Adult Learner Intervention

For the last installment of our tutor tips series focused on supporting learners with disabilities, we’re highlighting another great resource provided by PANDA (Minnesota ABE Physical and Nonapparent Disability Assistance). 

Sometimes as tutors and teachers, we can see that a student is struggling but aren’t sure why. We may suspect that a disability is impacting a student’s learning even if a student chooses not to disclose their disability or lacks healthcare access to get a disability diagnosed. PANDA’s Adult Learner Intervention is designed to help in these situations.  

The Adult Learner Intervention provides a step-by-step guide to help the teacher or tutor evaluate the challenges the student is experiencing in the classroom and identify ways to address those specific challenges. The first few steps of the intervention are self-guided, but if challenges persist, you can request a consultation with PANDA staff, who can interview the student and perform an informal screening. 

The Adult Learner Intervention does not provide a diagnosis or “label” for a student. Its goal is to identify the instructional strategies and supports that will help the student succeed. This tool is a great way to make sure that all of our students are getting the support they need to learn successfully regardless of their access to (or interest in) a medical diagnosis. 

 Adult Learner Intervention 

If you have any questions about the Adult Learner Intervention, contact PANDA:

• Phone: (763) 504-4095 
• Email: panda@rdale.org. 
• Website: pandamn.org  

Previous installments in this series: 

• January: Backwards Design  
• February: Got a Minute? Universal Design for Learning Series
• March: Digital Tools from SchoolVirtually
• April: Multisensory Instruction
• May: Expert Learning
• June: Incorporating Disability Topics into Lessons
• July: Disability Accommodations Guide for Students
• August: Disability Media
• September: Accessibility Supplies Lending Library
• October: Adult Learner Intervention
• November: PANDA's Guide to Digital Accessibility Tools
• December: Supporting Learners with Disabilities Beyond the Classroom

Many thanks to Access Coordinator VISTA, Emily Fox-Penner, for creating this series of Tutor Tips!