In selecting courses, the advisor should be aware of the student's areas of difficulty. For example:
- If reading rate, reading comprehension, and/or written expression are areas of difficulty they should be reminded of the reading/writing demands of particular courses. For example, if the student wants to take PH105 and TH100 in the same semester with their humanities requirement, they should be cautioned about the reading and writing load.
- If the student has a mobility impairment, consider the travel time required.
- It is helpful if advisors know something about the teaching style of professors.
- Students with learning disabilities often have difficulty with structure and organization; therefore, a professor who breaks information into small sequences may be preferable.
- A student who has difficulty with note taking may find it helpful to have a professor who utilizes Blackboard and/or writes on the board frequently.
- If the student takes medication with side effects such as drowsiness, they should be asked about the time of day when they feel more alert. Students with clinical depression often have more difficulty in the morning; therefore, early classes should be avoided.
- The college requirement, e.g., one year beyond the elementary level in a foreign language, is required of all students. In other words, it is not waived for any student.
- Students with documented learning disabilities, whose documentation specifically identifies second language acquisition as a substantial impairment, will be advised regarding obtaining a directed study provided by a language professor.
- Consider the student's strengths and weaknesses.
- Recommend the student balance the level of difficulty by taking a difficult class along with others that should be less rigorous or balance the courses that draw on the students strengths and those that expose their weaknesses.
- Consider the length and frequency of course meetings; shorter more frequent meetings may be preferable.
- Consider the instructional technique used. Based on what you know about the student's learning style, strengths, weaknesses, look for instructors who teach in a way that supports these strengths.