Engaging and empowering students with learning difficulties

Sense of personal control and connectedness have been cited as key components of effective coping by successful adults who have Learning Difficulties (LD). Despite this, students who have Learning Difficulties are known to be at risk of learned helplessness, passive learning style, low self-regulation, and social exclusion. This paper describes the development and implementation of a 12-hour professional development program to assist Middle Years teachers and schools to address these issues. The program is entitled Engaging and Empowering Students with Learning Difficulties. Unique features of the program are inclusion of views of adults and students who have learning difficulties as well as referral to research-based teaching strategies to develop the key resources of perceived control and sense of connection. While preliminary anecdotal feedback about the program from teachers and regional network personnel has been very positive, future longitudinal studies involving qualitative and quantitative methods are now required to determine the efficacy of the program in the longer term.