The LDA Podcast: Recent Episodes
LDA America
This biweekly series from the Learning Disabilities Association of America features individuals with learning disabilities, researchers, parents, educators, and other experts to discuss the latest LD research, strategies, lived experiences, and more!
Owen Small, a research assistant at Trinity College Dublin, shares how ADHD and dysgraphia impact his day-to-day in adulthood.
Owen discusses how the self-knowledge from a diagnosis helped to reduce his stress around handwriting and productivity, provides insight into the ‘tides’ of motivation that can accompany ADHD, and shares advice for fellow individuals with LD.
Dr. Paul Morgan is a researcher investigating disparities in disability identification and treatment during childhood. His research has found that students of color are likely to be under-identified for special education services despite a prevailing narrative that over-identification is always the issue.
Dr. Morgan discusses the methodology of his studies, the importance of investigating a fuller set of explanatory factors for reading difficulties, and why strong claims about special education being a wholly negative "dumping ground" are not supported by the evidence.
Dr. Morgan also discusses why there has been resistance to accepting the data, and shares findings from his latest study on the prevalence of reading difficulties.
Santina Taglialatela, a recruiting coordinator who was recently diagnosed with dyscalculia, shares her experience of living with dyscalculia as an adult.
Santina discusses some lesser known challenges that are caused by dyscalculia, managing and advocating for your learning disability in the workplace, the grieving process that can occur after getting a diagnosis later in life, and more!
Dr. Steven Feifer, a neuropsychologist who has authored 3 diagnostic achievement assessments, talks with us about the importance of understanding the different cognitive processes involved in reading, math, and writing to answer why a student is struggling.
Dr. Feifer will also be a keynote speaker at our 63rd Annual International Conference in St. Louis, and shares how his presentation will focus on how anxiety can impact processes like comprehension and working memory, and will include practices to help mitigate anxiety.
Dr. Angela Thompson and Dr. Julia Carroll join us to discuss their recent research paper: Seeing, Being Seen, and Being Able to See Dyslexia in English Schools: Parent and Teacher Perspectives.
Dr. Thompson and Dr. Carroll discuss how parents and teachers perceive inclusion for dyslexic students differently, including of lived experiences and school structure in their research, and the importance of a diagnosis for identity and interventions.
Read "Seeing, Being Seen" here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/dys.70003
We talk with Stefan Bauer, the Co-Founder and CEO of Marker Learning, an AI support for psychologists and educators designed to help more students to receive an evaluation. Stefan discusses his own difficulty in getting an evaluation growing up, how his diagnosis of dyslexia provided him with a roadmap to success, and the highlights of being able to pay it forward by creating Marker Learning.
When teachers struggled to support her daughter with dyslexia, Kirsten Bronkovic became inspired to create an 3D experiential platform to build empathy and understanding about neurodiverse students. Kirsten, CEO and Co-Founder of EmpathEd, joins us to discuss obstacles educators face when trying to understand neurodiverse students, how misconceptions can cause harm, and how neurodiverse individuals helped EmpathEd to put teachers in their student’s shoes.
Kelly Tanzi, a fourth grade writing teacher with a background in special education, shares how incorporating the arts into learning can create a powerful multi-dimensional learning experience for all students.
Kelly discusses how incorporating arts projects can give students who struggle with reading and writing more agency in how they present their knowledge, and can hook the interest of reluctant readers.
Along with examples of past artistic projects, Kelly shares resources for parents and educators looking to incorporate the arts into their student’s learning.
Mentioned in the podcast:
National Gallery of Art
Folger Shakespeare Library
Phillips Collection
National Building Museum
National Women’s History Museum
Dr. Julia Carroll, the lead researcher of "Toward a Consensus on Dyslexia," discusses why a consistent definition of dyslexia is so important, and the findings of the study. Highlights of the study include involving individuals with dyslexia, the large role cognitive processing plays in dyslexia, the need for interventions tailored to the individual, and more. Dr. Carroll also discusses the importance of recognizing struggles in dyslexia beyond reading and identifies areas of dyslexia research that need more study.
Read the "Consensus on Dyslexia" study here.
Aaron Wolf is a neurodiversity advocate, actor, director, media host, cofounder of film production company Howling Wolf Productions, and the founder of I Am Able, a nonprofit dedicated to neurodiversity awareness.
Aaron discusses his experience with neurodiversity, what led him to create I Am Able, and how his natural creativity drove him to become a storyteller of neurodiverse experiences.
https://www.iamablefoundation.org/
“I think the most radical thing you can do in education is speak up, listen, and to make room for love because every learner has a powerful story, and it's one that can be told and received when we offer the right tools to do so.” -Caroline Weaver
We sit with LD advocate and researcher Caroline Weaver to discuss her interdisciplinary capstone project that creates an intersection of lived experience, art, advocacy, and research. Caroline’s project delves into how school systems can cause harm and deficit mindsets to neurodiverse students, the power of self-love, self-knowledge, and self-advocacy, the importance of including individuals with LD in LD research, and much more.
Visit Caroline’s project at: https://cpweaver26.wixsite.com/advocacy2action
We sit down with Dr. Jeff Karp, a distinguished chair at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, professor at Harvard Medical School and MIT, and upcoming keynote speaker at our 62nd Annual Conference. Dr. Karp discusses his experience with learning disabilities, and how he began ‘thinking about thinking,’ and using pattern-recognition to begin to thrive. Dr. Karp shares some of his “Life Ignition Tools,” discusses how learning disabilities still impact him as an adult, addresses the self-shame many with LD can feel, and more.
Learn more about our 62nd Annual Conference at: https://ldacon.org/
Visit Dr. Karp's website at: www.jeffkarp.com
In this second part of our conversation with Dr. Jan Wasowicz, Dr. Wasowicz delves into what an ideal intervention for developmental language disorder would look like, how language screeners are no longer a common practice in schools, and how interprofessional collaboration between speech language pathologists, school psychologists, and special education teachers is essential to effectively identify and support students with language disorders.
Resources:
Join the SPELLTalk listserv
The Language Literacy Network
A Review of Screeners to Identify Risk of Developmental Language Disorder
Dr. Jan Wasowicz, a speech language pathologist and board certified specialist in child language, discusses Developmental Language Disorder, the signs of DLD, what an ideal evaluation would look like, and more.
Resources:
Join the SPELLTalk listserv
We Need to Keep (But Revise) The Specific Learning Disability Construct in IDEA
www.DLDandme.org
www.RADLD.org
Neurodiversity Alliance Ambassadors Lydia Pinto and Shoshana Holt-Auslander join us to talk about their journeys of becoming learning disability advocates, and how their current graduate school research projects are benefiting the disability community. Lydia and Shoshana also discuss defining success for themselves, the importance of sharing neurodiverse experiences to erase stigma, and more!
Jesse Sanchez, the Managing Director of Programs for the Neurodiversity Alliance, joins us to discuss the challenges that students with learning disabilities can face in the school setting, the importance of a shared, supportive community for neurodiverse students, and how to build self-knowledge, self-confidence, and self-advocacy skills for these individuals.
The Neurodiversity Alliance is a nonprofit dedicated to building community, developing leadership skills, facilitating peer-to-peer support, and raising awareness for the 1 in 5 who learn differently. Learn more at thendalliance.org
Harold Jordan, a nationwide education equity coordinator at the ACLU of Pennsylvania, discusses how students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by unfair discipline practices in schools. Harold discusses how bias, the misuse of police in schools, and the shortage of support staff can contribute to students having early interactions with the justice system, and how the consequences of this can follow them into their adult lives. Harold also provides insights into creating more equitable schools to disrupt this school-to-prison pipeline.
Adventure athlete and dyslexia advocate Meghan Buchanan is in the final stages of completing the Explorer's Grand Slam and was recently featured on Netflix's survival series, Outlast. In this episode, we dive into Meghan's experience on the show, her relentless pursuit of her goals, and how her dyslexia led her to develop GGRIT: Gratitude, growth, resilience, integrity, and tenacity.
Tune in to our first episode with Meghan: From Injury to Everest, Dyslexia Gave Me GGRIT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1133861/11249533
Dr. Rebecca Resnik, a past special education teacher and current psychologist, discusses the importance of holistic learning disability assessments, evidence-based intervention, and communicating neuroscience to educators to incorporate into practice. Dr. Resnik also reviews LDA's SLD Evaluation Principles and Standards and breaks down why these standards are so important.
Linda Karanzalis is a board-certified cognitive specialist, Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD) and ADHD advocate, and author of Misnamed, Misdiagnosed, Misunderstood: Recognizing and Coping with NVLD from Childhood Through Adulthood. In this episode, Linda discusses her own experience with NVLD and ADHD, the mental health issues that come along with these conditions, considerations for teaching, and more.
LDA’s Education Director Dr. Monica McHale-Small talks with Dr. Nancy Mather, a Professor Emeritus of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies, about the importance of keeping the category of specific learning disabilities in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how the SLD category could be better revised.
**Dr. Mather also discusses RTI as a part of the identification process for learning disabilities, how comorbidities impact an accurate learning disabilities identification, and more.
Read the paper mentioned in the podcast at: https://ldaamerica.org/we-need-to-keep-but-revise-the-specific-learning-disability-construct-in-idea/**
Pediatric occupational therapist Sydney Krueger joins us to discuss what an occupational therapist does, how an OT can help someone with learning disabilities, ADHD, or mental health issues, different strategies that she uses in her practice, and more.
Learning and behavior consultant Bev Johns and Mental Health Committee member Rachel Krueger discuss the symptoms and impact of depression on students with learning disabilities, dealing with transitions, and strategies for parents and educators to support students.
Bev Johns, a learning and behavior specialist, and parent Rachel Krueger, members of LDA's Mental Health Committee, provide insights into the prevalence of anxiety, the impact of anxiety in children with learning disabilities in school, strategies for educators and parents to support those dealing with anxiety, and more!
Educational diagnosticians Laurie Peterson and Dr. Abbey Weinstein are co-hosts of the popular Let's Talk Learning Disabilities Podcast, and join us to talk about the inspiration for the podcast, the meaningful impact it has on its listeners, and more!
Tune in to the Let's Talk Learning Disabilities Podcast at: https://ltldpodcast.com/
Listen to DJ's episode at: https://ldaamerica.org/ltldDJ
Currently schools in the U.S. can utilize three different evaluation methods when assessing children for learning disabilities, which can lead to learning disability identification varying from school to school. LDA's Education Director Dr. Monica McHale Small was a co-writer of LDA's principles and standards for evaluation, and shares why standardization of evaluations is so important, what's essential to consider in an evaluation, and how listeners can push for LD evaluation standardization.
We talk to Hannah Blumenfeld-Love, a past special education teacher and current program manager of the DC Special Education Hub, about how navigating special education can be intimidating for parents and caregivers, how essential parents are to the special education team, and how schools can work to make information and resources about special education more accessible.
Learn more about the DC Special Education Hub at: https://specialeducation.dc.gov/
Tracy Gregoire, the Director of LDA's Healthy Children Project, and Noorulane Jan, an associate attorney at Earthjustice, delve into the need to ban Chlorpyrifos, a dangerous chemical used in farming, and its impact on children's brain health.
Caroline Weaver is an LD advocate, a past research student at the LEaRN Lab, and a current graduate student in the Department of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, and is using her research and lived experience to understand how we can reduce harm to neurodiverse learners in classrooms.
**As a student with dyslexia and dyscalculia, Caroline Weaver faced many challenges in school. Driven by her experience, Caroline entered academic research to explore barriers to accessibility, and to create practical tools to help other neurodiverse students gain self-knowledge, self-efficacy, and self-advocacy.
Caroline's Resource Page (coming soon!) https://cpweaver26.wixsite.com/advocacy-and-action**
LDA’s Education Director Dr. Monica McHale Small discusses "Making a Mark," a groundbreaking book co-authored with dyslexic artist Mark Stoddart, with co-author Kate McElderry and publisher Priscilla Hannaford. ‘Making a Mark” celebrates the multidimensionality of students, and addresses the strengths and challenges of those with learning disabilities.
“Comorbidities are really common and expected.”
With learning disabilities, other disorders like anxiety, ADHD, or another learning disability can frequently co-occur, and these comorbidities occur more often than chance. Dr. Lauren McGrath of the LEaRN Lab talks with us about the latest comorbidity research, best practices for interventions, what parents and educators should know, and more.
Learn more about the LEaRN Lab: https://liberalarts.du.edu/psychology/learn-lab
Effective Child Therapy Resource Mentioned: https://effectivechildtherapy.org/
Elina Csapo is a rising high school senior with apraxia who created Young Able Voices, a peer-to-peer support group for children and teens with hidden disabilities. Elina talks about overcoming bullying, the power of a community of support, the importance of being your true, authentic self, and more!
Learn more about Young Able Voices at: https://www.youngablevoices.com/
Elaine Taylor-Klaus, a master certified coach and co-founder of ImpactParents, discusses executive functioning, social-emotional regulation, behavior challenges, communicating with the school, and the the four phases of parenting as a way that parents can provide support while encouraging independence.
Check out ImpactParents' free resources at: impactparents.com
Because of her language impairment and learning disabilities, Katie Selby was often told that she wasn't 'college material.' After learning how to advocate for herself in high school, Katie went on to earn the degree she had been dreaming of, and now brings her life experience into the classroom as a paraeducator for students with disabilities.
We talk to Carrie Banks, a supervising librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library, about the Inclusive Services Program, community-building opportunities at the library, and their universal design for learning approach. Carrie, who was once told they couldn't become a librarian because of their dyslexia and dysgraphia, shares how they're working to make sure the library is a place that kids with LD can find success.
Mark Stoddart, a renowned Scottish sculptor with dyslexia, has dedicated 30 years to creating captivating bronze sculptures. Many of these pieces serve a dual purpose of raising awareness and generating funds for important causes, particularly for neurodiverse education. In this episode, Mark shares his own difficult experience with school, his philanthropic work, and the importance of kindness.
Jordan Greene is a college freshman with ADHD, an author, motivational speaker, and an advocate for individuals with LD and ADHD. In middle school, Jordan saw the bullying she and her classmates with LD or ADHD faced, and decided to do something about it. Ever since, Jordan has worked to educate others about LD & ADHD, and is spreading the message that there's nothing wrong with being different.
Learn more about Jordan and find her two books based on her own experience "The Confidence Club" and "My Gift of Difference" at https://www.jordanagreene.com/
Aashna Shah is a junior in high school, Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen, an author of three books, a motivational speaker, and a passionate learning disability advocate.
Aashna shares her journey through her learning disability diagnosis, discusses her book series on destigmatizing learning disabilities, talks of the learning disability stigma in the Indian community, and much more!
Get to know Aashna and learn more about her awesome advocacy work in Florida!
Visit: shahaashna.com
"I had an IEP through high school and I really know the power of the special education system...And I feel like I'm living out the purpose of an IEP, which is to prepare you for life after high school."
Disability advocate, speech-language pathology assistant, and IEP coach Courtney Burnett had an IEP herself growing up, and now she uses her expertise to empower parents to help students get evaluated and supported. Courtney discusses the main barriers to accessing special education, the purpose and goal of an IEP, how parents can have an active role in their child's education, and much more!
Resources discussed in this episode include:
U.S. Department of Ed's IDEA website
5 Questions for your IEP Meeting
Dr. Jessica Broitman and Dr. Jack Davis explain the challenges individuals with a nonverbal learning disability face, helpful strategies and accommodations, and how they're part of a team working to get NVLD into the DSM.
For more information on NVLD, visit The NVLD Project.
2023 Harrison Sylvester Award winner Denise Brodey is an LD & ADHD advocate, author, senior contributor to Forbes writing about disability, equity, and inclusion, and the founder of Rebel Talent, an organization that provides support to individuals with ADHD and/or learning disabilities that are struggling in the workplace.
Denise shares some of the most common issues individuals with LD & ADHD seem to face in the workplace, the importance of neurodiverse voices in media, and the future of disability inclusion in the workplace.
Hear more from Denise and find resources at: elephants-everywhere.com
Before she could even read or write, Abigail Berg and her mother, Monica, began writing “The Gift of Being Different,” a children’s book that features Abigail’s journey of learning about how her dyslexia is a superpower. Abigail and Monica join us to talk about the formation of the book, how Monica helped Abigail to find her strengths, and how they’re working to encourage others to embrace their differences.
"I think anybody can be a great writer, they need the support, they need the encouragement, and you need a positive attitude about it."
Dr. Toby Tomlinson Baker shares tips and lessons from 13 years of teaching experience, and provides strategies and accommodations that can be helpful for all struggling writers.
When Laura Jackson found her daughter had dyscalculia, she learned as much as she could about the SLD for six years. After her difficulty finding resources, she created a website and blog called Discovering Dyscalculia to help others to find the information she didn't have at the time.
In this episode, we sit down with Laura to discuss her family's journey, how dyscalculia affects far more than just math class, strategies for math instruction, advocacy, the importance of community, and much more!
In this episode, Dr. Vincent Alfonso, psychologist and Professor in the School of Education at Gonzaga University, discusses why early, accurate identification is so important, what developmentally-based evaluations typically entail, how early a child can be identified with an LD, and why universal screeners for learning disabilities are so essential.
How can parents and educators talk to their child about their learning disability? Dr. Rebecca Rolland, a speech language pathologist and educator at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Medical School, talks about the importance of having rich conversations with your kids, how these conversations can build resilience and empathy, and more.
From recovering from a life threatening injury, to becoming a rocket scientist, to summiting Mount Everest, Meghan Buchanan credits her dyslexia for the grit she’s developed. Learn more about Meghan’s story of perseverance, her goal of completing the Explorer’s Grand Slam, and how she’s climbing to raise awareness for learning disabilities. Follow Meghan’s journey on Instagram @ggrit
Watch the video of this interview at: https://bit.ly/LDAGGRIT
We sit down with with Elaine Taylor-Klaus, a master certified coach and co-founder of ImpactParents, to clear up common misconceptions about adults with LD and ADHD, how to ask for the supports you need to succeed, and more!
In this episode Healthy Children Project Director Tracy Gregoire talks to Charlote Brody, the National Director of Healthy Babies Bright Futures, about a new report that analyzes the toxic heavy metals in homemade vs. store bought food for babies.
We talk with college learning disabilities consultant Elizabeth C. Hamblet to discuss the rights of college students with LD, what documentation they may need for accommodations, what accommodations are commonly available, advice for self-advocating, and more!
Mentioned on the show: https://ldadvisory.com/
Tracy Gregoire, Director of the Healthy Children Project, and Sydney Cook, Director of Science and Research at MADE SAFE, have a comprehensive conversation insect repellant, healthy alternatives, best practices, and more!
Though not a learning disability itself, ADHD can frequently co-occur with learning disabilities. We talk with Dr. Vincent Alfonso about the types of ADHD, how different symptoms show up in children and adults, common ADHD myths, the frequency of having both ADHD and LD, and more!
Healthy Children Project (HCP) Director Tracy Gregoire and LDA Michigan President and HCP Coordinator Amy Barto discuss tips for staying safe in the sun this summer. Learn what ingredients to avoid when choosing a sunscreen, and hear myths about sun safety get busted! Learn more about Healthy Children Project at: https://healthychildrenproject.org/
Gregg French, a special education teacher at Bullard Havens Technical High School, and President of LDA Connecticut, discusses common accommodations, the collaboration between general education teachers and special education teachers, how educators should prepare for IEP meetings, RTI, and more.
Kelly Haggerty, President of LDA Montana and dyslexia specialist at Dyslexia Screening and Tutoring Services, discusses signs of LD educators should be looking for, common accommodations for students with LD, ways to boost student's social and emotional wellbeing, and more!
This week we sit down with LDA CEO, attorney, and parent Cindy Cipoletti to discuss what caregivers should do if they suspect their child has an LD, learning disability evaluations, the difference between an IEP and 504 plan, the IEP process, and more, all from a parent's perspective.
We talk to Mitchell Beres, President of LDA of Virginia and father to two children with LD, about what parents can expect when their child is identified with a learning disability.
Mitchell shares advice on how to explain your child's LD to them, how to help your child with their homework–without doing it for them!–how to connect with your child's school, and more. We also discuss the importance of using specific LD terms, and how it's essential to teach your child to self-advocate.
We sit down with learning and behavior consultant Bev Johns to discuss the prevalence of mental health issues in individuals with learning disabilities, current mental health statistics, and strategies for parents and teachers to monitor and work with students with mental health issues and LD.
Special education attorney Grace Kim and mother Michelle Norman co-founded Partners in Promise, an organization that works to protect the rights of military children in special education. In this conversation Kim and Norman share their own experiences with the special education system, highlight the unique challenges military children in special education face, and share advice for all parents who are trying to navigate the world of special education.
Learn more about Partners in Promise at: https://thepromiseact.org/
Dr. Nancy Cushen White, a clinical professor at UCSF and a certified instructor of teaching for the Slingerland Multisensory (Multimodal) Structured Language Approach, sits down to talk to us about dysgraphia, the cognitive skills writing uses, how handwriting can improve reading and spelling skills better than typing, recommendations for handwriting instruction, and much more!
LDA's Healthy Children Project Director Tracy Gregoire sits down with Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Director Liz Hitchcock to discuss the work that both organizations have done to push corporations to remove toxic chemicals from their products. This episode dives into why LDA fights to prevent toxic chemical exposures, what 'forever chemicals' linger in our food packaging, how campaigns of parents have made a difference in removing toxics, and how you can get involved.
After struggling in school for all her life, at age 19, Patty Gillespie taught herself to read. With five learning disabilities, Gillespie was unable to thrive in the classroom, and had to find learning strategies that worked for her. These solutions would serve her in the future as she went on to become a reading specialist and educator, and her own life experience would give her empathy and a connection with her students.
Listen to hear Gillespie's story, learn what tips she gives to those helping struggling readers, and hear her advice to students with learning disabilities.
In this episode, LDA President Monica McHale-Small sits with special educator Dr. Lauren McClenney-Rosenstein to discuss the misidentification of learning disabilities in students of color, the intersection of environmental justice and disproportionality, the challenges that low income communities and communities of color face in getting the right support in education, and more.
Carolyn Phillips, an expert in assistive technology, believes that her learning disabilities are "kind of a superpower." Beth McGaw, past president of LDA, says her son's struggles have made him resilient and stronger. Scientist Collin Diedrich explains how thinking differently can benefit his work.
In this last episode of our LD Month mini-series, we celebrate the strengths within individuals with learning disabilities, and explore the silver lining of living with LD.
Which type of policymaker should you reach out to when advocating for individuals with learning disabilities? What's the best format to use when contacting a representative? When should you get the press involved?
PA State Representative Dan Miller and LDA advocates Bev Johns and Daphne Uliana answer these questions and more, while dishing out their best advocacy advice. This podcast features the highlights of our September webinar Advocacy: Building Relationships with Policymakers.
This podcast is a part of our mini series for Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. Learn more at ldaamerica.org.
In this episode of our Learning Disabilities Awareness Month Mini-Series, we talk to Dr. Vincent C. Alfonso, a Professor in the School of Education at Gonzaga University and member of the LDA Board of Directors, about science based practices and interventions in education. Dr. Alfonso discusses some common interventions for students with learning disabilities, how to address the science to practice gap, and gives recommendations on how to help students with LD during the pandemic.
What Works Clearinghouse, which Dr. Alfonso mentioned in the podcast, can be visited at: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
To visit LDA's COVID resources for students, parents, and educators, visit: https://ldaamerica.org/lda-covid-19-resources/
For more resources on learning disabilities, visit ldaamerica.org.
Taking arsenic out of baby food seems like a no-brainer. But Tracy Gregoire, director of LDA's Healthy Children Project, explains how long these changes can take. Tune in to hear about Healthy Children Project's past victories, current campaigns, and how they work to make the world a safer, healthier place.
For more information from LDA, visit: https://ldaamerica.org/
To visit the Healthy Children Project website, go to: https://healthychildrenproject.org/
"With 80% confidence, you can predict in third grade where a kid's going to be in 10th."
Mark Halpert of 3D Learner talks to us about the importance of identifying struggling students early and supporting them to get them on grade level by third grade.
This episode marks the end of our first season. Stay tuned for information on our next season, which is already in the works!
For more information, visit: https://ldaamerica.org/
Caroline McGuire, the director of ADD Coach Academy and author of Why Will No One Play With Me, talks to us about the 7 aspects of socializing that students need to know, and how to teach these life skills.
For more resources from LDA, visit https://ldaamerica.org/
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which refers to a range of characteristics that are caused by a fetus’s exposure to alcohol, affects between 2-5% of 1st graders in the U.S. today.
Lyn McMurry and Julia Rivera from the North Texas FASD Network, a support group for those with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, define the characteristics of FASD, talk to us about the connection between learning disabilities and FASD, and provide resources and advice.
For more resources from the North Texas FASD Network, visit: https://dfwchild.com/directory/north-texas-fasd-network/
For more resources from LDA, visit https://ldaamerica.org/
“Every day is built up of thousands of interactions, so the way that we communicate makes a big difference.”
Dr. Helene Dionne, the Director of Counseling Services at Landmark School, and Laura Polvinen, a licensed social worker and counseling team leader at Landmark School, discuss different strategies for parents and teachers for addressing behavioral issues and social emotional challenges for students with language-based learning disabilities.
For more resources from LDA, visit: https://ldaamerica.org/
“I always take on a new challenge every year to learn something new. Whether it be personal or professional, and do things that are out of my comfort zone. It helps me then to appreciate what struggles or challenges that the students that I have have to face when I’m asking them to do things.”
What does it take to be named Educator of the Year? Patricia Buckley has been teaching special education for over 40 years, and shares with us the important lessons she’s learned along the way, like how she always keeps learning, and how to avoid teacher burnout.
For more resources from LDA, visit ldaamerica.org.
In this episode, we talk to Tracy Gregoire, the coordinator of LDA’s Healthy Children Project, about how to find school supplies that are free of harmful chemicals, why these products can be difficult to find, what safer cleaning supplies schools should be considering, and more!
For more from the Healthy Children Project, visit: https://healthychildrenproject.org/
For more resources from LDA, visit: https://ldaamerica.org/
Anxiety in children has long been on the rise, and currently 1 in 4 children in classrooms have anxiety. Dr. Beverly Johns, author, learning and behavior consultant, and current president-elect of LDA Illinois shares some strategies for parents and teachers for helping children with anxiety.
For more resources from LDA, visit ldaamerica.org
Sharona Sommer, the Director of Learning for the College Internship Program National (CIP) and certified professional coach, shares some tips and resources for success with executive function. CIP offers post-secondary programs for those with autism, ADHD, and other learning differences, to help individuals with the transition into adulthood.
For more about CIP, visit: https://cipworldwide.org/
For more resources from LDA, vist: https://ldaamerica.org/
Dyslexia has long been one of the most well-known learning disabilities, and as such, there are many more resources for testing and assistance. Dyscalculia, which interferes with an individual’s calculation skills and their ability to comprehend math facts, is a learning disability that can often be overlooked in schools. Dr. Anneke Schreuder, the founder of Math and Dyscalculia Services, talks to us about different ways to test for dyscalculia, the importance of detecting dyscalculia early, and more.
For resources from Math and Dyscalculia Services, visit: https://dyscalculiaservices.com/about-us/
For more resources from LDA, visit: https://ldaamerica.org/
Chris Zeigler Dendy and Dr. Ruth Hughes, aside from being school and clinical psychologists, are also mothers of adult sons with ADHD. The two share their own personal experience in supporting their children through adulthood, and offer advice on topics like considering a gap year between high school and further education, how to guide your child into finding a career that they’re interested in, how to pick a college or other post-high school experience, and more.
Ready or Not! Launching into Young Adulthood with ADHD! is expected to be released in Fall of 2020.
For more resources from LDA, visit: https://ldaamerica.org/
In this episode, we talk to Tracy Gregoire, the coordinator of LDA’s Healthy Children Project. The mission of the Healthy Children Project is to prevent or eliminate the preventable causes of learning and developmental disabilities. While talking to Tracy, we learn about the dangers of toxic chemical exposure, different resources to find safe products, and how to advocate for companies to use safer alternatives in their products.
For more resources from the Healthy Children Project, visit: https://healthychildrenproject.org/
For more resources from LDA, visit: https://ldaamerica.org/
Today, LDA’s Education Committee Chair Kristina Scott Quinlan interviews author and literacy consultant Katie Garner about teaching strategies for new or struggling readers.
Garner tells us that the social and emotional parts of the brain are the first to develop, and teaches how to take advantage of these already-built highways and connections to teach reading and writing skills.
For more resources from LDA, visit ldaamerica.org
"There's no ceiling to what we can do."
Toby Baker’s educational experience was far from easy. She has self identified as having ADHD and a learning disability, and she frequently moved around to different schools throughout K-12.
When it came time to go to college, her teachers and advisors tried to dissuade her, but she went anyway. Now she talks to us about her dissertation about the perception and success of post-secondary students with LD, and the importance of self advocating to get the resources you need to succeed.
For more resources from LDA America, visit ldaamerica.org
In this mini-episode, we get the chance to sit down with licensed psychologist Dr. Vincent Alfonso, and First Vice President of LDA Monica McHale-Small. Both discuss the definition of a learning disability and how it differs from learning difficulties, talk about the latest neurological research, and call for more federal funding for learning disability research.
For more resources from LDA, visit https://ldaamerica.org/
"Whenever you’re dealing with a difficult situation or you’re trying to have a difficult conversation, when you spend a few moments really trying to see it from your child’s perspective and validate where they’re coming from, you change that whole tone of what that conversation is going to look like."
This week we talk about parenting strategies with John Wilson, the executive director of SOAR, a non-profit school, adventure camp, and gap year experience for youth with learning disabilities and ADHD.
John talks about practicing social interactions with kids at home, letting children have a say about their home schedules, and the importance of the first five minutes after you arrive home from work.
For more resources from LDA, visit ldaamerica.org
**“It starts with each of us and our own willingness to grow and be lifelong learners, and extend that to our children, and then extend that to our neighbors...working with our schools and making certain that our schools are inclusive and that the programs that are offered in our school buildings..."
Dr. Cynthia Stadel is an educational consultant out of Portland, Oregon and has worked in federally funded literacy programs for adults on probation and parole.
In our discussion, Dr. Stadel discusses how students with disabilities and students of color are more likely to be affected by the school to prison pipeline, and speaks on what communities and families should be doing to help these students to succeed.**
78 year old Ann Johnson went through school without knowing what a learning disability was. It wasn’t until she was testing students with learning disabilities that she realized the term may apply to her. Johnson talks about navigating her life with a learning disability, and offers advice based on her own experiences.
Dr. John King Jr, former U.S. Secretary of Education, and President and CEO of the Education Trust, talks about the role education has played in his life, and touches on topics such as diversifying educators, improving the student teaching experience, and allocating resources to the students that need it most.
A special thanks to Learning Disabilities Foundation of America for making The LDA Podcast possible.