The Bridgeway Way - Getting students with LD ready for post-secondary

We've shared some advice over the last few weeks from the National Center on Learning Disabilities on how to help your LD child prepare for life after high school.  One article focused on working with students in grades 9 and 10 and the other focused on grades 11 and 12.  Today, we wanted to share some of our own expertise on helping students with learning disabilities prepare for post-secondary education.  Thanks to Cheryl McLellan, the Head of School for our Dartmouth Campus, for sharing her thoughts.


Rhonda & the Bridgeway team

By Cheryl McLellan, Bridgeway

Preparing our students for the great unknown is effectively what a teacher tries to do; to teach our students to go out into the big wide world and experience it for all its worth. For many high school students this means post-secondary education – university, college, training schools, etc.  As teachers, we try to create an environment in which we provide the opportunity for these transitioning students to practice the skills that they will need for the rest of their academic lives.

Students with a learning disability must often practice not only these academic skills to ease the transitions process but many others as well.  At Bridgeway we have made a concerted effort to support our students who are leaving high school and going on to post secondary schools. Besides creating an academic setting where the information is adapted and accommodated, we also practice other transitioning skills daily with the students. Below are just a few of the practices we often put into place to ease the transition for our students.

Start the transition discussion early

Talk to your students about the transition long before it actually happens. I’ve had conversations with students in Grade 10 about issues that may arise in post-secondary only because I knew it weighed heavily on them. The students that I have worked with in the past never seem to be able to focus on their current successes, but the possible problems that may happen in their future.  I’ve yet come across a student that “likes” to be surprised when that surprise has to do with school, classes or credits. By starting the discussion early you are able to openly discuss any anxiety related issues before the transition actually begins.

Practise, practise, practise and practise it again

The one thing I hear over and over again from our past graduates is that if it wasn’t for their ability to advocate for themselves, they would be living a very different life in university / college/ etc. Our students are asked every day and in every way to advocate for their needs in their classes. If a student does not self advocate here then they will certainly feel strained to do it in a more academically stressed environment. Therefore the more practice a student can get self-advocating for anything (doesn’t always have to be academic or class related) the better.

Know your academic strengths and rights

This section falls into two different categories. It starts by making sure that our students know what their strengths are and the accommodations they need. I’ve never been in another educational situation where students will go up to their teachers and give them a point by point summary as to “how” to teach them. The more you think about it, the more it would be amazing if every student everywhere had such an in-depth understanding of their educational profile as our students at Bridgeway do. Next, and I think this is more applicable to students in a post- secondary or public school setting, is know what your rights are. I’m not saying anyone to go out and occupy the Department of Education, but I do believe that every student should know what legally, educators must do for them.

Have someone watching your back

One of the first things we do when we have a student who is transitioning to post-secondary is make sure that they are aware of the Disability Services department at the university or college. Using a resource like this when you go on to post-secondary is the single smartest decision you can make. Disability Services will help you with the above three points but they will also ensure that if any other issue or concern was to arise, that you have a point of contact. Most post- secondary teachers, professors or instructors ( in my experience) have been very accepting of students accommodations, however in the case they were not, Disabilities Services gives you that back up you may need. 

If you're parenting a child with learning disabilities, or know someone who might benefit from Bridgeway's programs, please contact us at 1-888-435-3232.