Disabilities Awareness

Word art including learning disabilities, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Emotional Support, Speech and Language, Resources

 

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebrates the contributions of America's workers with disabilities, past and present, and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices that benefit employers and employees. The 2023 NDEAM is "Advancing Access and Equity" to honor the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Disability Pride Month, which is in March, is dedicated to celebrating people with disabilities, increasing visibility, and fighting ableism. This recognition provides an opportunity to honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. 

During the month of October, we highlight the various disability categories to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the students with whom we work. 

Executive Functioning


"The executive functions are a set of processes that have to do with managing oneself and one's resources in order to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for the neurologically-based skills involving mental control and self-regulation."- Joyce Cooper-Kahn, PhD. (2008)

Scientists believe that Executive Functioning lies in the prefrontal cortex of your brain. Many people find it helpful to think of Executive Functioning as the aircraft controller or the orchestra conductor for your brain and body. Executive Functioning keeps you in control of:

  • Scheduling
  • Goal Setting
  • Organizing
  • Focusing
  • Prioritizing
  • Sticking with it when it gets touch (persistence)
  • Impulsiveness
Symptoms of Executive Functioning impairment may include:

Inability to regulate attention, distractibility, carelessness, forgetfulness, difficulty completing tasks, poor time management and perception, lack of organization, procrastination, difficulty following conversations, hyperactive behavior (such as excessive talking and restlessness), impulsive behavior (such as blurting and interrupting), and short-term memory loss.

Did you Know?


1. There are several primary types of executive functions. These functions each play their own important role, but also work in conjunction with one another to monitor and facilitate goal-directed behaviors. The basic areas of executive function are:
  • Attentional control: This involves an individual's ability to focus attention and concentrate on something specific in the environment. 
  • Cognitive flexibility: Sometimes referred to as mental flexibility this refers to the ability to switch from one mental task to another or to think about multiple things at the same time. 
  • Cognitive inhibition: This involves the ability to tune out irrelevant information.
  • Inhibitory control: This involves the ability to inhibit impulses or desires in order to engage in more appropriate or beneficial behaviors. 
  • Working memory: Working memory is a "temporary storage system" in the brain that holds several facts or thoughts in mind while solving a problem or performing a task. 
2. Some researchers believe that executive functioning skills play a more important role in student success than IQ.
3. Participation in activities such as sports, theater, and music strengthen executive functioning skills.
4. The frontal lobe of the brain, which manages high level executive functioning skills, does not fully mature until we are in our mid to late-twenties.
5. Although children cannot grow out of executive functioning challenges, they can learn strategies that help a child's brain learn ways to work around weaknesses in areas of planning, time management, and organization.

Resources for Educators



Resources for Families



General Information about Disabilities

Resources for Teachers and Families 



Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia

Resources for Teachers and Families



ADD/ADHD

Resources for Teachers and Families


General Information

ADD (attention deficit disorder) is the term commonly used to describe a neurological condition with symptoms of inattention, distractibility, and poor working memory. 

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a medial condition. A person with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control. ADHD can affect a child at school, at home, and in friendships.

Emotional Support   


Emotional disturbance means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance:


  • an inability to learn that cannot be explained by il, sensory, or health factors.
  • An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.
  • Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.
  • A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.
  • A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. 

 

Resources for Teachers and Families



Speech and Language


Speech or language impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Resources for Teachers and Families



If you feel your child may have a learning disability or need extra learning supports, please contact the Special Education Supervisor of your child's school.