LDAO Launches Invest in Success Teachers' Guide to Learning
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VOLUME 35 NUMBER 1 SUMMER 2008 Communiqué, the publication of LDAO, is published twice yearly. Articles should be submitted to editor Carter Hammett communiqué ([email protected]) approximately six weeks before the THE PUBLICATION OF THE LEARNING DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO pulication date. Content deadline for the Fall/Winter Issue is September 15th 2008. Communiqué reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity, length and accuracy. Advertising rates available upon request. Subscription rate for non-LDAO CONTENTS members is $25.00 yearly. DEPARTMENTS Communiqué provides a forum for information, news and opinions relevant to the fi eld of learning disabilities. 3 Editor’s Notebook: The Styles of Learning The Association does not, in any sense, endorse opinions 4 Message From the Chair and CEO expressed or methods or programs mentioned. Articles may be reprinted unless otherwise stated. Please mention 4 LDAO & LD Happenings: New Teacher’s “LDAO Communiqué” and the article’s author if and Kit Released • Dr. Adam Cox kicks off LDAO Workshop Series when articles are reprinted. • Exciting New IEP Project for LDAO • JVS Learning Disability Centre replaces ALDER • Hotweb spotlights The Ontario Skills Passport 8 Public Policy Round Up: • Human Rights Reforms LDAO Board of Directors • New Members Added to Standards Development committees EXECUTIVE 9 Elsewhere: Bits and pieces of LD news from around the world Ms. Pam Howard, Chair, Guelph Mr. Peter Chaban, Past Chair, Toronto 10 Ask the Expert: Drs Allyson G. Harrison and Mr. Steve Lee, Treasurer, Toronto Alana Holmes introduce readers to Assessment Resource Centres DIRECTORS FEATURES Ms. Hellen Bogie, Kingston Dr. Glenn DiPasquale, Newmarket 12 A Different Way of Learning: Mr. Vinnie Greco, Sault Ste. Marie Dr. Mark Handley-Derry, Toronto Communiqué contributor Susan Joos serves up the lowdown on Ms. Marianne Hasold-Schilter, Toronto JUMP Math creator, playwright John Mighton in a special profi le • Entrepreneur Richard Danielli shares his recipe for running a suc- Ms. Susan Kennedy, Mississauga cessful business while conquering writing issues • Deana Collins offers Ms. Carol Lyons, Newmarket up the scoop on mnemonics as a tool of the LD trade • Bernadette Pace Mr. Jay Mandarino, Toronto shares her experiences and perspectives on something every parent of Ms. Voula Michaelidis, Toronto an LD child can relate to: social skills • Henri Audet muses on how the Mr. Don Pawlett, Thunder Bay Camp Kirk experience improves self esteem in kids Mr. Bruce Todd, Kingston Mr. Douglas Waxman, Toronto THE BACK PAGES LDAO Staff 22 Shelf Life: Richard Lavoie’s It’s So Much Work to Be Your Executive Director: Maggie Wygant Friend is reviewed Director of Services and Program Development: Kate Lloyd 23 LDA Chapter News and Views: The Fonz goes Director of Chapter and Member Services: to Essex, Wine and Vintages comes back to York Region and Karen Quinn everyone goes to Kingston’s country music festival Manager, Web Based Teaching Tool: 25 Thanks to Donors and Sponsors Cynthia Grundmann Coordinator of Public Policy and Client Services: 27 Provincial LD Contacts Diane Wagner Fund Development Consultant: Denise Harding Financial Consultant: Cynthia Zone Web Based Teaching Tool In-House Coordinator: Carolyn Gregoire Administrative Assistant: Laura Hoddinott 2 COMMUNIQUE EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK The Styles of Learning ne of the diffi culties I’ve always encountered with the term, “learning disabilities” is the implication Carter Hammett, Editor Othat people with LDs simply cannot learn. This is a total myth, of course, but how we learn is something through developing social skills or bolstering a sense of self es- else entirely. In recent years more attention has been given to the teem by mastering the rope climb at Camp Kirk, there are many concept of learning styles and multiple intelligences. Teachers ways of developing competencies shouldn’t be asking, “is this student intelligent?” but rather, “how One of these great success stories in recent years has been is this student intelligent?” the advancement of JUMP Math in schools across the country. Thankfully, we have been able to recognize the gifts that multiple Founder John Mighton took some time out of a busy schedule intelligences can offer. The learner who may not be “book smart” in order to be profi led by contributor Susan Joos. Entrepreneur is great with his hands, and just in time to realize that there’s a Richard Danielli struggled for years with written expression massive skills shortage within the Ontario trades. The learner only to learn from his mistakes and start anew with a successful with visual-spatial problems has developed awesome auditory network solutions company. His story is offered here. The rights skills on his way to becoming a successful broadcaster. of Ontario postsecondary students with LDs have advanced in re- cent years with the establishment of Assessment and Resource Much has been written about learning styles during the last Centres (ARC’s) in both Kingston and Sudbury—and with these, decade and the fi eld has opened realms of possibility in adult improved chances of academic success--and it’s a pleasure to learning too. For learners with LDs, styles of learning have also be able to spotlight their valuable role. These are just a few of the become a positive alternate to feelings of inadequacy and stupid- highlights of what we hope will be a well-received issue. ity. I always fi nd myself telling clients that there is no such thing as “stupidity”; something is only that way once you have made the Now, as summer approaches we hope you’re able to take some decision to label it thus, and the moment that’s happened you’ve time and refl ect on all the gifts the season brings, and celebrate created a judgment. A pity that judgment is so often applied the abundance of learning possibilities you have within you. against the self. This issue of Communiqué focuses on different ways of learning Carter Hammett, Editor and throughout we try to illuminate the ‘how’ as much as the ‘why’ of things. From a simple compensatory strategy like mnemonics, CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Henri Audet is Executive Director of Camp Kirk internationally, providing continuing education ties of Thunder Bay. She is the Chief Psycholo- • Oshawa-based writer Deana Collins is a on issues related to LD and ADHD. • Dr. Alana gist and Manager of the Northern Ontario and regular contributor to Communiqué • Dr. Allyson Holmes is a registered Psychologist trained in Assessment Resource Centre, in Sudbury G. Harrison received her Ph.D. in Psychology School Psychology (M.A., University of Toronto/ • Toronto-based Susan Joos is a former from Queen’s University, Kingston in 1992. She Ontario Institute for Studies in Education), teacher turned employment counsellor. is currently employed as the Clinical Director of and Clinical Psychology (Ph.D., Lakehead • Welland’s Bernadette Pace is a mother of the Regional Assessment & Resource Centre at University). She has provided service to school three exceptional children, who are a constant Queen’s University in Kingston. She also holds boards for students experiencing learning and source of inspiration in her life and her articles. an appointment as an Adjunct professor in the behavioural challenges and worked with an in- Apart from writing and working part-time as a department of Clinical Psychology at Queens. tegrated services team providing mental health Rehab Clerk for Speech Services, she is also Dr. Harrison has been active both nationally and services to the remote and outlying communi- working as a Certifi ed Parent Advocate, Specializing in Education. SUMMER 3 LDAO and LD NEWS MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Maggie Wygant Pam Howard On March 4th LDAO hosted a conference call with staff and As the provincial learning disabilities association, it is sometimes board representatives from all chapters. As the initial step of a diffi cult to manage the priorities of our many–pronged mission. more expansive and inclusive plan for chapter support and devel- And like many of our sister organizations, just staying afl oat opment (including quarterly conference calls), the conversation sometimes takes precedence over better intentions and higher was a productive start. It is encouraging and rewarding to have aspirations. While LDAO continued to evolve the Web-Based the input, expertise and success stories from across the province, Teaching Tool Program, with the Ministry of Education’s partner- which we believe will result in some very concrete outcomes: ship, through some very challenging times it is a welcome relief more widely adapted best practices for governance, fundraising, to be able to direct more attention and effort to all of our stake- marketing, advocacy and program development and delivery. holders and to develop professional synergies that will facilitate We would like to thank the staff and volunteers who devoted two more and better services for children, youth and adults with hours of their time to be involved and who will continue to do so. learning disabilities. In the same spirit of partnership LDAO, with assistance from the Maggie L. Wygant Pam Howard chapters, and their board of education contacts, has been able Executive Director Chair to work with four school boards to pilot its Teachers’ Package on Learning Disabilities. To date we have distributed about 6,000 packages and the feedback has been extremely positive from teachers. Also, with support from the Ministry of Education and working with several parent organizations, LDAO is developing an online Individual Education Plan (IEP) parent resource. We are particularly enthusiastic about working with other parent service organizations in this process. LDAO Launches Invest in Success Teachers’ Guide to Learning Disabilities his spring saw the rollout of the fi rst phase of a new LDAO Feedback from teachers initiative in seven of the GTA’s school boards.