eventually established some creative solutions to the student’s memory problems.

Although some of his techniques and approaches in tutoring may seem very progressive, Peter admitted to being dogmatic in two areas: class attendance and studying. He reminds his students that the most successful college students both go to class and spend time studying. He also reassures them that they are not "dumb" or lacking some innate ability just because they have to go to class AND study.

In keeping with this month’s Tutela theme, Peter has had much experience tutoring students with disabilities. Although it is simpler to acknowledge a label of "disabled" and infer that the disabled person is somehow dramatically different, Peter firmly believes that we, students and tutors, all have limitations. Instead of focusing on a student’s disability, Peter chooses to focus on creating an effective learning environment. He has found that as he works to develop a positive, safe atmosphere for the student to learn, his students will gradually expose more of what they need to complete the learning task. When working with any student, Peter often tells them of things that he has struggled with in his education. Many times, in this casual environment, a student will not be too shy to share facts about their own disabilities and needs as a student.

In closing, Peter shared that he believed that learning was a process of evolution. As students (and tutors) learn how to learn, they must accept changes. Peter told me "…[learners] must also come to the understanding that it is impossible to force a change in themselves without giving something up." Students and tutors must not be too hard on themselves but realize that change is imminent. A student of Peter’s once shared the knowledge that "…you don’t learn from your mistakes; you learn from the correction of your mistakes."

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Fast Facts About Americans with Disabilities

Fast Facts about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

• Two-thirds of adult Americans are aware of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• 87% of adults aware of ADA approve of it.
• 75% of adults surveyed think the benefits that ADA demands for people with disabilities are worth the extra money.

Fast Facts about Learning Disabilities

• According to the National Institutes of Health, about 15% of the United States population (or 1 in 7 people) has a learning disability.
• Difficulty in reading or basic language skills account for about 80% of all learning disabilities.
• Learning disabilities run in families.

Fast Facts about Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (AD/HD)

• AD/HD affects about 2.6 million kids from aged 5-18. Estimates for adults suggest that 2-5 million people may be affected by the disorder.
• A person suffering from AD/HD may not be hyperactive. A subcategory, the primarily inattentive type, is characterized by lack of focus and a tendency to daydream.
• Creating an extremely structured environment helps adults (and children) with AD/HD to function in everyday life.

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Available in the Career Development Services Near You...

Many of you may not be aware of all the services available to you through Career Development Services. Although you may have a few years until graduation and career time, it is never too soon to start browsing and thinking about what you want to do. Or, maybe you would like to get an internship or a little field experience to try some hands-on work in your area.

Career Development Services, on the third floor of Calvin Hall, has a host of services available to students. They are primarily concerned in helping students choose their major and find internships, but they also provide such things as computer and paper/pencil tests to discover where your interests lie. For more info on Career Development Services, look them up on the web at: http://www.uiowa.edu/~careers or e-mail them at careers@uiowa.edu.

For students with disabilities:

Career Development Services may have some internship interviews available for students with disabilities. The Federal Government's Work Force Development program seeks out individuals with disabilities to interview for federal internships. They will be interviewing on campus this coming spring. For more information, please contact Dave Fitzgerald in the Career Development Office at 335-1385 or email dave-fitzgerald@uiowa.edu.

Sources:

Eric Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. http://ericec.org/

National Organization on Disability. http://www.nod.org/

Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder. http://chadd.org/

Other useful information can be obtained from the National Institutes of Mental Health website. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/

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Brainteaser

There are 3 black hats and 2 white hats in a box. Three children (we will call them Robert, David, and Melissa) each reach into the box and place one of the hats on their own head. They cannot see what color hat they have chosen. The children are situated in a way that Robert can see the hats on David and Melissa's heads, David can only see the hat on Melissa's head and Melissa cannot see any hats. When Robert is asked if he knows the color of the hat that he is wearing, he says no. When David is asked if he knows the color of the hat that he is wearing, he says no. When Melissa is asked if she knows the color of the hat that she is wearing she says yes and she is correct.

What color hat is she wearing and how did she know for certain?

Brainteaser Answer:

Robert must not see two white hats on David or Melissa, or he would know his own hat must be black. So at least one of the hats on David and Melissa is black. If David saw that Melissa was wearing a white hat, then David would know his own hat was black. Since David could not say that, then Melissa must be wearing black and is able to answer so correctly.

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