Learning Disabilities and the Writing Center

In her article, Julie Neff talks about tutoring students with learning disabilities. To my knowledge, I have not tutored anyone with a learning disability but then again, most people would not just volunteer that information to a stranger. This is a topic I hadn’t really considered; in part because–as Neff notes–there are so many misconceptions about learning disabilities. A lot of people (myself included) have probably believed at one point or still do believe that a learning disabled person is somehow less intelligent and probably wouldn’t have been able to get into Emory in the first place. Neff explains that part of the reason why there are so many misconceptions is that there are many different kinds of learning disabilities; many learning disabled individuals are actually quite smart. She talks about the fact that they should not necessarily be treated as an average student because, depending on the area they struggle with, they might need more guidance. I would assume that Neff knows more about learning disabilities in the writing center than I do, but I think I might disagree with her on this point. If a student chooses to share with me that he or she has a learning disability, then I would appreciate their honesty and the fact that they trust me enough to tell me that piece of personal information. However, I would actually want to treat them like I would any other student. When I am in a session with someone, I always try to to evaluate my role within the context of his or her needs. If someone is not responding well to my questions and wants me to just do everything for them, then I won’t necessarily give in to what they want, but if I see that the student is trying hard but is struggling, then I think it would be appropriate if I was more involved in their writing process. If it seems like a student-regardless of whether or not they have a learning disability- needs more hands-on support from me, then I am happy to oblige. Every tutoring session should be about evaluating a student’s needs (rather than just their wants) and responding accordingly.