“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