Addressing Learning Disabilities in the Inclusive Classroom

A Collaboration between the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta and the Alberta Teachers Association

April 23, 2015 – ATA Webinar – Allison McCaffrey

Who I Am?

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allison.mccaffrey@cssd.ab.ca

Goals of the webinar:

• Understand the nature and prevalence of learning disabilities.

• Discuss and experience a variety of strategies to use with students with different Learning Disabilities.

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Student in Your Pocket

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www.flickr.com/photos/wecometolearn/8066863117/

What Are Learning Disabilities …

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Two Facts and a Fib

Let’s determine which of the following statements is NOT correct for each slide.

Two Facts and a Fib

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• Students with Learning Disabilities tend to have deficits in short term memory. In looking at the tests scores you will often find these scores below the 25th percentile.

• Students with LD have a cognitive disability which is why learning takes longer.

• About one third of students with learning disabilities have attention difficulties as well.

Two Facts and a Fib

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• Learning Disabilities are easy to identify and therefore do not need a formalized assessment to be accurately diagnosed.

• As many as 50 % of students with LD will drop out of school prior to their high school graduation.

• Students with LD are more likely to encounter trouble with the law.

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LD Simulation

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• On the next page you will find a passage the replicates challenges some of our readers face in deciphering passages.

• Imagine that you are being asked to read this and then do a comprehension quiz for this. As the student what are your feelings?????

• Please feel free to write down your thoughts on the slide

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• A great on-line site that has a number of simulations of different LD challenges can be found at

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/attention.html

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then we must teach the way

they learn.Source unknown

If they can’t learn the way

we teach,

Six Main Categories of Learning Disabilities

• Visual Processing• Auditory Processing• Motor Coordination Difficulties• Social Skill Difficulties• Organizational Difficulties• Conceptualization Difficulties

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Organizational Difficulties

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Conceptual Difficulties - Mathematics

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Other

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Questions?

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Student in your Pocket

How can I support him/her tomorrow?

Support After the Workshop

• ATA Library Books, journal articles, multimedia, resources• ATA Workshops Many different workshops available for only $100.00 plus G.S.T.• Teacher Welfare and Member Services Workshops and services available• Join a Specialist Council Visit the ATA website www.teachers.ab.ca• ATA Ed Trust grants an bursaries available Grants and bursaries for PD, courses and projects• Become an ATA Instructor

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20allison.mccaffrey@cssd.ab.ca