Author: Psychiatry

Special points of interest:
Learning Disabilities in School Aged Children
Signs of a Learning Disability in children
Strategies
The Role of ADHD

Mental Health Update

Disability Awareness

Learning Disabilities in School Aged Children

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), learning disabilities affect at least 1 in 10 children. Learning disabilities are neurobiological in nature and impede a students ability to store, process and/or produce information (LDA NYS, 2003).
Children with emotional and behavioral disturbances may exhibit some of the same symptoms as children with learning disabilities. An assessment could help identify the problem and determining what would best help these students who are struggling in your classes.
Retrieved on January 18th 2007 from:
http://www.ldanys.org/index.php?page_id=114
Some factors that may help you deal with difficult students in your class are:
Build an alliance with the students and focus on their strengths while turning to trusted colleagues and helpful individuals
Define boundaries and talk directly with the students about expected behaviors. Mutually agree on these boundaries and write them down.
Take time to take care of yourself and model the importance of self-care to your students.
Think about the bigger picture, don’t just assume the student is being difficult for the fun of it. Often, there are underlying issues that are affecting this student’s behavior. Don’t use this as an excuse to allow disruptive behaviors in your class. Work with other trusted educators and child related staff to help get to the root of the problem.
To retrieve more information on this topic, useful websites are:
www.ncld.org
www.aacap.org
www.nasponline.org

Most Frequent Signs of a Learning Disability

Has difficulty understanding and following directions
Has trouble remembering what someone just told them
Fails to master reading, spelling, writing, and/or math skills, and thus fails
Has difficulty distinguishing right from left; difficulty identifying words or a tendency to reverse words, letters, or numbers (for example, confusing 25 with 52, “b” with “d”, or “on” with “no”).
Lacks coordination in walking , sports or small activities such as holding a pencil or tying a shoelace
Easily loses or misplaces homework, schoolbooks, or other items
Cannot understand the concept of time; is confused by “yesterday, today or tomorrow.”
Retrieved on January 4th, 2007 from: www.aacap.org under the heading of “Facts for Families” and subject “Children with Learning Disabilities”

Areas of Change:

Teaching and Relational Strategies for Educators

When teaching students with learning disabilities, it often is necessary to provide
accommodations for these students. As educators, you have a difficult task of helping diverse students to reach a common goal. According to the National Center on Learning Disabilities (2005), sometimes it is not necessary to alter the material you are teaching. Changes in areas such as presentation of material, time limitations, timing and setting can easily assist a
student achieve academically. It is important that the accommodations provided address the student’s learning disability.
Retrieved on January 16th 2007 from: http://www.ncld.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=306

Presentation
Provide an audio tape
Provide material in large print
Present instructions orally

Strategies for Helping Improve Self-Esteem of Children with Learning Disorders
Be empathetic. See the world through your student's eyes.
Communicate with respect. Don't interrupt or put them down; answer their questions.
Give undivided attention. .
Accept children for who they are.
Give those students a chance to contribute. Shows your faith in their abilities and gives them a sense of responsibility.
Treat mistakes as learning experiences.
Emphasize their strengths. A sense of accomplishment and pride give children the confidence to persevere when they face challenges.
Let them solve problems and make decisions. Avoid telling children what to do; encourage them to come up with solutions to problems.
Retrieved on January 16th 2007 from:
http://www.ncld.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=318
Discipline to teach. Do not discipline in a way that intimidates or humiliates your student.

Response
Allow for verbal response
Allow for response via computer
Allow response to be put directly into test booklet

The Role of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Timing
Allow frequent breaks
Extend testing time

While ADHD is not classified as a learning disability, 20-30% of children with diagnosed ADHD also have a learning disability (LDA, 2006). Under the IDEA Act, students with ADHD are entitled to special education services with their impairment (LDA, 2006).

Signs and Symptoms of ADHD (LDA, 2006):
Loses things necessary for tasks or activities (pencils,
assignments, tools)
Shows difficulty engaging in leisure activities quietly
Acts as if “driven by a motor” and cannot remain still
Blurts out answers to questions before the questions
have been completed, often interrupts others
Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless
mistakes
Strategies for Teachers:
Allow a child to change work sites frequently
Vary tone of voice; loud, soft, whisper
Assign tasks involving movement such as passing out
papers, watering plants, running errands
Permit a student to do something with their hands while listening: a stress ball, paper folding, clay
Retrieved on January 4th, 2007 from:
http://www.ldaamerica.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/adhd.asp

Setting
Provide a space with minimal distractions
Provide special lighting or acoustics

This story can fit 150-200 words.
One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

This story can fit 75-125 words.
Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
Think about your article and ask yourself if the picture supports or enhances the message you’re trying to convey. Avoid selecting images that appear to be out of context.
Microsoft Publisher includes thousands of clip art images from which you can choose and import into your newsletter. There are also several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols.
Once you have chosen an image, place it close to the article. Be sure to place the caption of the image near the image.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.

Disability Awareness

This story can fit 150-200 words.
One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

This story can fit 75-125 words.
Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
Think about your article and ask yourself if the picture supports or enhances the message you’re trying to convey. Avoid selecting images that appear to be out of context.
Microsoft Publisher includes thousands of clip art images from which you can choose and import into your newsletter. There are also several tools you can use to draw shapes and symbols.
Once you have chosen an image, place it close to the article. Be sure to place the caption of the image near the image.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.

Volume 1, Issue 3