Break Out Session Descriptions
Learning Disabilities - A Family Affair (Dr. Colin King & Child and Youth Development Clinic student clinicians)
Learning disabilities have an impact not only on the child and youth, but the entire family. In this facilitated discussion, learn about common questions, concerns, and worries that are experienced by many families and caregivers in the process of caring, supporting, and advocating for a student with learning differences. Learn about perspectives, strategies, and resources that can support the entire family.
Advocacy Q &A (Lynne Hart)
What is necessary for a student with a learning disability to be successful in school? Students from elementary, high school and post-secondary will speak about the importance of self-advocacy and understanding their learning profile.
“Educating the Mind, without Educating the Heart is No Education At All”-( Deborah Shore Reid, Paul Cook LDALR)
Why SEL – because it works! This session will discuss the importance of acquiring universal social emotional skills in elementary, secondary, post-secondary and beyond. Included will be a discussion on research based evidence and best practices. How social emotional skills are taught, practiced and honed just like math and reading skills. The goal of including social emotional learning is to create an environment where all students are engaged and active learners who are self-aware, caring, respectful, connected to others, responsible decision makers and academic achievers.
Managing Homework and Study Skills (Mandy Gobatto)
Resiliency (John Noftle and Michelle Wesley)
Universal Design For Learning: Practical Implications For The Classroom (Jordan Bell, Karen Rowland, Jennifer Cann, Heather Brunet TVDSB)
Beyond Social skills: Understanding and Supporting Social Competence In Students with Learning Disabilities (Jennifer Gould, Shawna Thuss, Lynne Hart TVDSB)
We will share practical strategies and tips for promoting social competencies for students with LDs. Maintaining a topic of conversation, asking for help, resolving social conflicts, self-regulating, figuring out the hidden rules in a social situation, taking another’s perspective, and interpreting abstract language are just a few examples of the social competencies our students are expected to do all day, every day. Knowing that 75% of students with learning disabilities (LDs) struggle with social competence (Milligan et al., 2015) this session will focus on furthering our understanding of the interconnected set of skills required to navigate social interactions and drive academic success. Classroom strategies designed to improve social competencies in all students that can be incorporated into existing classroom instruction will be shared alongside some small group and in-the-moment teaching strategies. Connections between social competencies and curriculum expectations will be highlighted as well as potential IEP goals that reflect a student’s learning strengths and needs.
Understanding the Gifted/LD Student (Judy Hubert, Karen Murray TVDSB/
Read and Write for Google (Tim Willick, Chad Downs)
Understanding and Developing IEPS for the Student with a Learning Disability (Julie Savard, Lynn-Marie Pearce)
App Smashing-Sam Goving (Amethyst: Assistive Technology Advisor)
Learning Disabilities in the Math Classroom (Amethyst)
Transitions (Fanshawe, Western)