ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING
THE WAKE FOREST STUDENT:
PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES TO SUCCESS
The Office of Multicultural Affairs and
The Teaching & Learning Center
WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS!
• Wesley Harris,
Assistant Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs
• Van Westervelt, PhD.,
Director of the Teaching and Learning Center
• Megan Figueroa (‘06)
• Shelly Cardi,
Staff Psychologist, Teaching and Learning Center
• Catherine Ross,
Director of the Teaching and Learning Center
• Who else is in the room and why?
C. Ross
AGENDA
• What?
o
National trends indicate that students with
disabilities are attending college in increasing
numbers, primarily because improved services
make it possible for them to be successful.
• So what?
o
o
Who are our students with disabilities (esp.
reading disabilities and ADHD)? What assets do
they bring to our classrooms / campus?
What challenges do they face?
• Now what?
o
What can we do to position them for success?
C. Ross
DISCLAIMERS &
LIMITATIONS
• We won’t cover it all.
• The information shared will not reflect all
students in all settings / situations.
• An intercultural mindset is more effective
than a monocultural one (IDI, LLC, 2012).
o
But generalizations are still possible.
• Supporting students with disabilities
benefits all students.
C. Ross
Reading Disability and ADHD
VAN D. WESTERVELT, PHD
SHELLY CARDI, PHD
LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER
& DISABILITY SERVICES
Distribution of Disabilities by Type (2011-12)
Dyslexia [Reading Disability]
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is
neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties
with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor
spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically
result from a deficit in the phonological component of
language that is often unexpected in relation to other
cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom
instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems
in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience
that can impede growth of vocabulary and background
knowledge.
G.R. Lyon, National Institute of Health, S.F. Shaywitz, B.A. Shaywitz, Yale University, 2003
Dyslexia [Reading Disability]
 A specific learning disability that is characterized by
the following:




Neurobiological origin;
Difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition;
Poor spelling; and
Decoding difficulties
G.R. Lyon, National Institute of Health, S.F. Shaywitz, B.A. Shaywitz, Yale University. 2003
Areas of the Brain Used for Reading
Normal & Dyslexic Reading Children
Normal Readers
Dyslexic Readers
Frontal
& Temporoparietal
Frontal
but NO
Temporoparietal
Dyslexia [Reading Disorder]
 Difficulties:



Deficit in the phonological component of language ;
Often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities;
Despite the provision of effective classroom instruction.
Dyslexia [Reading Disability]
E. Willicutt and B. Pennington, 1999
 Reading disability 5-10% of population
 M:F, 3 or 4:1 in clinic populations, 1.5:1 in
community samples
 Runs in families, usually if one parent or an older
sibling has a reading disability there is about a 40%
chance of the child having RD
“Twice Exceptional” or “Gifted Dyslexic”
Overcoming Dyslexia
Fortune 5-13-2002 article by B. Morris. Highlighted
business and law leaders who were highly successful
despite their dyslexia.
• John Chambers
• Charles Schwab
• Richard Branson
• David Boies
Schwab’s Thinking Style
Like Chambers, Schwab fast forwards past the smaller,
logical steps of sequential thinkers. “Many times I can
see a solution to something and synthesize things
differently and quicker than other people.” In
meetings, “I would see the end zone and say ‘This is
where we need to go.’ This annoys sequential
thinkers, he says, because it short cuts their “rigorous
step by step process.” [excerpt]
2006 WFU Graduate in General Business
 M’s difficulties with Reading, Spelling and copying
words became evident in first grade
 She received Reading support or was in Resource
from 3rd -8th grades
 M was described by teachers as having a positive and
energetic attitude toward school.
 She was eager to get involved and clearly wanted to
do well.
An Evaluation
 Age 12 years, 5 months
 7th grade
 WISC-III (M=100, SD=15)
 Verbal IQ 115 81%ile
 Performance IQ 133 99%ile
Significantly lower Reading and written language skills
Strong Math skills
An Evaluation
 When she moved to high school, M was no longer
eligible for support or Resource because she was
doing well in her classes.
 Informally, her teachers worked with her and gave
her extra time on tests when she needed it.
Age 16 Years, 6 months
11th Grade
Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-Bit)
Subtest
Standard Score
*
Percentile
Vocabulary
97
42%ile
Matrices
130
98%ile
Composite
Standard Score*
National %ile
Rank
K-BIT IQ
*
Composite
115
84
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
WAIT Subtests
Standard
Score*
%ile Rank
Basic Reading
90
25
Mathematics
Reasoning
127
96
Spelling
72
3
Reading
Comprehension
131
98
Numerical
Operations
104
61
Listening
Comprehension
128
97
Oral Expression
132
98
Written
Expression
100
50
What Helps At the College Level
 Possible accommodations
 Extra time on tests/exams (50%)
 Use of a word processor with spell check
 Books on tape (novels)
 Foreign language alternative or modified foreign language
instruction/curriculum
 Spacing out heavy reading courses across semesters
Study by M.K. Runyan
The effect of extra time on reading comprehension for university students with and without
learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1991
Group
LD (n=16)
Non LD (n=15)
Standard Time
13%ile
82
* All students at UC-Berkley
Extra Time
76
83
ADHD: A Description of the
Disorder and the Students It
Affects
SHELLY CARDI, PHD
ADHD: A Clinical Definition (DSM-IV-TR)
 A disorder with a persistent pattern of inattention
and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms that
can be described as follows:





More frequent and severe difficulties than those at a
comparable developmental level
Symptoms present before age 7 (12 y/o with DSM-V)
Impairment present in at least two settings (e.g. at home,
school or work)
Social, academic, or occupational functioning difficulties
Rule out other diagnoses
ADHD
 Chronic condition requiring ongoing
treatment;
 Inability to regulate one’s behaviors,
emotions, and attention due to executive
function difficulties; and
 Many areas of an individual’s life affected
ADHD: An Executive Functioning Disorder
Executive functions is an umbrella term that refers
to higher-order cognitive processes that involve the
following:






Planning;
Working memory;
Attention;
Problem solving;
Verbal reasoning;
Inhibition;
 Mental flexibility;
 Task switching;
 Initiation/motivation;
and
 Monitoring of actions
Areas of Brain
Affected by
ADHD
Dorsolateral
Prefrontal Cortex processing of
information,
integration of
cognitions and
behaviors
Orbitofronal Cortex
– involves impulse
control, monitoring and
ongoing and
appropriate behavior
Anterior Cingulate
Cortex – involves
emotional drives,
experiences, and
integration
Executive Functioning ADHD Symptoms
 Underestimation of time and outcomes;
 Lack of anticipating consequences;
 Difficulty applying different problem-solving
strategies; and
 Difficulty making decisions
Executive Functioning ADHD Symptoms
 Difficulty choosing the most appropriate action
based on social expectations and norms; and
 Lack of consideration, forgetting and/or not
following through with tasks necessary to carry
out decisions; and
 Sense of overstimulation of sights, sounds, and
physical sensory information
How does executive functioning affect learning
and academic performance?
 Difficulty planning and completing projects;
 Problems anticipating how long a project will
take to complete;
 Struggling with telling a story in the right
sequence with important details and minimal
irrelevant details;
How does executive functioning affect learning
and academic performance?
 Problems initiating activities or tasks, or
generating ideas independently;
 Difficulty retaining information while doing
something with it such as remembering a
phone number while dialing; and
 Feelings of fear, being overwhelmed and
embarrassed/ashamed
Strengths of Those Diagnosed with ADHD
 Creativity;
 Adventurousness;
 Looking at the big picture;
 Thinking outside the box;
 Comfortable with change and chaos; and
 Lots of energy
Academic Counseling Strategies
 Goal setting and Motivation
 Images of persistence
 Time management, balanced approach
 Value of exercise
 Reading strategies for dense text books/articles
 Mapping
 Externalizing important information and cues
 Multiple choice question strategies
 Management of performance anxiety
 Addressing negative self-concepts
Current WFU Student with ADHD
 M is a 20 y/o, Caucasian female
 WAIS-IV (aptitude):
 FSIQ – Above Average
 Working Memory Index – Below Average
 Processing Speed Index – Below Average
 WJ-III (achievement skills):
 Academic Fluency Scores showed most significant
discrepancies
Difficulties due to executive functioning deficits not lack of
cognitive abilities
Current WFU Student with ADHD
 At the beginning of academic counseling:
 Poor
grades;
 Late or missing assignments;
 Missing classes and appointments;
 Procrastination;
 Inconsistent motivation;
 Low self-esteem; and
 High level of stress and sense of being
overwhelmed
Current WFU Student with ADHD
 With academic counseling:
 More
structured;
 Higher motivation;
 Proactive;
 Focus on learning (not grades);
 Making good grades;
 Engaged in class and with professors;
 Procrastination eliminated; and
 Engaging in self-care behaviors
Academic Skills Counseling
 Helpful to most students experiencing academic
difficulties
 Individualized strategies based on learning
styles, specific difficulties, and emotional
obstacles related to learning
 Reframed understanding of learning disabilities,
ADHD, and intelligence
 Approximately 4-10 individual weekly sessions or
more as needed
MOTIVATION, METACOGNITION AND
MULTIPLE MODALITIES
What Learners Need
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“We’ve gotten accustomed to a system in
which the very few excel in school (and reap
the rewards in the vocational world beyond)
and the many stumble along and more or
less get by, or get through, or fail.”
Warner, J. 2003. “Clueless in Academe: An
Interview with Gerald Graff.” The Morning
News, September 16th.
C. Ross
DEFINITION: MOTIVATION
• Motivation refers to the personal
investment that an individual has in
reaching a desired state or outcome (Maehr &
Meyer, 1997).
• In the context of learning, motivation
influences the direction, intensity,
persistence, and quality of the learning
behaviors in which students
engage.(Ambrose, et al, 2010)
C. Ross
DEFINITION: MOTIVATION
Principle:
Students’ motivation generates, directs, and
sustains what they do.
o
o
Value
Expectancy
Environment
o
(Ambrose et al, 2010)
C. Ross
MO
Understanding Motivation: Ambrose et al, p. 80
C. Ross
AREAS OF CONCERN
• Hopeless
–
–
–
• Fragile
No expectation of
success
Low levels of
motivation
Behave in helpless
fashions
–
–
–
Want to succeed
Dubious about
abilities
Protect self-esteem
•
•
•
•
C. Ross
Feigning
understanding
Avoiding
performance
Denying difficulty
Making excuses
WHAT FACULTY CAN DO
How can we help students with self-efficacy
and keep them motivated?
Metacognition!
“Metacognitive interventions…may be an especially
powerful tool in helping the “academically adrift” student
find a way to get into the game, to become more aware of
the kind of thinking that supports strong academic
performance.” Ottenhoff, Liberal Education (handout)
C. Ross
INTRO TO METACOGNITION
• Brief intro to metacognition
• Example of using multiple modalities!
C. Ross
DEFINITION:
METACOGNITION
Metacognition is “the process of reflecting on and
directing one’s own thinking”
• Metacognitive processes to monitor and control
learning:(Ambrose et al, pp. 190-193).
o
o
o
o
o
Assess the task at hand
Evaluate own skills and knowledge, identify
strengths and weaknesses
Plan approach to task
Apply strategies and monitor progress
Reflect on whether approach is
working/adjustments
C. Ross
WHAT FACULTY CAN DO
• Be more explicit than you may think
necessary and repeat.
• Tell students what you do NOT want.
• Check students’ understanding of the task.
• Provide performance criteria at the same
time as the assignment.
C. Ross
WHAT FACULTY CAN DO
•
•
•
•
Give early, ungraded assessments
Provide opportunities for self-assessment.
Have students do guided peer review
Require students to reflect on and
annotate work
C. Ross
REFLECTING AND
ADJUSTING
• Activities that require reflection
o
o
o
o
What did you learn from doing this
project?
What skills do you still need to work on?
Before I took this course I _____, but now
I______.
I used to _____ but now I_____.
C. Ross
WHAT FACULTY CAN DO
• Help students analyze effectiveness of
study skills
o
Exam wrappers:
• a brief analysis of their performance and
relate that performance to how they
studied
• What types of errors did you make?
• What will you do differently next time?
C. Ross
WHAT FACULTY CAN DO
• Help students set realistic expectations
o
o
o
Accomplished people sometimes struggle
to gain mastery
Learning is work and it does not happen
magically
Address student beliefs about
intelligence/learning directly
• The brain’s biology
C. Ross
WHAT FACULTY CAN DO
• Teach using multiple modalities
o
o
o
o
Videos or podcasts [with limitations!]
instead of readings
Simulations, case studies
Use of Visuals: art, comics, photo
Engage all senses: get creative!
• EX: in foreign language classes having
students respond to and give commands
C. Ross
WHAT FACULTY CAN DO
Indicators that a course embraces new forms of communication and
expression. How many of the strategies apply to you?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students in one of my classes create concept maps
I have played a YouTube video during class to illustrate a point
I encourage students to include images in their essays
My course website features an audio or video welcome message
At least half of the slides in my last PowerPoint contain no text
I recently played music in the classroom
My most recent handout includes a photo
One of my class assignments is to critique an infographic
I have recorded voice comments in Word documents submitted by students
One of my course projects is a multimedia digital story
I know where to find images with a Creative Commons license
One of the “textbooks” for my course is a full-length movie
C. Ross
CONCEPT MAPS
C. Ross
ENDNOTES
Bibliography
Ambrose, S., M. Bridges, M. DiPietro, M. Lovett, & M. Norman. (2010).
How Learning Works. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Branche, J., J. Mullennix & E. Cohn. (2007). Diversity Across the
Curriculum. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing.
Cross, K. P. (2005). What Do We Know About Students’ Learning and
How Do We Know It?”. Center for Studies in Higher Education.
University of California, Berkeley, CSHE.7.05.
Davis, B.G., (1993). Tools for Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ottenhoff, J. (2012). Learning How to Learn: Metacognition in Liberal
Education. Liberal Education, Summer/Fall 2011, Vol. 97, No. 34.
AAC&U. reprised in Tomorrow’s Professor, 4/9/2012.
Provitera McGlynn, A. (2007) Teaching Today’s College Students:
Widening the Circle of Success. Madison, WI: Atwood Publishing.
C. Ross