October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
Every October, the Learning Disabilities Associations of Ontario and LD@school celebrate Learning Disability (LD) Awareness month. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and reduce stigma to allow individuals with LDs to get the supports they need to reach their potential.
LDs are very common and affect approximately 10% of Canadians, which means that 1 in 10 students in your classroom may have learning disabilities.
The greatest hurdle a person with an LD has to overcome is often the stigma and public perception; labelled lazy, stupid or incompetent, they begin to hide their disability and instead struggle in silence. Yet with their strengths, some simple support can see them excel in their chosen field. Our hope is to see Ontario as a leader in destroying the barriers stigma creates.
How can you get involved in Learning Disabilities Awareness Month?
Every student, parent, and educator, whether they have a learning disability or not, should understand that an LD does not mean a student is unable to learn, but rather, that they learn in a different way.
Know the basics about LDs
Share the following video with your students, their parents, and your colleagues to ensure that everyone has a basic understanding of what learning disabilities are and how they affect the ways in which students learn.
Click here to access the transcript for this video.
Download our Educator Toolkit to use in your classroom
The LD@school team has also developed a toolkit for educators to use during Learning Disabilities Awareness Month (#LDmonth) to help spread awareness in your school and classroom. You may choose to use one or all of the resources, share them with your colleagues, students, parents, or your community.
Click here to download a PDF version of the Educators’ Toolkit.
Looking for resources to share with parents? Visit LD@home
Want information on LDs, ADHD, online workshops, public policy and events? Visit LDAO.ca
Need French Language resources? Visit TA@l'école