Post on 23-Feb-2016
description
“I don’t understand the lectures”
Rachel SimpsonADSHE Conference June 2013
POSSIBLE CAUSES
Gaps in KnowledgePoor teaching in previous institution
Insufficient application on previous courses
Illnesses or absences from school/college
Mature Student with a long gap since previous studies
Came through non A-Level route
Gaps in SkillsNot accustomed to having to listen for long periods
Has not learned to recognise discourse markers or typical lecture structure
Not accustomed to listening and taking notes simultaneously
Poor LecturingNot multi-sensory
Talks too fast, or in a monotone, or in very long complex sentences, or uses jargon which is not properly explained
Lecture is not structured, has no clear discourse markers, or deviates from the planned structure
No opportunity for students to clarify points that are unclear
Hearing & Vision
Diagnosed/undiagnosed difficulties with hearing or vision
Stronger Visual and Practical AbilitiesHas used strong Visual and/or Practical Abilities to
compensate for weaker Verbal Ability on previous educational courses
Has general difficulties with understanding concepts and procedures
General Learning Difficulties
Weak Working MemoryCannot hold information in head long enough and in
sufficient quantity to be able to access the meaning of what the lecturer has said
Understands each point, but forgets it rapidly once new point is introduced so cannot follow the cumulative thread
Slow Phonological Processing Speed
Takes time to match verbally presented language to words and meaning stored in long-term memory.
Because of delay in processing spoken information, misses key information, or experiences overload and loses concentration.
Inattention/Distractibility
Has difficulty sustaining concentration in lectures because of distractibility (by own thoughts or external stimuli)
Slow Visual Processing Speed & Weak Visual Memory
Has difficulty copying or processing visual information from slides, white board etc. Delays in processing mean that visual aids become a distraction
LIMITED/INACCURATE VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE AND GRAMMAR
Resulting from any of the previously listed difficulties and/or a reading or listening style which
Skips or ignores unfamiliar words or Guesses at unfamiliar words
IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM
AND DEVELOPING STRATEGIES
INITIAL QUESTIONS TO ASKBy what route did the student arrive at university
Were difficulties with comprehension of spoken presentations apparent previously at school/college
Are problems with comprehension present in all lectures, or only specific ones
If the problem is only present in specific lectures, do they relate to one particular subject or one particular lecturer.
At what point in a lecture does the student lose concentration
In ordinary conversation does the student often lose track of what others are saying or experience a delay in understanding
Are visual aids provided in the lecture and if so does the student find them helpful, or a distraction
Is the student experiencing any difficulty with hearing o r seeing in the lecture
Are any drop-in or catch up sessions provided for the modules in which the student is experiencing difficulty.
EXPLORATORY TASKSAsk the student to:
talk you through the handouts from recent lectures
read out loud a short passage from a relevant textbook or journal and explain to you what it (and any key vocabulary) means, sentence by sentence and overall
PREPARING IN ADVANCEAdvance preparation increases the student’s
chances of understanding, remaining focussed and remembering.
Read lecture handouts (if available) together in advance to identify Gaps in vocabulary knowledgeGaps in assumed previous knowledgeFramework of the lecture
FILLING IN GAPS Model how to use lower level textbooks, a single
chapter from a current textbook, and/or the internet to provide a framework for understandingfill in gaps in knowledge
Model how to look up meaning and pronunciation of any key vocabulary or jargon, and how to use visual, auditory and kinaesthetic memory techniques to learn the vocabulary
STRUCTURE AND DISCOURSE MARKERSHelp student to recognise
Typical lecture structure for his/her subject
Discourse markers which help identify structure (eg “ I am going to talk about”, “five key points”, etc), cause/effect relationships etc.
Writing Up a Scientific ExperimentReasons for undertaking the experimentHypothesisMaterials usedMethodResultsConclusion
Practical ImplicationsReaction from Scientific CommunitySubsequent adaptations/modifications
Physiological ApproachSystems of the human body
Cell Tissue Organ SystemImmune System
Antibody White Blood Cell Circulatory System Bacteria/Virus
Molecular Structure Attack at Cell level Attack at system level
Interraction between immune systems and bacteria/virus
Developing an active curiosity about language
Exploring origins and interrelationships between, words
Encourage the student, when reading or listening, to actively look out for and note down (for further exploration) new vocabulary
Hypothesis
Hypo = underHypothesis – to
supposeThesis – to put forth something
(idea/proposition)
NOTE-TAKINGEmphasise that multi-sensory note-taking strategies
are an effective method of remaining actively focussed and engaged through a two or three-hour long lecture.
Encourage and model re-reading of handouts and notes soon after a lecture to identify specific items not understood, and to assist embedding of knowledge
ATTENTIONDeveloping framework of understanding before the
lecture may reduce processing overload and increase length of time the student can concentrate
Bramham & Young (2007) ADHD in Adults: A Psychological Guide to Practice Wiley, Chichester. - have some excellent tips on ways of minimising distractibility and maintaining focus.
Becoming IndependentAim: to move from
“I don’t understand the lectures” to “Please could you explain this point here”
Method: repeated modelling of Advance and post-lecture engagement with handouts, textbooks and notes Use of structure and discourse markers Active engagement with language and with lectures
Outcomes: Student learns to identify for himself or herself specific points that need
further explanation and take those points to his or her subject tutor. Lecturer/friends better able to explain and respond positively