Tutoring Students with Cognitive Disabilities
Tutoring
adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities can be difficult. To me,
it is especially hard to figure out if the person is trying to take advantage
of you or if they genuinely need more help than the average student. In my
experience, people with cognitive and developmental disabilities do not want to
take advantage of you, they might even feel embarrassed about asking you many
questions. Generally people who continue to ask you questions after a half hour
to an hour session with them are the people who are taking advantage of you. It
is important to try and stay patient with them but make it clear that you
cannot right the paper for them.
Now
that does not mean that all people with disabilities are perfect angels, they
still might try and get you to right the paper for them. The people who try to
use thier disabilities as an excuse are the ones that can be the most difficult
to tutor. I have actually had a student tell me, “I have a learning disability
so can you write this for me”? Even if they get angry you have to try and get
them to feel empowered enough to work by themselves. Of course if you feel like
you are coming to the end of your rope you can always go and get a coworker or
one of the managers.
By Victoria Ford, FCC Student, WRC Tutor
By Victoria Ford, FCC Student, WRC Tutor
Comments
Post a Comment