What is neurodiversity?  Who is really normal?  How do we address the strengths of those who’ve been labeled with ADHD, dyslexia or other ”disabilities”?  These questions get addressed in a new Canadian Broadcasting Company Radio One program.  Entitled: ”The Myth of Normal,” it aired  Part 1 on April 29, 2022 and Part 2 on May...Read More

Six-year-old Timothy likes to stand up and walk around while eating his dinner.  He plays basketball or hockey while watching TV.  When reading with his mother, he moves the book up and down, swings his legs back and forth, and makes it hard for her to focus on the words that they’re reading together. Nine-year-old Caleb...Read More

First, my complaint:  I don’t like the direction that reading instruction has taken in this country, moving as it has toward lock-step teaching of phonemic awareness, incessant teaching of reading comprehension ”skills” (e.g. finding the main idea, making inferences etc.), and ”close reading” strategies (where the child is restricted to just what is in the...Read More

One of the most interesting ”learning styles” that I’ve encountered over the course of my teaching is the highly-spatial ”at risk” thinker (I’ll call them “Imagers”).   These kids are often ”at risk” for being diagnosed with learning disabilities, dyslexia, and even ADHD.  However, for the most part, they simply think in a way that is...Read More

Homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult enough for many parents, but some have the additional responsibility of helping their ADHD-diagnosed kids with schoolwork.  Here are some tips to help you along: Let Your Child Fidget.  Researchers now say that fidgeting actually helps ADHD-identified kids focus better.  One resource that can help with this (so...Read More