This document outlines high impact practices for career development for individuals with learning disabilities. It discusses practices for three phases: moving in, moving through, and moving out.
For the moving in phase, it recommends compiling intake interviews and assessments, identifying counterproductive counselor thoughts, and adapting counseling techniques. For moving through, it suggests participating in experiential learning, assessing interests and abilities, and providing additional support. For moving out, it advises creating transition plans, establishing job search strategies, and assisting with career documents and mock interviews. The overall goal is to boost confidence and self-esteem throughout the career development process.
This document outlines high impact practices for career development for individuals with learning disabilities. It discusses practices for three phases: moving in, moving through, and moving out.
For the moving in phase, it recommends compiling intake interviews and assessments, identifying counterproductive counselor thoughts, and adapting counseling techniques. For moving through, it suggests participating in experiential learning, assessing interests and abilities, and providing additional support. For moving out, it advises creating transition plans, establishing job search strategies, and assisting with career documents and mock interviews. The overall goal is to boost confidence and self-esteem throughout the career development process.
This document outlines high impact practices for career development for individuals with learning disabilities. It discusses practices for three phases: moving in, moving through, and moving out.
For the moving in phase, it recommends compiling intake interviews and assessments, identifying counterproductive counselor thoughts, and adapting counseling techniques. For moving through, it suggests participating in experiential learning, assessing interests and abilities, and providing additional support. For moving out, it advises creating transition plans, establishing job search strategies, and assisting with career documents and mock interviews. The overall goal is to boost confidence and self-esteem throughout the career development process.
This document outlines high impact practices for career development for individuals with learning disabilities. It discusses practices for three phases: moving in, moving through, and moving out.
For the moving in phase, it recommends compiling intake interviews and assessments, identifying counterproductive counselor thoughts, and adapting counseling techniques. For moving through, it suggests participating in experiential learning, assessing interests and abilities, and providing additional support. For moving out, it advises creating transition plans, establishing job search strategies, and assisting with career documents and mock interviews. The overall goal is to boost confidence and self-esteem throughout the career development process.
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HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES IN CAREER DEVELOPMENT
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
Carrie Hachadurian & Dean Paulk WCU Center for Career & Professional Development
MOVING IN MOVING THROUGH MOVING OUT
According to Super’s (1983) Career Development Assessment Model, there are four major Students with LD often report low self confidence in the soft skill areas: communication, As students prepare for graduation or program completion, we recommend the phases in career assessment. The four phases of this model are as follows: teamwork and collaboration, social adjustment, time management, among others following to help with the post-college transition: (Conger, 1997). Participating in an array of experiential learning opportunities is vital to PHASE 1: The career counselor compiles the data at-hand, including an intake addressing the soft skill gap but in validating one’s career choices. Additionally, PHASE 1: The career counselor guides client in creating Individual Transition interview and preliminary assessment(s) of the client. experiential learning can give students with disabilities opportunities to practice Plan to establish short- and long-term goals as well as self efficacy strategies. disclosing their disabilities (if appropriate), and requesting accommodations from Nathanson (cited in Reekie, 1993) identified seven counterproductive thoughts and feelings potential employers while determining which accommodations work best for them The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (2017) recommends career characteristic of counselors working with clients with learning disabilities (LD), including: (University of Washington, 2013). We recommend the following to help students counselors and students work together to form a transition plan to plan short- and long- (1) all clients with LD are the same; (2) the feeling that these clients are to be pitied; (3) establish and maintain experiential learning opportunities: term goals in the year leading up to graduation and the year or years following program these clients need expectations lowered; (4) clients with LD must be protected from failure; completion. Such a plan includes goals on communication and social and professional PHASE 1: Career counselor and student assess the student’s abilities, interests, and (5) the feeling of discouragement; (6) clients’ accomplishments are spectacular as a result of past experiences with experiential learning opportunities and brainstorm new networking, self awareness and self advocacy within the workplace, time management very low expectations; and (7) tension born out of feelings of inability to work effectively experiences in which the student should be participating. and independence, and self authorship skills. with clients who have LD. The career counselor and student should take into consideration any previous experience PHASE 2: Career counselor and student establish job searching/ networking Some effective adaptions to counseling techniques when working with LD clients include: strategies, initiate mock interviews, and review career documents such as resume the student has had with experiential learning, and abilities and skills the student (a) eliminating distractions in the room; (b) using visuals to supplement oral communication; and cover letter. possesses to help the student identify appropriate opportunities including student (c) providing advance agendas and making explicit transition statements when moving from employment, internships, volunteer work, and clubs and organizations. Such experiences one stage of counseling to the next; (d) teaching career-oriented language and providing a teach the student how to self monitor and manage time wisely, how to interpret It is imperative that students learn job searching and networking strategies in order to handout of vocabulary as it is introduced; (e) reducing the length of counselor speaking environmental cues and communicate effectively with others, and how to troubleshoot persist to full-time employment after college. An array of online career resources the interactions; (f) having clients paraphrase to ensure comprehension; (g) encouraging the issues and overcome challenges as they arise (Conger, 1997). student can use is helpful in “fostering career search self-efficacy and support career client to bring a peer or parent to the counseling session and assigning that companion a exploration among adolescents with and without disabilities” (Solberg, Howard, supportive role in encouraging follow through; and (h) encouraging the client to tape PHASE 2: Career counselor or other mentors provide additional support to the Gresham & Carter, 2012, p. 94). 4: Career counselor and student review career counseling sessions (Reekie, 1993). student as he/she engages in the opportunity(ies). documents such as resume, cover letter and practices mock interviews Students with learning disabilities often report lower in self esteem and confidence in the post-college transition (Solberg et al, 2012). Providing hands-on assistance with PHASE 2: The career counselor obtains test data from assessment(s) based on the As students engage in various activities that will enhance one’s career plan and increase outward facing career documents such as resumes and cover letters and practicing mock client’s interests and abilities. confidence in their skills and abilities, career counselors or other mentors should check interviews gives students a boost in confidence and self esteem and also helps them in for additional support on occasion. Other support for students with learning articulate, reflect, and apply what they have learned both in their classes and their out- Due to lower levels of career maturity in LD students, this phase is more likely to be disabilities might include participation in a peer mentor program, journaling and of-class experiences (Solbert et al, 2012). necessary for this population. Due to the reading vocabulary limitations of a proportion of reflecting on the experiences as they happen, and seeking problem solving help to the LD population, adaptations may be necessary. The test can be read aloud to the students, overcome challenges. they could be allowed to take the test with a proctor, or in the case of assessments that PHASE 3: Student follows up post graduation to report on progress or problem require a student to remember a question and answer related questions based on the original PHASE 3: The student reflects on their experiential learning experience(s), by way solve any additional issue(s). question, the original question could be written on the board for the student to reference of journaling/writing. (Biller & Horn, 1991). During and after the experiential learning opportunity, the student should reflect on the Since students with learning disabilities often need additional support and validation, it PHASE 3: The career counselor evaluates the assessment results, and tentatively is recommended that career counselors allow the recent alumnus to reach out post experience through journaling or writing. Reflective journaling is important because it arrives at interpretations for the client. graduation to report on any post-college transition struggles that person may experience. can help students develop the ability to interpret one’s experiences and assumptions in order to increase personal efficacy, self-knowledge, and the ability to connect what they The counselor should reiterate what the client has accomplished in college and Test data are reviewed and evaluated to help determine occupations which are consistent encourage the client to take a proactive approach to their job search and to their ability with the student’s vocational interests and aptitudes. Recommendations can be made to are doing with their own inner dialog (Arter, Wallace, & Shaffer, 2015). to maintain their employment. Counselors should be prepared to remind and reiterate include a plan for any areas of career maturity that are found to be below average (Biller & soft skill development and coping strategies discussed throughout the client’s college Horn, 1991). PHASE 4: The career counselor meets with the student to discuss what they learned, the challenges they may have faced, and the next steps. experience.
PHASE 4: The career counselor meets with the client for a crucial counseling session, As with any student, students with learning disabilities are unique with a variety of in which the two parties discuss the results and interpretations in order to assist the The final step of this process should be to meet with the student to reflect on their strengths, abilities, interests, personalities and characteristics. Providing a customized client in making a career plan. experience, to discuss any challenges or obstacles the student faced, along with a counseling experience from the moving in stages to the post-college transition is critical discussion on the accommodation process for the student. The counselor should ask the to the success of the student. This phase should include a joint review and discussion session with the client and possibly student if the accommodations were adequate, and if they feel as if they need any the parent(s), revisions and/or acceptance of the assessment, and discussion of further action additional accommodations for the future. The counselor and student should discuss the to be taken and next steps (Biller & Horn, 1991). next steps and set goals for how the student can work towards these steps. References National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (2017). Secondary to postsecondary education References transition planning for students with learning disabilities. Retrieved from References Arter, M. L., Wallace, L. N., & Shaffer, T. L. (2015). The use of reflective journals to stimulate critical http://www.ldonline.org/article/Secondary_to_Postsecondary_Education_Transition_Planning_ Biller, E. F. (1991). A career guidance model for adolescents with learning disabilities. School Counselor, thinking in the academic internship. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 27(1), 140-156. for_Students_with_Learning_Disabilities 38(4), 279-286. Conger, D. (1997). Guidance for students with disabilities. Guidance and Counseling. 12(3), 13-20. Solberg, V. S., Howard, K., Gresham, S., & Carter, E. (2012). Quality learning experiences, self Reekie, F. (1993). Strategic career counseling with clients who have learning disabilities. Guidance & University of Washington. (2013). It’s your career: Work-based learning opportunities for college determination, and academic success: A path analytic study among youth with disabilities. Career Counseling, 8(3), 37-48. students Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals. doi: 10.1177/0885728812439887 Super, D.E. (1983). Assessment in career guidance: Toward truly developmental counseling. The with disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.washington.edu/doit/sites/default/files/atoms/files/Its- Personnel and Guidance Journal, 61(9), 555-562. Your-Career-Work-Based-Learning-Opportunities-College-Students-Disabilities.pdf.
