The LDA Podcast

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/