Resources for Adult Learners with Special Learning Needsphilaliteracy.org/.../2015/10/Finding-Resources-for-Adults.Dr_.Cooper.… · • Richard Cooper, PhD • Harcum College Center

Resources for Adult Learners with Special Learning Needs

Richard Cooper Director of Disability Services/

Learning Specialist Harcum College

Who Are Adults with Special Needs?

• Adults who have: – Learning Disabilities – Attention Problems – Adults on the Autistic Spectrum – Mental Health Issues – Physical Disabilities – Sensory Disabilities – Developmental Disabilities – Other Medical Conditions

Number of Adult Learners Who Have Special Needs

• Hard to Estimate

• Very High in low level readers

• High in those with low level math skills

• Fewer in ESL classes

What Do They Need?

• Continuing Education • Specialized Instruction to Match Their

Needs • Instructional Time • Realistic Goals • Appropriate Pace • Materials that Build Skills • General Knowledge • Mentoring

Continuing Education

• Should a learner with special needs have to pay to gain skills below the post secondary level?

• What are the issues? • Who should pay? • How do we increase access?

Adult Special Education

• If an adult learner received special education in K-12, should he/she receive some type of adult special education?

• Pros and Cons

• Adult Education Plans?

Instructional Time

• K-12 instructional time. 180 days x 6 hours x 13 years

• Compare that to adult educational time – How much time do you spend with a student? – How much time does the student send

studying? – What should we expect with so little time?

Realistic Goals• High School Diploma (GED)?

• Functional (everyday) Reading Skills?

• Love of Reading?

• Functional (everyday) Math Skills?

• Homework Assignments?

Appropriate Pace

• Adult Learners with Special Needs Often Require Much more Repetition Than Others

• Constant Review

• Tutor Boredom with Slow Pace

• Design Instruction for Repetition and Review

Materials That Build Skills

• K-12 materials are designed to build skills

• Do the materials you use build skills?

• What skills does the learner need to build?

• Are the materials you are using build those skills?

General Knowledge

• Adult learners may have a poor fund of general knowledge limiting their education

• Find the gaps

• Fill the gaps

Mentoring

• It is not just about basic academic skills

• Use instructional materials that inform the student about life, employment and social skills

• Use everything to round out the students education

Using Technology

• Screen Readers and Recorded Books

• Dictation Software

• Grammar Check Software

• Email for Writing

Resources for Low Level Readers

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/literacy/adultliteracy American Library Assoc. https://delicious.com/alaolos/literacy From the above list of links http://www.literacyactioncenter.org/adultlearners.htm http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/implement/improving-services/plan-adult-literacy-program/main Kansas University community tool box http://marshalladulteducation.org/reading-skills-for-todays-adult leveled reading materials http://marshalladulteducation.org/index.php/resource-center Long list of links http://www.mccormickfoundation.org/communities/issues/literacy

www.leanrningally.org Recorded Books

www.naasln.org National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs

www.learningdifferences.com Dr. Richard Cooper’s web site

American Library Association

Web Link University of Kansas

Web Link “Delicious”

Technology Article

Stalf Lake Literacy

Leveled Adult Reading Material

Marshall Adult Education

McCormick Foundation

Learning Ally

NAASLN

Learning Differences.com

Contact Information

• Richard Cooper, PhD • Harcum College Center for Alternative

Learning • 610-526-6036 610-203-2569 • [email protected] rcooper-

[email protected]