FAQs: Specific Barriers and Learning Differences to Address

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There are many variables that affect scholastic performance among college-level students. In addition to learning style preferences and differences, other factors such as neurodiversity, financial burdens, age, chronic physical and mental health issues, current political, social and environmental climates and outside obligations can affect students’ schedules and the ability to complete assignments on time. As many of us instructors have witnessed, the majority of our students hold at least 1 job while attending USF full-time.

The following are some suggestions of flexible deadline policies that respect students’ exterior obligations and challenges while maintaining the integrity of course assignments and requirements:

  • allow a specific number of late submissions per semester, but only for specific assignments, such as homework exercises and not term papers; set a maximum number of days an assignment may be late without penalty (e.g., 3-5 days)
  • require that late submissions be requested via email at least 1 day in advance
  • for late submissions, deduct the final grade ⅓ of a letter grade instead of a whole grade for every day an assignment is submitted late
  • deduct a very small percentage for the first day submitted late (e.g., the equivalent of one point out of 100) and a larger percentage (2 or 3 points) for each day thereafter
  • drop a specific number of assignments that are late or not submitted (e.g., 3-5 homework assignments, 1 of 5 writing assignments)
  • only allow rewrites for assignments submitted on time
  • allow rewrites for assignments submitted late, but only up to a specific number of days and for half the grade increase as the assignments submitted on time

SAMPLE FLEXIBILITY POLICIES and RESOURCES

There are multiple reasons why students miss class, and it is easy for us instructors to often assume the worst and think they are just trying to skip class. Chronic absenteeism has become a bigger challenge for educators, especially since the global pandemic, and having to provide a legitimate reason for missing class may place an unfair burden on students with chronic physical and mental health issues in particular. The term “forced intimacy,” was originally coined by Mia Mingus to describe the expectation that many people with disabilities experience of having to share personal and private health matters in order to defend their need of accommodations (which is a violation of the American Disabilities Act). The same notion can be applied to a student who has undergone some sort of trauma or the loss of a loved one and is expected to retell their personal and challenging experiences. The following are some alternatives to assist students when they are unable to attend class and to avoid forced intimacy.

For a list of pros and cons regarding setting mandatory attendance policies, please see the University of Massachusetts Boston’s faculty guide on inclusive attendance policies.

  • allow a limited number of absences without penalty (e.g., 2 “freebies”/semester, no questions asked)
  • allow students to attend remotely on Zoom a limited number of times throughout the semester and require that they “show their work;” to prevent students from taking advantage of the option, require that they request a special Zoom link for that class and do not have a recurring link (you just need to screen share your in-class documents while remote participants listen in)
  • provide recordings of class lectures and require that absent students show proof they watched them in order to get participation credit (e.g., photos of the notes they took from the beginning until the end, responses to activities carried out during class, audio recordings that summarize what they learned, etc.)

Additional articles and resources

Sample Attendance Policies

  • Attendance modification policy: BIOL 106L
  • “If you think you have been exposed to COVID or aren’t feeling well, have a particular emergency and/or cannot attend class in person due to some unforeseen circumstances but are well enough to attend remotely, you may email your instructor to request a special Zoom link to listen during class. All requests must be made by 9:00 am before class. There is no assigned Zoom link for class, so you must request one in advance.

All students that attend class via Zoom are required to "show their work." Meaning, you will have to submit the answers for the activities covered during class either in the chat feature or in a written document, an audio file or a photo of your notes sent via email. You must show that you are participating during the entire class to get full credit towards your participation grade.”

When students are evaluated for their in-class participation

  • Create a supportive learning environment from Day 1. 
    • Stress open communication and your concern for your students’ learning when you first present your course.
    • Demonstrate that you respect learner variability, neurodiversity, personality, cultures, and experience.
    • When appropriate, share your own learning experiences, successes, struggles, failures and even embarrassing mistakes.
    • Emphasize repeatedly that mistakes are part of the learning process and often help us learn better.
    • Have all of the students introduce themselves to help foster a sense of community.
    • Emphasize that clarification-seeking and all questions are encouraged and appreciated, and that someone else in the class probably has the same question, too.
    • Provide a participation rubric with detailed explanations and specific examples for the grades for each level of participation. You can have students first submit what they think their grade should be and then agree or disagree by pointing out the pre-made descriptions.
  • Encourage pair and small group work during class discussions to demonstrate knowledge (“think-pair-share”). 
    • One student/volunteer can report what was discussed to the rest of the class.
    • You can assign different roles to each group member, such as note-taker, presenter, researcher, and rotate those roles so that everyone eventually gets a chance at each role.
    • Pair/group shy students together so they all get a chance to speak and not be dominated by more vocal students.
  • Allow a variety of ways to demonstrate knowledge during class: 
    • take a poll of hands
    • use anonymous Poll Everywhere or Clickers
    • have students write questions and answers on note cards to be submitted during and/or at the end of class, with or without names
    • allow same day post-class online comments (using the “Discussions” tab in Canvas)
    • ask for choral responses when everyone gives one-word or short answers simultaneously
  • “Frontload” the class by posting the class content and discussion questions beforehand so students know what to expect.
  • Give 10-30 seconds for all students to reflect on their responses before accepting comments.

For in-class oral presentations

  • Allow students to present only to you or to submit a pre-recorded video.
  • Allow a choice in research topics.
  • Offer to do a practice run with the student during your office hours.

Additional support to provide

  • Talk to the student individually to agree on how they can participate more. For example, you can agree to call on that student, even if they raise their hand after others.
  • Agree on realistic and achievable goals, such as they must volunteer a response at least one time every class or once a week.
  • Send a quick email checking in on the student and/or praising them for recent performance.
  • The Speaking Center at USF
  • Academic Skills Coaching appointments at the Learning, Writing and Speaking Centers 
  • Direct them towards CASA or possibly CAPS if the student experiences severe anxiety.
  • Create a separate module in your Canvas portal with relevant campus resources and suggested external resources.

CALENDAR and ASSIGNMENT DESIGN

  • Have your calendar with clear assignment deadlines from Day 1.
  • Indicate the objectives/purpose of your learning materials. Just because you know they’re important doesn’t mean your students will recognize their value or relevance. Having a purpose may inspire them to perform more and more effectively.
  • Set realistic expectations about what the students will learn, the quantity and how.
  • Provide an outline of the main content (e,g., you can copy and paste the title headings of each section in a reading).
  • Provide comprehension questions that highlight the most important content/takeaways.
  • Indicate the most important readings and other course content and what should be prioritized and by when.
  • From Day 1, suggest different ways to manage the course content (e.g., read ___# of pages/day).
  • If you have any returning students, ask them to share their recommendations on how to manage the reading assignments and be successful in your course, what to stress about and what not to, etc.

HOW TO ENCOURAGE READING

  • Announce reading assignments at the beginning of class.
  • Indicate what knowledge students will be expected to demonstrate during the following class.
  • Have students participate in pre-class online discussion after completing the reading assignment. They can answer specific questions and/or post questions they have.
  • Have students submit questions on the readings in writing as they enter class.
  • Don’t lecture on the content from the assigned reading. Have students carry out an activity that requires that they apply that information instead.
  • Have students complete a reading guide to be submitted before the upcoming exam.
  • Incorporate low-stakes assessments, such as pop quizzes to ensure accountability.
  • Have students submit a reading journal with specific instructions on notes they take, questions to address.

HOW TO HELP STUDENTS MANAGE LONG READING ASSIGNMENTS

  • Allow time for in-class discussions between pairs and small groups to deepen comprehension.
  • Encourage active reading techniques.
  • Promote metacognition, learning how to learn, and try to build it into the course evaluation via pre-, during and post-assignment reflection and analysis
  • Discuss possible distractions, such as electronic devices, and how to avoid and prevent them. Share your own personal distractions and what you do to manage them, and encourage students to share theirs.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT: Provide links for on-campus support

  • The Learning, Writing and Speaking Centers
  • Academic Skills Coaching appointments at the Learning, Writing and Speaking Centers
  • Encourage students to talk to CASA and/or SDS advisors regarding time management skills
  • Encourage students to attend CASA Success Coach Drop-In Hours
  • Share personal time management tips and strategies.
  • Encourage students to share their preferred time management strategies.
  • The Pomodoro Technique: the process of working in 25-minute periods at a time, taking a quick 5-minute break and then repeating the 25-minute work period.
  • Encourage students to experiment with different physical learning spaces that will help them focus best (e.g., lighting, temperature, noise level, not in sleeping space).

When first learning new information:

  • Teach memory strategies:
    • the use of metaphors, rhymes and mnemonics
    • making personalized and meaningful associations
    • cluster/group related content into specific categories
    • include visual images, which are easier to remember than language
    • encourage writing out concepts multiple times and by hand
    • encourage talking out loud
    • using multiple senses simultaneously, such as reading, listening, movement and tactile
    • act out, walk or do some sort of physical action while studying, for example when learning a sequence of steps
    • writing and/or recording everything
    • review class notes within a 24-hour period for better retention
    • active learning: engage with the material through summarizing, paraphrasing, explaining concepts to others, annotation or asking questions
    • teach class content to a friend, family member or pet!
    • recall other events, images, sounds, emotions taking place at the time of learning: e.g., physical learning environment, personal, political, social situation going on at that time, when a classmate dropped a water bottle, what the teacher was wearing, the weather that day, etc. (research shows that remembering surrounding circumstances can aid recall)
    • when permissible/appropriate, allow students to record lectures
    • enlist students to take notes and post for classmates
    • elicit strategies from students to share during class
    • encourage students to study with other classmates
    • chunking: divide complex information into smaller, manageable pieces to ease processing and recall
    • encourage the use of digital note taking apps and other forms of note taking assistance, such as Livescribe

Supplement course materials

  • Indicate the objectives/purpose/real world application of your learning materials.
  • Set realistic expectations about what the students will learn and retain and highlight key takeaways.
  • Provide an outline of the main content (e,g., you can copy and paste the title headings of each section in a reading or video).
  • Provide comprehension questions that highlight the most important content/takeaways.
  • Embed visual aids, such as photos, graphs, charts, and even emojis.
  • Include corresponding visual aids on Canvas pages where content is assigned, such as photos, graphs, charts, Clip art
  • With each new assignment, provide different examples of memory techniques and strategies.
  • Incorporate humor and personal anecdotes.
  • Make accessible materials that are screen readable for assistive technology, such as text-to-speech
  • Identify single-stream elements (i.e., accessed by only one format, such as via readings or video) and offer an alternative format with a brief summary of the main content to be accessed until the student can catch up. Be clear that it is not a substitution for the original assignment.

How to support students with memory impairment during summative assessments

  • display and/or include an image, graph, chart, famous quote, comment made during class, etc. that will help jog memory
  • allow the use of memory aids, such as notecards or one piece of paper with student-generated and personalized graphs, mind maps, mnemonics, rhymes etc. that don’t have complete terms, written examples or other essential course knowledge
  • consider necessary real-world applications: do your students need to be able to recall specific course content on the spot without access to any types of resources or will they most likely have tools to consult, such as dictionaries, calculators, manuals, etc.
  • have shorter and more frequent exams
  • have frequent low-stakes quizzes
  • provide immediate feedback and positive reinforcement for correct response
  • encourage your students to do a “brain dump” in which they write down notes in the margins or on a blank piece of paper as soon as they start their exams

Additional Resources

Supporting Students with Working Memory Difficulties

Your Brain’s GPS Is Glitchy: Why Working Memory Fails and How to Bolster It

 

  • provide and review learning objectives for each new unit/content, plus previously learned objectives to be built upon
  • embed informational links for previously learned concepts, field-specific vocabulary and other relevant information in original materials and assignments
  • whenever possible, link new content to concepts previously covered and show how they are related
  • activate background information by making use of prior knowledge and experiences related to a topic or situation to help students connect new information to what they already know and understand
  • provide an additional module in Canvas with materials used in pre-requisite courses
  • recycle/revisit previously learned material and skills - don’t assume that your students retained everything previously taught
  • provide scaffolding for more complex content
  • allow extra practice and repetition
  • survey the students regarding what they know about foundational principles and concepts
    • use “Exit Tickets”: ask questions about what students know that they submit anonymously upon leaving the classroom
    • Polling: Use of online programs, such as Poll Everywhere and iClicker to poll students’ comprehension of the previous subject matter throughout class, or no technology, such as by asking for choral responses or a show of hands
    • create Canvas surveys

CALENDAR and ASSIGNMENT DESIGN

  • Have your course calendar with clear assignment deadlines from Day 1.
  • Include mid-assignment reminders in the course calendar.
  • Indicate the objectives/purpose of your learning materials. Just because you know they’re important doesn’t mean your students will recognize their value.
  • Break up more detailed and longer assignments and tasks into separate steps and provide suggested due dates for the different steps of longer assignments.
  • Whenever possible, allow for student choice in research topics and create assignments with real-world applications/relevance.
  • Provide rubrics for each assignment.

ASSIGNMENT COMPLETION

  • Post written reminders and make in-class announcements of suggested due dates for each stage of the assignment.
  • Pass around a list where each student indicates their current progress and announce in advance that they will have to do so.
  • Allow time for in-class discussions between pairs and small groups to share progress and be accountable for work so far.
  • Ask students to share their time management strategies and particular resources they use that do and don’t require technology (especially their favorite apps).
  • When/If appropriate, allow flexibility with due dates and late submissions.
  • Discuss possible distractions, such as electronic devices, and how to avoid and prevent them. Share your own personal distractions and what you do to manage them, and encourage students to share theirs
  • provide an outline of the class agenda with the specific topics to be covered and if possible, project/leave on the board during the entire class period
  • post lesson plans or written outlines of class agendas for students to access before and during class
  • use visual aids, such as written text, graphs, photos and other images when explaining content
  • include hands-on student-centered activities, such as pair and group work and don’t lecture the entire class period
  • eliminate any distractions in the room
  • have students with focus issues sit at the very front of the room and away from windows where they can be easily distracted
  • prohibit the use of electronic devices, especially telephones as they create distractions for the individual student and the students around them
  • if the learning materials are already available in Canvas and/or have been distributed, consider prohibiting the use of laptops during class and require handwritten note taking as students can get distracted by accessing unrelated websites, which also distracts others
  • record and post lectures
  • when appropriate, allow the use of personal recording devices
  • encourage the use of digital note taking apps and other forms of note taking assistance, such as Livescribe
  • provide 3-5 minute breaks for students to refresh
  • get your students to stand up, stretch and move around briefly and incorporate physical activities to help boost focus
  • encourage the use of hand-held manipulatives, such as kush/stress balls and quiet fidget gadgets to maintain focus
  • create a contract on classroom/community behavior that the students must read and sign before the course begins
  • on Day 1 of the semester, have a discussion with your students and collectively creative a contract on classroom behavior that everyone agrees to
  • include a written explanation of what you consider unacceptable behavior in your syllabus and state the specific consequences
  • do not chastise or shame a student in front of the entire class; instead, ask the student to speak to you privately after class or make an appointment to meet with them - many people with ADHD have impairments with emotional regulation and impulsivity and may inadvertently become disruptive
  • explain to the student what behaviors you are observing and why it is problematic; consider the student’s perspective as there may be outlying issues going on and ask them how they can change their behaviors
  • if you have it indicated in writing in your syllabus as a consequence, ask the student to leave class
  • if the disruptive behavior persists, disciplinary action may be necessary
  • immediately document all disruptive behaviors and if necessary, have student witnesses prepared to give their account of what took place
  • if necessary, contact Public Safety

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES