This question was received during the LD@school webinar, At the Heart of the Matter: Creating Classrooms and Schools that Support Well-being; click here to view the webinar recording. Answered by Dr. Sue Ball, Chief Psychologist, York Region District School Board Resiliency is a key skill for everyone, not just for students with learning disabilities (LDs). The ability [...]
Click here to access the transcript of this webinar. Presented by: Dr. Sue Ball, ABSNP, C. Psych., Chief Psychologist, York Region DSB Presented by: Dr. Sue Ball, ABSNP, C. Psych., Chief Psychologist, York Region DSB About the Webinar: What we do matters. Research shows us that when we focus on mattering and belonging, we improve academics, [...]
According to the discussion document, Ontario’s Well-Being Strategy for Education (2016), “well-being is a positive sense of self, spirit and belonging that we feel when our cognitive, emotional, social and physical needs are being met” (p. 3). Well-being is fundamental to overall student success.
This module is intended to provide a broad understanding of the relationship between learning disabilities (LDs) and mental health. Mental health will be described on a continuum, and we will explore some of the challenges that students with LDs may experience at various points along the continuum, as well as strategies that...
This online module is intended to provide an introduction to literacy, numeracy, executive function, and social and emotional development as well as an introductory overview of Ministry documents such as PPM8 and Learning for All, as they relate to students with learning disabilities.
This article is an excerpt from the LD@school learning module Supporting the Well-Being and Mental Health of Students with Learning Disabilities. Click here to access this module. Everyone experiences stress from time to time. It is a natural reaction to certain events in our lives, such as demands at work or at school, uncertainty around [...]
Students with learning disabilities (LDs) are more likely to experience anxiety than their peers without LDs (Nelson & Harwood, 2010). However, the presence of a learning disability may complicate the identification of an anxiety disorder. In addition, intervention approaches and classroom strategies need to take into account both the LD profile and the anxiety symptoms. In this advanced level webinar, we will review subtypes of anxiety disorders to understand what they may look like in a school setting. We will share practical strategies for supporting the student with LDs and anxiety, reflecting challenging issues such as school refusal, selective mutism, social anxiety, and obsessive- compulsive disorder, for example.
Social competence requires more than just social skills; it is a complex and interconnected set of skills that enables us to navigate social interactions and initiate and maintain relationships with others.
For educators, setting the stage for a successful school year begins with practicing and applying a growth mindset in your daily approach. Students with learning disabilities (LDs) can struggle with negative self-image, poor self-esteem and a lack of resilience; these students may have a “fixed mindset”. A growth mindset has been shown to increase positive learning outcomes for students with LDs, and educators can impact their students’ well-being and achievement by modelling a growth mindset for learning. This webinar will provide educators with an understanding of the relationship between growth mindset and achievement, as well as resources and strategies for supporting students with LDs.
Having LDs may complicate the picture of anxiety, and may make it tricky for educators to recognize overlapping behaviors. For example, students who appear restless, distracted and who have difficulty concentrating may have a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as a learning disability or attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). But students may also be distracted by internal thoughts and worries, reflecting anxiety.
