Demands Placed on Adolescents
• School Demands Gaining information from written materials
and lectures Demonstrating knowledge through tests Expressing information in writing Demonstrating a broad set of cognitive and
metacognitive skills Interacting appropriately Demonstrating motivation to learn
Characteristics of Adolescents with Learning Disabilities
• Academic Deficits Poor academic achievement is primary
characteristic of adolescents with a learning disability
• Cognitive and Metacognitive Deficits Executive processing deficits Deficiencies in learning strategies and study skills
• Social Interaction Deficits• Motivation Deficits
Challenges in Secondary Programming
• Program Services Diverse range of services needed provided in a
variety of instructional arrangements
• Premises of Secondary Programs• General Curriculum Alternatives
Generally means student will not be going to a university for an academic degree
Selected if standard curriculum is important but additional instruction in skills and content is needed
Challenges of Secondary Programs continued
• Types of Intervention Skill-oriented approaches Content-oriented approaches Strategy-oriented approaches
Secondary Programming Models
• Three major areas of program development: Clearly specifying the nature of the
curriculum Identifying the instructional methodologies Specifying how the instructional
environment will be arranged
Supportive and Alternative Curriculum Approaches
• Motivation Extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation Using student beliefs
• Social Development• Academic Remediation• Learning Strategies• Functional Living Skills• Career-Related Instruction• Transitions from Secondary Settings
Instructional Procedures
• Acquisition and Generalization of Skills and Strategies Use activities involving guided practice, modeling,
peer instruction, provision of feedback, and task analysis
• Acquisition and Generalization of Secondary Content Content enhancements Advance Organizers Visual displays
Instructional Procedures continued
Study guides Mnemonic Instruction Assignments Adapting Materials
• Collaboration with General Classroom Teachers
Adults with Learning Disabilities
• Young Adults Some difficulties experienced: underemployment,
job dissatisfaction, dependent living arrangements, social skills problems, poor work habits, job selection
• College Students Students must identify or refer themselves for the
university to provide full program accessibility
• General Adulthood