Group of IWU Impact students.
When Patti and I were discussing the topics in her article on higher education and accommodations, my first thought went to a time when I first started teaching full time in a postsecondary institution (1997, if memory serves me). I was teaching an Introduction to Special Education class. All education majors were required to take the class, and many other students in health and social sciences took it as well.
Prior to this time, I taught and worked with high school students with varying disabilities – so accommodations were not new to me.
After giving a rather large test over terms and laws, a non-traditional student (without an identified disability) asked to talk with me. We met, and she shared that she had a lot of test anxiety. I asked her what that felt like and she explained that as students were finishing their tests, leaving their seats, and turning them in – then leaving class, that she got extremely nervous about being behind and not finishing. This led to a paralysis of sorts for her in finishing the task.
I knew this student to be bright, insightful, and very much ‘in tune’ with the topics we were studying. So, there was no question regarding the sincerity of her concerns. I told her I would give it some thought and look at some possible accommodations. In the meantime, I looked at the scores on that test and tried to determine if they really captured what students were learning and what they should be able to express.
The next test I gave, I changed up the typical ‘finish and leave’ scenario. I told that class that on test day when they came into the room, they were to pick up a ‘let’s think a little deeper’ folder. As they finished their tests, they were to quietly put them under their chairs. Then they were to read what was in their folder (typically a real-time article, or topic, or questions to gain insight). After they read what they were given, they needed to write some type of response. It could be an opinion, questions, how it might impact them…anything they wanted to reflect upon. It wasn’t an assignment per se, it was an experience. If it took them the full time to take the test they could take their folder with them and read it later.
Why this story? What I found was that, given that small accommodation (and more thoughtful observations by me), many students benefited and I think all students grew (universal design for learning). Not only was it a simple and appropriate accommodation, it helped me identify what I really wanted students to share with me and what was important for them to show an understanding of. AND this was even before the current landscape of the internet, AI, and all things at your fingertips.
After that class was over, I received a card from the student who I had the initial talk with (I still have it). By designing the testing experience to meet her needs, she grew in her confidence and her understanding of her learning. I sincerely hope that others did as well. Shouldn’t that be part of the learning experience?
