Learning Disabilities Training: A New Approach - Module 2

The interaction in both kinds of assessment helps practitioners draw conclusions about learners' thinking processes (i.e. why they answer a question in a particular way), their response to a learning situation (i.e. whether, with prompting, feedback, or modeling, the learners can produce a correct response), and what specific means of in struction produce and maintain positive change in learners' cognitive functioning.²⁹

Practitioners should informally discuss with the learners their attitude towards the particular task (writing, reading, math, organization) they plan to assess. Find out learners' views on the task, how people learn to do the task, what has been most helpful for them in doing the task, what has been least helpful, what they think will help them to improve their skills with the task and what strategies do they use when they run into a difficulty with the task.³⁰

Self-assessment and learner involvement

"If a student has an educational need that prompts him to enroll in a class, I'll bet he can explain what that need is. If a student can tell an instructor specifically what part of her life could run a little more smoothly with just a little help, I'll bet that instructor can provide some materials, lessons, and practice to address that need. If a student can recognize a change, then that student will be performing self-assessment."³¹

Involvement of learners helps them understand themselves, reduces frustration, builds self-esteem and facilitates the building of independence and ownership for their ongoing and future learning and coping strategies. Part of the initial self-assessment is to help learners identify how they think, process and store information. The practitioner's role is to provide learners with tools and the forum to help them to identify and express themselves. The focus of the initial discussions with the learner should be spent talking about the learner's potential learning disability and how it may affect his/her learning and everyday activities. This is also the time to build trust.