Students Who Learn Differently
Since the "Students Who Learn Differently" report was presented in March of last year, how has your club informed your members of its existence?
- Newsletter: 15
- Monthly membership meeting (brought it and made an announcement): 7
- Distributed to local international schools: 3
- Report exhibited in FAWCO display at clubhouse: 1
- Copies handed to individual teachers: 4
- Copy sent to local support group for students who learn differently: 1
- Placed a copy in the club library: 1
- Report shown to FAWCO committee members: 1
How many, if any, of your club members have requested to see a copy of the report?
- 19
Do the people who have read the report feel that they have derived any benefit from it?
- "The suggestions for teachers were helpful. I plan to share with other teachers. I was pleased to have some addresses for books and correspondence courses dealing with this topic." (written by a woman who is the principal and a teacher at a private elementary school.)
- "I'm the mother of three (two school-aged), and I must say I received a boost of confidence from your report which I hope I can pass on to my frustrated learners."
- Local support group found it to be exceptionally good.
- "Terrific, comprehensive, hopeful report. As a mother of and teacher of such children, I felt the report was an excellent, concrete, professional and practical guide. Thank you!"
- "This is an excellent report."
- "Not really. Feel that the report was not that relevant to our club."
Do you have any suggestions as to how this report might have been made more effective?
- "I feel that most articles on dyslexia deal primarily with identifying the problems and only superficially address concrete and effective ways to handle it. I would like to find a source for learning materials designed for students with dyslexia."
- "I would have liked more resource information."
- "It was too long for information sake and more people would have read the report if it were presented in a more condensed pocket-sized form."
- "It would have been very interesting to learn more specifics about bi-lingual learning. I notice that a lot of bi-lingual learners are at a disadvantage in local schools. They have learning difficulties and experience many of the symptoms listed for dyslexia and ADD although they don't have these disabilities. I'd be interested in investigating this further."
- "The report appears to be effective. It just seems that there is not a need in our community. The school system here for foreigners is very good. Therefore, people are probably getting their information there."
Any additions or corrections to the report?
- Correction to the list of participants in the 1998 Students Who Learn Differently study: We extend our sincere apology to Chilterns AWC whose name should have appeared in the original list of clubs participating in the 1998 report.
Other comments
- "We're very interested in the subject, and hope to have some kind of evening program or seminar during the next year."
- "Your report was informative and took a very positive approach to this subject which I appreciated."
- One mother wrote:
Our son struggled with dyslexia for years . . . It was so hard for him . . . He was born (outside of the US) and we lived (there) until he was a senior in high school. Since there was no help for his problem there, I had to teach him how to read with the help of a specialist (back in the US) - long distance. He graduated from high school and went three years to college . . . He is a wonderful artist . . . He is also an outstanding athlete and has more common sense than most people.Special Events
- AWC Brussels hosted an Educational Forum on bi-lingualism and special needs.
- A teacher wrote, "I had my classes do reports on the people Who Learn differently, and the kids were amazed. Eisenhower was an excellent map-reader because he saw everything in 3-D.
- One special education teacher would like to see the video, How Difficult Can This Be? shown to the school's Theory of Knowledge class.
Hints for Making FAWCO Material More Effective in your Club and Community
The somewhat disappointing answers regarding the number of people who read Students might in part be due to the fact that the deadline for returning the questionnaire was early. Some clubs hadn't started to publicize the report until after the summer holiday. However despite newsletter articles and announcements at meetings, a lot of FAWCO material, not just Students, is not getting out there. The following are some suggestions as to how this situation might be improved:
- ask for a speaking slot at the general meeting and read part of the report to them.
- publish part of the report in your newsletter; we are happy to send any requested sections via email so you don't have to retype.
- summarize the report; one rep writes, "A statement that we received this report did nothing to arouse interest, whereas a 1 ½ page summary did get some response. I expect to hear more."
- have a special display table each meeting featuring one aspect of FAWCO each month (e.g. environment, our NGO status, special education needs, other club newsletters, voter registration as appropriate, the R & D Fund, scholarships); putting a whole bunch of stuff out each month can be confusing to members who are unfamiliar with FAWCO activities.
- if you know that someone in your club would be interested in an aspect of FAWCO, photocopy the material and put it in her hands.
- go out into your community with FAWCO material: environmental information can be shared with local environmental groups; copies of Students can be given to host country as well as international schools; during election periods organize voter registration tables at other clubs and venues that Americans frequent.
- outreach into your community will strengthen both FAWCO's and your club's image; your club members are more likely to respond when they hear your information presented in different ways and in different locations.
- ask local experts to run workshops or present programs on FAWCO issues (e.g. local psychologist on special needs).
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Students Who Learn Differently
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