People parried the problem of learning disorders by calling it a lack of attention, and other things. However, things changed when President Ronald Reagan declared October as LD awareness month in the United States in 1985. Since then, the country observes lots of events and teaching programs during this month. All of these aim at making attempts to bring people with LDs to stay at par with their peers.

Knowing about learning disorders is important to ensure that the education model becomes more inclusive in nature, and result-oriented as well for one and all. Many students abandon their education dreams after primary or secondary levels, and financial problems are not the culprit always. These students do so because of learning difficulties following which they do not display basic reading, writing, and math skills as expected from them. Such inabilities pull these children down to the gorge of self-doubt and lack of confidence and they hide behind unruly behavior.

If the learning disorder is detected at an early age, the teachers can arrange for changes required in teaching patterns. Thus, to ensure that the learning is not marred by disorders, awareness about these difficulties is very important.

Other reasons why one should be aware of learning disorders are:

1. Get an idea of all types of learning disorders that normally get camouflaged: Though there are various problems like ADHD, autism, etc. that are identified even in the pre-birth stage, these problems may also be accompanied by learning disorders. The learning disorders actually remain undetected because larger problems associated with these occupy all the attention of parents, teachers, or doctors.

2. Allow learning about various learning disorders: Dyslexia is not the only culprit that interferes with a child’s learning progress. It is actually just one of many disorders. Dyslexia was called ‘word blindness’ by the physician who recognized it for the first time. However, the problem of the inability to read and write was not limited to words or language only. Children suffering from disorders showed an inability to read and write numbers and mathematical operations also. This disorder was later identified as dyscalculia. It included the inability to identify and read numbers or understand the meaning of mathematical operations, and so on. Apart from dyslexia and dyscalculia, people displayed difficulties like dysgraphia, non-verbal learning difficulties, etc.

The need to be aware of the learning difficulties is very important because having skills to read and write or count and the inherent intelligence are two different things. We have several examples of the people from the past (like Albert Einstein, the famous scientist) who had very high IQ but did not have the ability to read the words. Learning difficulty has its reasons embedded in neurobiology.

It is just that the children having these difficulties have their brains not wired for doing basic things like reading or writing. But, their critical or logical reasoning abilities are intact. That is why; ignorance can lead to losing a talent; which is something that should not happen to any deserving candidate.

Children or adults suffering from learning difficulties are not to be abandoned. They deserve an education just like their peers. That is why awareness helps people to take initiatives like:

• design a curriculum suitable for children with learning disorders
• start reading and writing programs to give extra cushion for learning
• start a learning community where people with similar problems can team up and share ways to build and improve their reading and writing skills
• take initiatives like running special classes complementing the learning requirements

Ways to Celebrate LD Awareness Month

October declared as LD Awareness Month in the US can be celebrated in quite meaningful ways, such as:

1. Organize awareness camps in schools and residential societies

Awareness is not spread only by words or seminars. Awareness in action is quite important too. Therefore, to celebrate the LD awareness month, you can organize assessment camps in schools and residential societies and tell the parents about the disabilities, if any found.

2. Announce reading and writing programs

As an awareness spreader, you can announce special reading and writing programs derived from various research-backed approaches, for example, the Orton Gillingham approach. You can give an introduction of assisted learning tools and applications and give a demonstration to the people of how to use those.

3. Announce scholarship programs and register people for them

To encourage studies or homeschooling for students suffering from LDs and NVLDs, you can announce scholarship programs or sponsorships for dyslexics and dyscalculics.

4. Organize a discussion forum

You can organize a talk or discussion forum where people can come forward and share their stories of triumph as well as struggles. These can prove to be an invaluable resource for the parents and teachers, and also the students so that they know how to approach the issue and work their way around it.

Manpreet Singh

An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having  just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’, 

The post Let’s celebrate the Dyslexia Awareness Month appeared first on Number Dyslexia.

According to the press release, IDA-GA will be going to award scholarships four times a year. The first application deadline is Jan. 1 for Georgia teachers and administrators to apply for approved structured literacy teacher training. Awards for which will be decided by February 28. After Jan. 1, Aspirants can also apply for more scholarships to be awarded on March 1, June 1, and September 1.

As per the general guidelines, Scholarship funds may be used for materials and/or course fees.  Applicants are eligible for scholarships up to 50% of the cost of the course to a maximum of $500.  Awards will be paid once proof of enrollment and payment is received, and scholarships must be used within one year of being granted.  Scholarships in this program are not intended for use for attendance at conferences.  Those awards will be found under the respective conference themselves.

IDA-GA mentioned that the preference will be given to those candidates who have a history of successfully taking courses in an approved structured literacy methodology or other professional training. Applicants that can provide details as to how they will apply the learnings of the course within their classroom, and/or are teaching in an underserved school or district where the application of structured literacy methodologies are not widely practiced will also be preferred. Details and how to apply: http://ga.dyslexiaida.org/scholarship-applications-for-teachers-and-administrators/

In addition, IDA-GA is investing in Georgia with a new Grant Giving Program. In 2019, IDA-GA will be awarding grants to qualified applicants on March 1 and September 1. The grants can be up to $10,000 each and will be awarded to programs that further training of teachers and/or expand public awareness of dyslexia. Details and how to apply: https://ga.dyslexiaida.org/grant-applications/

Manpreet Singh

An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having  just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’, 

The post Georgia dyslexia organization to expand its Teacher Training Scholarship Program appeared first on Number Dyslexia.

The event aims to explore the minds, art and successes of people who have or had dyslexia. It will feature work from Steve Jobs, Leonardo Da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Agatha Christie and will showcase the creative artwork of dozens of students with dyslexia. The museum authorities have been highly praised for taking this initiative.

“Many people have the wrong idea about what dyslexia actually is — in ‘Beautiful Minds’ we are using art, among other things, to show that dyslexia isn’t necessarily a learning disorder, but a learning difference,” said Scott Henderson, director of SMO’s smART Space galleries.

“The exhibit will illuminate many of the misconceptions of dyslexia, educate those who aren’t familiar with it and empower those who have this common learning difference. It also shines a light on the heightened creative skills that are so commonly found in people who have dyslexia,” Henderson added.

The exhibition also features the artwork of dozens of students with dyslexia from Oklahoma City’s Trinity School, and through a partnership with Decoding Dyslexia Oklahoma, highlights several students who have overcome the challenges of dyslexia and gone on to notable personal and academic successes.

“In school we gauge intelligence by one’s ability to read. Children who struggle to learn to read feel alone as they struggle to master what comes easily for so many. ‘Beautiful Minds’ will give children a place of acceptance while opening the minds of parents and educators to the hidden potential that goes unrecognized in the 10 to 20 percent who struggle with dyslexia,” said Michelle Keiper, founding member of Decoding Dyslexia and parent of a student with dyslexia

The exhibition will be open to museum guests beginning on Nov. 10.

It will be on display through July 14, 2019.

Science Museum Oklahoma is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Daily general admission is $15.95 for adults (ages 13 to 64) and $12.95 for children and seniors (ages 3 to 12 and 65 and older). Annual memberships begin at $105.

For more information about the smART Space galleries at Science Museum Oklahoma, visitwww.sciencemuseumok.org/smart-space.

Manpreet Singh

An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having  just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’, 

The post Oklahoma’s Science Museum to debut ‘Beautiful Minds- Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage’ appeared first on Number Dyslexia.