Skills Students Need for Secondary School
As students progress through the grades, they are gradually and continually expected to take more responsibility for their own learning. This requires students to acquire and refine new skills, such as time management, study skills, and organization. These may already be areas of weakness for students with LDs, as many struggle with executive functions. Additionally, by definition, students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have difficulties in executive functioning. When independence and responsibility are thrust upon these students as they enter and proceed through the grades of secondary school, they may struggle more than their typically developing peers.
For students with LDs, it is important that explicit instruction be used to teach these skills. This strategy has been proven effective for students with LDs, as it consists in using highly structured and sequenced steps, including modelling, guided practice, and autonomous practice.