Guiding children and their families to the next step.

  What is an Educational Therapist?

Educational Therapy is a form of therapy used to treat individuals with learning differences, disabilities, and challenges. This form of therapy offers a wide range of intensive interventions that are designed to resolve learners' learning problems.

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 What is a special education therapist?

Educational therapy is a general term that refers to when an educator works one-on-one with your child, typically outside of school. ... Educational therapists can teach kids skills and strategies to help them manage their learning or attention issues and improve schoolwork.

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A parent coach is a professional who helps you cultivate a better relationship with your children. A parent coach gives customized support and advice based on each individual family's needs.

What is the most common type of learning style?

Among them, 41%, 14% and 6% preferred the bimodal, trimodal and the quadrimodal ways of information presentation. 39% of the respondents had one strong (unimodal) learning preference. The most common unimodal preference was kinesthetic, followed by visual, auditory and read and write.

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Learning profile refers to a wide variety of ways in which learners vary in how they prefer to deal with content, process, and product. Learning profile includes attention to intelligence preferences, learning styles, and cultural and gender differences.

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What should be included in a learner profile?

A learner profile is a document, project, or even conversation that helps teachers learn more about their students. Learner profiles may include information such as: Skills, strengths, and interests. Aspirations and passions.

The acronym VARK stands for Visual, Aural, Read/write, and Kinesthetic sensory modalities that are used for learning information. Fleming and Mills (1992) suggested four modalities that seemed to reflect the experiences of the students and teachers.

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  What are the different learning profiles?

Visual (spatial):You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding. Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music. Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing. Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.

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How can knowing your learning style benefit you?

1. increases your self-confidence.

2. improves your self-image.

3. teaches you how to use your brain best.

4. gives you insight into your strengths, weaknesses, and habits.

5. enables you to enjoy any learning process.

6. inspires greater curiosity and motivation for lifelong learning.

Visualization. Bring dull academic concepts to life with visual and practical learning experiences, helping your students to understand how their schooling applies in the real-world. ... 

· Cooperative learning. ... 

· Inquiry-based instruction. ... 

· Differentiation. ... 

· Technology in the classroom. ... 

· Behaviour management. ... 

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What are examples of teaching strategies?

1. Create Learning Stations. ... 

2. Use Task Cards. ... 

3. Interview Students. ... 

4. Target Different Senses Within Lessons. ... 

5. Share Your Own Strengths and Weaknesses. ... 

6. Use the Think-Pair-Share Strategy. ... 

7.  Make Time for Journaling.

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  What makes effective teaching?

Top Qualities of an Effective Teacher

1. Positive. Keep your students engaged with a positive attitude. ... 

2. Prepared. You should know the course material. ... 

3. Organized. Have a plan for what you want to teach. ... 

4. Clear. Effective teachers can explain complex ideas in simple ways. ... 

5. Active. Keep your students thinking. 

6. Patient. ... 

7. Fair. ... 

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What characteristics make a good teacher?

What Makes a Great Teacher

· expert communication skills.

· superior listening skills.

· deep knowledge and passion for their subject matter.

· the ability to build caring relationships with students.

· friendliness and approachability.

· excellent preparation and organization skills.

· strong work ethic.

· community-building skills.

 Learning disabilities are neurologically-based processing problems. These processing problems can interfere with learning basic skills such as reading, writing and/or math.  They can also interfere with higher level skills such as organization, time planning, abstract reasoning, long or short term memory and attention.  It is important to realize that learning disabilities can affect an individual’s life beyond academics and can impact relationships with family, friends and in the workplace .

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Also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder, this is a condition that adversely affects how sound that travels unimpeded through the ear is processed or interpreted by the brain. Individuals with APD do not recognize subtle differences between sounds in words, even when the sounds are loud and clear enough to be heard. They can also find it difficult to tell where sounds are coming from, to make sense of the order of sounds, or to block out competing background noises.

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A specific learning disability that affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and learn math facts. Individuals with this type of LD may also have poor comprehension of math symbols, may struggle with memorizing and organizing numbers, have difficulty telling time, or have trouble with counting.

A disorder that is characterized by difficulty in muscle control, which causes problems with movement and coordination, language and speech, and can affect learning. Although not a learning disability, dyspraxia often exists along with dyslexia, dyscalculia or ADHD.

Any of the following are diagnosed after a Psycho-Educational and Academic Assessment as a Specific Learning Disability.

· Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

· Dyscalculia.

· Dysgraphia.

· Dyslexia.

· Language Processing Disorder.

· Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities.

· Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit.

· ADHD.

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A specific learning disability that affects a person’s handwriting ability and fine 

motor skills. Problems may include illegible handwriting, inconsistent spacing, poor spatial planning on paper, poor spelling, and difficulty composing writing as well as thinking and writing at the same time.

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A specific type of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) in which there is difficulty attaching meaning to sound groups that form words, sentences and stories. While an APD affects the interpretation of all sounds coming into the brain, a Language Processing Disorder (LPD) relates only to the processing of language. LPD can affect expressive language and/or receptive language

A disorder which is usually characterized by a significant discrepancy between higher verbal skills and weaker motor, visual-spatial and social skills. Typically, an individual with NLD (or NVLD) has trouble interpreting nonverbal cues like facial expressions or body language, and may have poor coordination.

A disorder that affects the understanding of information that a person sees, or the ability to draw or copy. A characteristic seen in people with learning disabilities such as Dysgraphia or Non-verbal LD, it can result in missing subtle differences in shapes or printed letters, losing place frequently, struggles with cutting, holding pencil too tightly, or poor eye/hand coordination.

A specific learning disability that affects reading and related language-based processing skills. The severity can differ in each individual but can affect reading fluency, decoding, reading comprehension, recall, writing, spelling, and sometimes speech and can exist along with other related disorders. Dyslexia is sometimes referred to as a Language-Based Learning Disability.

What are the early signs of dyslexia?

Common signs: Kindergarten through fourth grade

· Has difficulty decoding single words (reading single words in isolation)

· May be slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds.

· May confuse small words – at/to, said/and, does/goes.

· Makes consistent reading and spelling errors

Can dyslexia be cured?

Treatments for Dyslexia. ... Dyslexia is a disorder present at birth and cannot be prevented or cured, but it can be managed with special instruction and support. Early intervention to address reading problems is important.

How do they test for dyslexia?

Tests for dyslexia look at a number of skills related to reading, such as decoding, phonological awareness and comprehension. Evaluators look at all of the testresults to identify your child's specific challenges with reading. If testing shows your child has dyslexia, he may be eligible for dyslexia accommodations

Can you grow out of dyslexia?

Many educators still view dyslexia only as a weakness or disability. ... While dyslexic children do not merely 'outgrow' their early learning problems, many doovercome them. Thus, the specific symptoms or problems identified early in life may no longer exist in adulthood, and therefore would not be measurable.

A disorder that includes difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity. Although ADHD is not considered a learning disability, research indicates that from 30-50 percent of children with ADHD also have a specific learning disability, and that the two conditions can interact to make learning extremely challenging.

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    What is ADHD?

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a medical condition. A person with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control.

Symptoms of hyperactivity in children:

· Constantly fidgets and squirms.

· Has difficulty sitting still, playing quietly, or relaxing.

· Moves around constantly, often runs or climbs inappropriately.

· Talks excessively.

· May have a quick temper or “short fuse”

Signs of hyperactivity that may indicate your toddler has ADHD include:

· being overly fidgety and squirmy.

· having an inability to sit still for calm activities like eating and having books read to them.

· talking and making noise excessively.

· running from toy to toy, or constantly being in motion

Executive Functioning

An inefficiency in the cognitive management systems of the brain that affects a variety of neuropsychological processes such as planning, organization, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time and space. Although not a learning disability, different patterns of weakness in executive functioning are almost always seen in the learning profiles of individuals who have specific learning disabilities or ADHD.

Symptoms of Learning Disabilities

· short attention span,

· poor memory,

· difficulty following directions,

· inability to discriminate between/among letters, numerals, or sounds,

· poor reading and/or writing ability,

· eye-hand coordination problems; poorly coordinated,

· difficulties with sequencing, and/or.

disorganization and other sensory difficulties.

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Three types of memory are important to learning. Working memory, short-term memory and long-term memory are used in the processing of both verbal and non-verbal information. If there are deficits in any or all of these types of memory, the ability to store and retrieve information required to carry out tasks can be impaired 

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the way the brain works. People with autism experience difficulties in these areas:

• social communication
• social interaction
• restricted or repetitive      patterns of behaviours, interests or activities

Individuals with autism will experience differences related to:

• the number, type, and severity      of symptoms
• levels of functioning
• age of first signs of autism
• age of diagnosis
• challenges associated with      social situations

Autism is a lifelong disorder, with symptoms usually appearing at an early age. While there is no cure for autism, people’s symptoms, abilities and experiences can improve over time with the help of evidence-based therapies and interventions

What are the 3 types of autism?

There are three different types of Autism Spectrum Disorders:

· Autistic Disorder (also called "classic" autism) This is what most people think of when hearing the word "autism." ... 

· Asperger Syndrome. ... 

· Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS; also called "atypical autism")

What is the main cause of autism?

Scientists suspect that a faulty gene or genes might make a person more likely to develop autism when there are also other factors present, such as a chemical imbalance, viruses or chemicals, or a lack of oxygen at birth. In a few cases, autistic behavior is caused by: Rubella (German measles) in the pregnant mother.

How can you tell if your child has autism?

A person with ASD might:

1. Not respond to their name (the child may appear deaf)

2. Not point at objects or things of interest, or demonstrate interest.

3. Not play “pretend” games.

4. Avoid eye contact.

5. Want to be alone.

6. Have difficulty understanding, or showing understanding, or other people's feelings or their own.

Some commonly asked questions:

** Can a learning disability be cured?

A learning disability can't be cured or fixed; it is a lifelong issue. With the right support and intervention, however, children with learning disabilities can succeed in school and go on to successful, often distinguished careers later in life.

**Who can diagnose a specific learning disability?

· A Psychologist (preferably with educational and/or developmental training) in the identification of a specific learning disability such as Dyslexia, Language-based Dysgraphia or Dyscalculia.

How do you overcome learning disabilities?

Tips for dealing with your child's learning disability:

1. Keep things in perspective. A learning disability isn't insurmountable. ... 

2. Become your own expert. ... 

3. Be an advocate for your child. ... 

4. Remember that your influence outweighs all others. ... 

5. Clarify your goals. ... 

6. Be a good listener. ... 

7. Offer new solutions. ... 

8. Keep the focus.

**What age diagnose learning disabilities?

 Learning disabilities can usually be diagnosed by the time your child is 7-8 years old. Early signs of learning disabilities are often picked up in the first two years of school.

**Is there any treatment for learning disabilities?

Learning disabilities have no cure, but early intervention can lessen their effects. People with learning disabilities can develop ways to cope with their disabilities. ... Experts can help a child learn skills by building on the child's strengths and finding ways to compensate for the child's weaknesses.

**What famous person has a learning disability?

Actors, businessmen, sports heroes, they can and should serve as inspiration to us all.

· Keira Knightley (Dyslexia) Wikicommons. ... 

· Orlando Bloom (Dyslexia) ... 

· Michael Phelps (ADHD) ... 

· Daniel Radcliffe (Dyspraxia) ... 

· Whoopi Goldberg (Dyslexia) ... 

· Steven Spielberg (Dyslexia) ... 

· Justin Timberlake (ADD and OCD) ... 

· Christopher Knight (ADHD)