Learning Disabilities and the Brain

Explicit content warning

06/20/20 • 14 min

In this episode, we get the chance to sit down with licensed psychologist Dr. Vincent Alfonso, and First Vice President of LDA Monica McHale-Small. Both discuss the definition of a learning disability and how it differs from learning difficulties, talk about the latest neurological research, and call for more federal funding for learning disability research.
For more resources from LDA, visit https://ldaamerica.org/

Previous Episode

How do I manage them, me and their learning disability?

"Whenever you’re dealing with a difficult situation or you’re trying to have a difficult conversation, when you spend a few moments really trying to see it from your child’s perspective and validate where they’re coming from, you change that whole tone of what that conversation is going to look like."

This week we talk about parenting strategies with John Wilson, the executive director of SOAR, a non-profit school, adventure camp, and gap year experience for youth with learning disabilities and ADHD.
John talks about practicing social interactions with kids at home, letting children have a say about their home schedules, and the importance of the first five minutes after you arrive home from work.
For more resources from LDA, visit ldaamerica.org

Next Episode

Learning to Self-Advocate

"There's no ceiling to what we can do."
Toby Baker’s educational experience was far from easy. She has self identified as having ADHD and a learning disability, and she frequently moved around to different schools throughout K-12.

When it came time to go to college, her teachers and advisors tried to dissuade her, but she went anyway. Now she talks to us about her dissertation about the perception and success of post-secondary students with LD, and the importance of self advocating to get the resources you need to succeed.

For more resources from LDA America, visit ldaamerica.org

The LDA Podcast - Learning Disabilities and the Brain

Transcript

Lauren 00:12

Welcome to our mini episode of the LDA podcast, a series dedicated to improving the lives and education of all learners. Today we sat down with Dr. Vincent Alfonso and Monica McHale-Small to talk about learning disabilities and the brain.

Kristina Scott 00:36

Hello, everyone, I'm here with Dr. Vincent Alfonso and Dr. Monica McHale-Small. Dr. Vincent Alfonso is an interim dean of the Graduate School of Psy