More Strategies for Parents and Teachers

I found a scholarly article on Nonverbal Learning Disability.  This article talks about how learning disability came about, and more in depth of what is considered to be a nonverbal learning disability.  There was a case study of a child who was misdiagnosed, and the family later came to find out her had a nonverbal learning disability.  In this article it mentions that NLD can often times be mistaken for many other disabilities.  I wonder how frustrating it would be to the parents if their child kept getting misdiagnosed for something other than what they truly have.  More in the article it goes into the definition of what NLD, the profile of a child with NLD, causes, and different options for interventions.  Something I'd like to focus on is the different strategies parents and teachers can do for a child who has a nonverbal learning disability.

General Strategies for Parents and Teachers

• Structured and supportive environment
• Make the child aware there is a person they can talk to about their disability
• Encourage Independence
• Use language to clarify questions or explain visuals
• Encourage interests and individual sports

Specific Strategies for the Teacher

• The classroom should not be too visually stimulating
• The child may need a scribe and assignment broken down into meaningful chunks
• When the child is able to keyboard allow them to use a laptop or word processor for note-taking
• Teach verbal mediation (self-talk) through modeling
• To enhance math ability use real life experiences, verbal explanation, and hands-on experiences
• For those who have poor attention may need frequent breaks
• Allow the child to have extra time or a buddy
• Give the child the opportunity to be a leader in a small group setting

I find that these strategies are extremely helpful, and makes you aware of how to help the child succeed in the classroom.  To read more about the article follow the link below.  

http://www.aboutourkids.org/files/articles/may_jun_4.pdf