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Framework to guide special education in small schools

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Framework to guide special education in small schools

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How to add Instructional Codes on Jupiter (step-by-step pictures)

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How to add Instructional Codes on Jupiter (step-by-step pictures)

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Adding Instructional Levels to Report Cards on Jupiter Ed

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Adding Instructional Levels to Report Cards on Jupiter Ed

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When students have difficulty processing visual information, it can get in the way of learning. What accommodations can teachers use in the classroom to help students with visual processing issues? Here's a look at some strategies and tools.

Classroom materials and routines

Post visual schedules, but also say them out loud.

Describe visual presentations aloud and/or provide narration.

Build in time to summarize the important information from each lesson.

Provide uncluttered handouts with few or no nonessential images.

Use a reading guide strip or a blank index card to block out other lines of text while reading.

Provide a highlighter to use to highlight information while reading.

Provide a slant board (or three-ring binder) to bring work closer to student's visual field.

Use audiobooks or text-to-speech software.

Provide wide-ruled paper and darken or highlight lines and margins to help form letters in the right space.

Provide graph paper (or lined paper to be used sideways) to help line up math problems.

Provide a note-taker or a copy of class notes.

Have loop scissors available to make it easier to control cutting and following a line.

Provide colored glue sticks to use on white paper.

Use Wikki Stix to create a border for areas to color or glue.

Say directions and assignments out loud.

Clearly space words and problems on a page.

Write directions in a different color from the rest of an assignment (or highlight them).

Include simple diagrams or images to help clarify written directions.

Use highlighting or sticky-note flags to draw attention to important information on worksheets.

Allow time for the student to ask questions about directions.

Completing tests and assignments

Allow oral reporting instead of written responses.

Allow the student to submit answers on a separate sheet of paper rather than on fitting them into small spaces.

Reduce visual distractions by folding a test or using blank pieces of paper to cover up part of the page.

Provide extended time on tests.

Provide a quiet room for tests if needed.

About the author

About the author

Amanda Morin is the author of "The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education" and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ginny Osewalt is a dually certified elementary and special education teacher with more than 15 years of experience in general education, inclusion, resource room, and self-contained settings.

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Classroom accommodations for visual processing issues

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What types of accommodations can help students with visual processing issues? These classroom strategies can make learning easier for kids with weak visual processing skills.

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What is vision therapy for visual processing disorder?

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What is vision therapy for visual processing disorder?

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What is Vision Therapy? - College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD)

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Free TPT Teacher-Parent Conference Resources

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Free TPT Teacher-Parent Conference Resources

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Parent-Teacher Conference: Tips for Teachers

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Parent-Teacher Conference: Tips for Teachers

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Back-to-school time is here. It's time to start thinking about how to make the most of parent-teacher conferences.

Although being able to collaborate and develop relationships with parents is important, conference night can sometimes leave both parties feeling unsatisfied due to the rushed nature and limited time frame of the event.

Search Institute's extensive work with families has given us some insights into how to help teachers to build relationships with parents and caregivers. We also have some tips for ensuring the discussion on conference night is productive and intentional.

Staying Connected Virtually

Not everyone loves the term " learning loss ," but we've heard it often since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everything about education-and life. Many people and their families lost out on essential social and emotional learning opportunities because of the need to keep people safe from the virus. Or because we honestly didn't know what was safe.

We're all glad that most classes are back in person after the many waves of the pandemic. But we also had to learn ways to stay connected using technology. And some of these communications tactics proved very helpful.

We developed a series of virtual check-ins that are useful for leaders and practitioners who work with young people and their parents and guardians. These check-ins provide prompts on the following topics:

1. Introduction to the developmental relationships framework, the five elements that have been proven to help young people learn, grow, and thrive. The other check-ins are presented in the order in which they appear in Search Institute's developmental relationships framework.

2. Express care

3. Challenge growth

4. Provide support

5. Share power

6. Expand possibilities

These check-ins don't take the place of parent-teacher conferences, but they do provide insight into these important relationships, and they can continue to be employed as a supplement to in-person meetings.

When conference time rolls around, how can we use a positive youth development framework to have productive conversations with young people and their parents and guardians?

Tips for Teachers

We have some tips for educators who hope to make the most out of conferences:

1. Think of this (short but important) meeting as a relationship-creating opportunity. Use intentionality. Start off by sharing a bit about yourself, ask about the parents. Share a few wonderful observations about their child. Build a connection. This will set a positive tone for the meeting and create the kind of conversation that will yield benefits throughout the year.

2. Be the expert, but listen to parental concerns. Parents expect you to be adept at teaching, but they want to feel that you value their input too. Not focusing only on the child's weaknesses, but also their strengths, can help parents feel like you know and care about their child.

3. Don't start with the negative. Don't begin the conversation with "I have no concerns"-that starts the exchange in deficit mode. Instead, start with a simple, plain-language description of the three things you hope the students learn by being in your class.

4. Emphasize your goals. Giving a syllabus or written materials is great, but talking clearly, even passionately, about your goals for the class is better. Talk about what you hope to accomplish during the semester with excitement, and you'll be amazed at how the parents become your partners in learning.

5. Provide feedback-both good and bad. Give them the feedback you need to provide, such as a review of grades and assignments. But if you feel it's necessary to point out a deficit, find a way to do it with understanding, and try also to point out a strength.

6. Before they leave, ask one last question. This is one of the most important ways a parent can see that you really notice and care about their child and are seeking to develop a positive relationship with them; that they are more than just one among many. Something such as "What do you think I should know about your son or daughter to help him or her thrive in my class?" works. Or something more specific, such as "Tell me about your child's sparks," or perhaps their strengths, struggles, or "How might I be able to help your child navigate these challenging times, or give him or her extra support?"

7. Take notes on what you learn. Integrate what you learn from the parent into your interactions with the student, and return to your notes at your next parent-teacher conference.

8. Remember it's about the relationship! Parents want to know their child is seen and cared for and that you are paying attention to the insights they are sharing with you about their child. They want to feel like they have built a connection with you. They-and you!-want to build on that connection next time you meet.

Building Intentional Relationships with Families

All of these tips are based on our relationship-centered approach to working with young people and their families. Family engagement was already challenging before the pandemic had us all struggling to keep up with health, bills, technology, and stress.

However, many educators are learning fresh approaches to engaging families by centering the families' strengths and building systems to support these critical partnerships.

When educators, students, and families all work in partnership using a shared language, so much more is possible.

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Parent-Teacher Conference Tips for Educators

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Back-to-school time is here. It's time to start thinking about how to make the most of parent-teacher conferences. Although being able to collaborate and develop relationships with parents is important, conference night can sometimes leave both parties feeling unsatisfied due to the rushed nature and limited time frame of the event.

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Help for Parents: How to have a successful Parent-Teacher Conference

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Help for Parents: How to have a successful Parent-Teacher Conference

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How to have a successful parent-teacher conference

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Learn expert tips for preparing for parent-teacher conferences, including special considerations for neurodiverse kids.

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Facebook Support group for Parents of Children with ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyscalculia

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Facebook Support group for Parents of Children with ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyscalculia

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Auditory processing disorder (APD) makes it hard for students to process and make meaning of sounds. That can make it hard to learn - from focusing on what a teacher says to learning how to read.

Here are some examples of accommodations teachers can use to help with auditory processing disorder in the classroom.

Classroom seating, materials, and routines

Provide a quiet area for independent work.

Let the student sit near the teacher and away from auditory distractions, like doors and windows.

Check in frequently to make sure the student understands the work.

Provide an assistive listening device to make it easier to distinguish the teacher's voice.

Give extra time for testing.

Giving instructions and assignments

Give step-by-step instructions, and have the student repeat them.

Use attention-getting phrases like "This is important to know because...."

Decide with the student on a nonverbal signal to show that a key point is being made.

Say directions, assignments, and schedules out loud, and rephrase as needed.

Repeat key information throughout the lesson, and rephrase as needed.

Use visual tools, images, and gestures to enhance and support spoken lessons.

Break down test or classwork instructions into short, written steps.

Highlight key words and ideas on worksheets.

Give written homework instructions.

Provide a list of homework assignments for the week (or day).

Introducing new concepts/lessons

Speak clearly and slowly when presenting new information.

Give material on a new concept to the student before it's taught to the whole class (so the student can get familiar with it ahead of time).

Give a list of or highlight key vocabulary and concepts for upcoming lessons.

Give a short review or connection to a previous lesson before teaching something new.

Give the student an outline of the lesson.

Grade based on the student's completion of the lesson goal. (For instance, don't grade spelling errors if that's not what the student was supposed to learn.)

About the author

About the author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Ginny Osewalt is a dually certified elementary and special education teacher with more than 15 years of experience in general education, inclusion, resource room, and self-contained settings.

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Classroom accommodations for auditory processing disorder

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What classroom accommodations can help students with auditory processing disorder? Here are strategies teachers can try at school.

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Application for Talking Book Services | TSLAC

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Application for Talking Book Services TBP HOME Internal Links Eligibility Certifying Authorities Veterans Application Forms/Aplicación Address

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Classroom accommodations to help students with dyslexia (Understood website)

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Classroom accommodations to help students with dyslexia (Understood website)

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What types of accommodations can help students with dyslexia? Here are some classroom accommodations to talk over with your child's school.

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"Instructional Level" is the first skill for Language Arts (ex: 5201) and Math (ex: 6201). You can find it on the "Grades > Report Cards" screen for those subjects.

Click on skill number to see the full text of the skill.

For those skills that say "Instructional Level" only, you must enter an X, Y, or Z.

First click on a student's name, then click directly on the screen under "Q1" and enter the grade in the edit box that will appear.

See the complete listing of skills here.

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"Instructional Level" is the first skill for Language Arts (ex: 5201) and Math (ex: 6201). You can find it on the "Grades > Report Cards" screen for those subjects. Click on skill number to see the full text of the skill. For those skills that say "Instructional Level" only, you must enter an X, Y, or Z.

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Instructional Level Codes: FACTS (RenWeb)

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Instructional Level Codes: FACTS (RenWeb)

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Classroom > Gradebook > Skill Set. Instructional Level is the first skill in Language Arts and Math. Use X, Y or Z for the FIRST skill listed. The remaining skills should reflect the 4-1 assessment scale.

Categories

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Classroom > Gradebook > Skill Set. Instructional Level is the first skill in Language Arts and Math. Use X, Y or Z for the FIRST skill listed. The remaining skills should reflect the 4-1 assessment scale. Categories

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Use these codes on report cards to indicate accommodations, modifications or advanced performance.

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While a parent must (and a school can not) request testing from an ISD, you can support the parents in their request for testing by composing a letter explaining the concern and the interventions that have been done. You must edit the letter to tailor it to the student.

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Understood.org: https://assets.ctfassets.net/p0qf7j048i0q/5RsIIt1qjD0YvAsE9snkHV/21d0ca1ccedcdc87385fbe591506d10e/Dyscalculia_Fact_Sheet_Understood.pdf

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Dyslexia is a learning disability in reading. People with dyslexia have trouble reading at a good pace and without mistakes. They may also have a hard time with reading comprehension, spelling, and writing. But these challenges aren't a problem with intelligence.

Snapshot: What dyslexia is

Dyslexia is a common condition that makes it hard to work with language. Some experts believe that between 5 and 10 percent of people have it. Others say as many as 17 percent of people show signs of reading challenges.

People with dyslexia don't outgrow it. But there are teaching approaches and strategies that can help them improve their reading skills and manage the challenges. People of any age can be tested for dyslexia, although the tests are different for adults than for kids.

People with dyslexia typically have trouble reading fluently. They often read slowly and make mistakes. That can impact how well they comprehend what they read. But when other people read to them, they often have no problem understanding the text.

Dyslexia can create difficulty with other skills, too. These include:

It's important to know that while dyslexia impacts learning, it's not a problem of intelligence. People with dyslexia are just as smart as their peers. There are countless stories about people thriving with dyslexia, including actors, entrepreneurs, and elected officials.

Dyslexia signs and symptoms

Dyslexia impacts people in different ways. So, symptoms might not look the same from one person to another.

A key sign of dyslexia is trouble decoding words. This is the ability to match letters to sounds. Kids can also struggle with a more basic skill called phonemic awareness. This is the ability to recognize the sounds in words. Trouble with phonemic awareness can show up as early as preschool.

In some people, dyslexia isn't picked up until later on, when they have trouble with more complex skills. These can include grammar, reading comprehension, reading fluency, sentence structure, and more in-depth writing.

Some of the signs of dyslexia have to do with emotions and behavior. People with dyslexia might avoid reading, both out loud and to themselves. They may even get anxious or frustrated when reading. This can happen even after they've mastered the basics of reading.

Dyslexia doesn't just affect learning. It can also impact everyday skills and activities. These include social interaction, memory, and dealing with stress.

Possible causes of dyslexia

Researchers haven't yet pinpointed exactly what causes dyslexia. But they do know that genes and brain differences play a role. Here are some of the possible causes of dyslexia:

Genes and heredity: Dyslexia often runs in families. About 40 percent of siblings of people with dyslexia also struggle with reading. As many as 49 percent of parents of kids with dyslexia have it, too. Scientists have also found genes linked to problems with reading and processing language.

Brain anatomy and activity: Brain imaging studies have shown brain differences between people with and without dyslexia. These differences happen in areas of the brain involved with key reading skills. Those skills are knowing how sounds are represented in words, and recognizing what written words look like.

But the brain can change. Studies show that brain activity in people with dyslexia changes after they get proper instruction or tutoring. And scientists are learning more all the time.

How dyslexia is diagnosed

Having a diagnosis (schools call it an identification) can lead to supports and services at school, and accommodations at college and work.

There are a few types of professionals who can assess people for dyslexia. These include school psychologists, clinical psychologists, and neuropsychologists. An evaluator will give a series of tests for dyslexia. They'll test in other areas as well to see exactly where any weaknesses and strengths lie.

School evaluations are free. But private ones can be very expensive. In some cases, there are ways to get them for free or at a low cost. Local universities often have programs in psychology that have clinics where students do their training.

Teaching hospitals may have research projects where people can get evaluations for free. Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) has local chapters in every state. They may be able to help with finding free or low-cost options.

About the author

About the author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Guinevere Eden, PhD is a professor at Georgetown University and director of its Center for the Study of Learning.

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Dyslexia is a learning disability in reading. Get a definition of dyslexia and learn about the dyslexic brain.

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Evaluation Process to help parents talk to their children

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Evaluation Process to help parents talk to their children

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At a glance

Talking about the evaluation ahead of time can make your child feel calmer.

How you talk about it depends on your child's age.

Tell your child that the testing might take place outside of the regular classroom.

Here are ideas to get the conversation rolling, depending on how old your child is.

Talk about what's fun and what's hard at school. Start by talking about what your child likes. Then ease into the question: "What's hardest about school?" It doesn't matter if your child says the same thing that made you decide on evaluation. It can be anything that's challenging.

From there you can explain how the evaluation will help. You'll both get information about why certain things are hard for your child. You'll also get ideas on how to work through those challenges.

Explain the process. Point out that the evaluation isn't really a test. Instead, it's a series of activities. The truth is that some of them may even be fun.

Talk about the team. You can say, "The school has some great teachers whose job is to help the other teachers understand how they can teach you best. Those teachers work with a few other people at school, and you might get to see them, too."

Explain that one or more of those teachers may pull your child out of class for a little while. And say that it's OK with the regular teacher.

Middle-schoolers or high-schoolers

It's important to be open about concerns your child has about what might happen. Here are some things to talk about. Ask how your child feels about each, and if there are any questions.

The team - including you and the teachers - will get information to help understand why your child is struggling in school.

The school may provide support and services to make it easier for your child to learn. That could mean different kinds of instruction, changes to the schoolwork, or accommodations like extra time for tests.

You'll find out if your child should work with other teachers or specialists who are trained to help kids with specific types of challenges.

Some kids worry more about the social impact of getting evaluated than about what it means for schoolwork. Read about how to address concerns about getting labeled. You might also be interested in special education myths. Your child might be relieved to debunk some of these myths, too.

Watch as an expert shares more tips for talking to your child about being evaluated at any age.

Try to remember that the goal is to help your child feel comfortable about the evaluation. Make sure your child knows this isn't punishment for struggling in school. Instead, it's the best way for you and the teachers to provide support.

Key takeaways

Make sure your child knows that an evaluation isn't a "punishment," and that you don't have to study for it.

Explain that the goal is to find out how your child learns best.

The most important thing is to talk openly about the evaluation and to let your child express concerns.

About the author

About the author

Bob Cunningham, EdM has been part of Understood since its founding. He's also been the chief administrator for several independent schools and a school leader in general and special education.

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How to talk to your child about getting evaluated

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How can you prepare your child for an education evaluation? Find out what to say to kids about special education testing at different ages.

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Dyscalculia is a math learning disability that makes it hard to make sense of and work with numbers. Read about what dyscalculia means, symptoms, and how to help.

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National Center for Learning Disabilities courtesy of SWAU professor: Heather Archer Wilson

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National Center for Learning Disabilities

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National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)

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What is dyslexia? - Kelli Sandman-Hurley

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Dyslexia instruction needed? Make sure to get a parent signature.

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Dyslexia instruction needed? Make sure to get a parent signature.

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Parents must sign permission for students to receive modified instruction to address dyslexia or characteristics of dyslexia. Use the Pre-measurable Action Plan and/or the Measurable Action Plan.

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Use this PowerPoint created by Ana Luna to train your campus about dyslexia.

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Diagnostic Learning Services explains what are accommodations and modifications and when it is appropriate to use them.

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Intellectual Developmental Disorder: Classroom & Parent Tips

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Intellectual Developmental Disorder: Classroom & Parent Tips

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

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Intellectual Developmental Disorder | Classroom & Parent Tips

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Diagnostic Learning Services Evaluation Process

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Diagnostic Learning Services Evaluation Process

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

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Diagnostic Learning Services Evaluation Process

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

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Links are checked periodically to ensure that they are working. If you, however, discover that a link is not working, please inform education@nadadventist.org, so that the link can be removed and/or replaced. Thank you.

Special thanks to Versacare® for funding the REACH project

It is the purpose of Versacare, Inc "to serve humanity by engaging in activities that will further the kingdom of God and restore the 'Image of God' in man." We believe that this fidelity to the Gospel of Jesus urges us to emphasize human health and dignity and the search for knowledge.

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Mission Statement To foster an enriched ECE-12 system where learners of varying abilities thrive according to their unique strengths.

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Outline of Steps for the REACH process.

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Home Language Survey (English and Spanish) and ESL teaching Strategies

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Home Language Survey (English and Spanish) and ESL teaching Strategies

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

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 In-person Training: Learning Disabilities and ADHD

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 In-person Training: Learning Disabilities and ADHD

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Accommodating Learning Disabilities/ADHD in the Classroom

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Accommodating Learning Disabilities/ADHD in the Classroom

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Accommodating Learning Disabilities/ADHD in the Classroom

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

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Texas Conference of SDA Office of Education

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Bookshare: free audio books for students with dyslexia and teachers

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Bookshare: free audio books for students with dyslexia and teachers

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Hundreds of thousands of people with dyslexia, learning disabilities, visual impairments, physical disabilities, and other reading barriers have read millions of Bookshare books. It has empowered them to study for school, pursue careers, and read for fun. Why do so many people use Bookshare?

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What Is Dyslexia?

Common Warning Signs of Dyslexia in Children Pre-K-Grade to 2, 3 to 8, teens, college students and adults.

Testing for Dyslexia and Helpful Dyslexia Resources.

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What Is Auditory Processing Disorder?

Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a hearing problem that affects about 3%-5% of school-aged children.

Kids with this condition, also known as central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), can't understand what they hear in the same way other kids do. This is because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate. Something interferes with the way the brain recognizes and interprets sounds, especially speech.

With the right strategies, kids with APD can be successful in school and life. Early diagnosis is important. If the condition is not identified and managed early, a child is at risk for listening and learning problems at home and school.

Trouble Understanding Speech

Kids with APD are thought to sense sound normally because they usually can hear sounds that are delivered one at a time in a very quiet environment (such as a sound-treated room). The problem is that they usually don't easily recognize slight differences between sounds in words, even when the sounds are loud enough to be heard.

These kinds of problems usually happen in a poor listening situation - such as when there's background noise or in a reverberant room like an auditorium - which often is the case in social situations. Kids with APD can have trouble understanding what is being said to them when they're in noisier places like a classroom, playground, sports event, school cafeteria, or party.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder?

Symptoms of APD can range from mild to severe and can take many different forms. If you think your child might have a problem processing sounds, ask yourself:

Does my child often mishear sounds and words?

Are noisy environments overwhelming when my child is trying to listen?

Does my child's listening behaviors and performance improve in quieter settings?

Does my child have trouble following verbal directions, whether simple or complicated?

Does my child have trouble with spelling or phonics?

Are verbal (word) math problems hard for my child?

Are conversations hard for my child to follow?

APD is often misunderstood because many of its symptoms are similar to those found in other disorders. Also, APD symptoms can be hidden by other problems, like speech-language delays, learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression. Auditory memory deficits, auditory attention problems, and sound sensitivity are not symptoms of APD, but also may involve trouble with using sound information correctly. Seeing an audiologist, and other related specialists, can help parents understand these conditions.

What Causes Auditory Processing Disorder?

Often, the cause of a child's APD isn't known. Evidence suggests that children with head trauma, lead poisoning, seizure disorder, or chronic ear infections are more at risk. Sometimes, there can be more than one cause.

How Is Auditory Processing Disorder Diagnosed?

If you think your child is having trouble hearing or understanding when people talk, have an audiologist (hearing specialist) examine your child. Only audiologists can diagnose auditory processing disorder.

The most common way to diagnose APD is to use a specific group of listening tests. Audiologists often look for these main problem areas in kids with APD:

Auditory figure-ground: This is when a child has trouble understanding speech when there is speech babble or ambient noise in the background. Noisy, loosely structured or open-air classrooms can be very frustrating for a child with APD.

Auditory closure: This is when a child can't "fill in the gaps" of speech when it is more challenging. This can happen in a quieter situation but is more common when the speaker's voice is too fast or is muffled, making it hard for the child to make sense of the sounds and words.

Dichotic listening: This is when a child has trouble understanding competing, meaningful speech that happens at the same time. For example, if a teacher is talking on one side of the child and another student is talking on the other side, the child with APD cannot understand the speech of one or both of the speakers.

Temporal processing: This is the timing of a child's processing system, which helps them recognize differences in speech sounds (such as mat versus pat). It also helps them understand pitch and intonation (for example, asking a question instead of giving a command), understand riddles and humor, and make inferences.

Binaural interaction: This is the ability to know which side speech or sounds are coming from, and to localize sound in a room. Although less common, this problem happens in children with a history of brain trauma or seizure disorders.

Most traditional APD tests require a child to be at least 7 years old. So, many kids aren't diagnosed until first grade or later. Newer electrophysiology tests (which use noninvasive electrodes to check the body's response to speech) can give some early information about the central auditory system in kids younger than 7.

How Can Parents and Teachers Help?

The auditory system isn't fully developed until kids are about 14 years old. Many kids diagnosed with APD can develop better listening skills over time as their auditory system matures.

There's no known cure, but different strategies may help with listening and also improve the development of the auditory pathway over time, especially when started at younger ages. These include:

physical accommodations to improve the listening environment

individual therapies

help from other professionals to manage non-listening symptoms. For example, a child may benefit from:

One common physical accommodation is a remote microphone system, previously known as a frequency modulation (FM) system. This assistive listening device emphasizes a speaker's voice over background noise, making the voice clearer so a child can understand it. The person talking wears a tiny microphone transmitter, which sends a signal to a wireless receiver that the child wears on the ear or to a speaker box.

Other physical accommodations often focus on optimizing a kid's access to speech. Optimizing speech means reducing the interference of other things, like background babble, sound and sight distractions, and poor classroom acoustics. In a classroom, for example, the teacher might slow down their speech, speak clearly and deliberately (Think Mr. Rogers!), and seat the child where they can see and hear them better.

Some individualized therapies also may help kids improve the growth of their auditory pathway. These usually are recommended by the audiologist based on the results of a child's tests and concerns. Several computer-assisted programs are geared toward children with APD. They mainly help the brain do a better job of processing sounds in a noisy setting. Some schools offer these programs. If your child has APD, ask school officials about what's available.

Strategies used at home and school can ease some of the issues associated with APD.

At home, these strategies that can help your child:

Reduce background noise whenever possible.

Have your child look at you when you speak. This helps give your child visual clues to "fill in the gaps" of missing speech information.

Use strategies like "chunking," which means giving your child simple verbal directions with less words, a key word to remember, and fewer steps.

Speak at a slightly slower rate with a clear voice. Louder does not always help. (Again, think Mr. Rogers!)

Ask your child to repeat the directions back to you to ensure they understand.

For directions to be completed later, writing notes, keeping a chore chart or list, using calendars with visual symbols, and maintaining routines can help.

Many kids with APD find using close captions on TV and computer programs helpful.

Encourage kids to advocate for themselves. Telling adults when listening is hard for them can help. But shy kids might need to use agreed-upon visual cards or signals for coaches, parents, and teachers.

Most important, remind your child that there's nothing to be ashamed of. We all learn in different ways. Be patient. This is hard for your child and takes time. Your child wants to do well, and needs patience, love, and understanding while they work toward success.

Teachers and other school staff may not know a lot about APD and how it can affect learning. Sharing this information and talking about it can help build understanding about the disorder.

APD is not technically considered a learning disability, and kids with APD usually aren't put in special education programs. Depending a child's degree of difficulty in school, they may be eligible for an accommodation plan such as an individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 plan that would outline any special needs for the classroom. Accommodations for APD often fall under the disability category of "Other Health Impairment."

Other helpful adjustments are:

strategic (or preferential) seating so the child is closest to the main person speaking. This reduces sound and sight distractions and improves access to speech.

pre-teaching new or unfamiliar words

visual aids

recorded lessons for later review

computer-assisted programs designed for kids with APD

Stay in touch with the school team about your child's progress. One of the most important things that parents and teachers can do is acknowledge that the APD symptoms your child has are real. APD symptoms and behaviors are not something that a child can control. What your child can do, with the help of caring adults, is recognize the problems from APD and use the strategies recommended for home and school.

A positive, realistic attitude and healthy self-esteem in a child with APD can work wonders. Kids with APD can be as successful as their classmates. With patience, love, and support, they can do anything they work toward.

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how can i help my child with academic progress

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Kids with APD can't understand what they hear in the same way other kids do. That's because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate. But early diagnosis and a variety of strategies can help them.

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Use pages to identify accommodations/strategies being used to support students: https://reach.adventisteducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/REACH-Manual-2024_5th_edition.pdf