Recommended Books
The following are recommended books for parents and educators on learning disabilities, ADHD, and other issues. This list is by no means exhaustive, but is intended to provide you with a starting point for increasing your knowledge. The links are to Amazon.com where you can find more information about each book.
This list is organized alphabetically by title. You can also see this list organized by subject.
Making a Place for Kids With Disabilities
Dale Borman Fink, the author of the only book on inclusion of youth with special needs in after school child care, now presents the first book to examine the experiences of children with disabilities participating in youth programs alongside their typical peers. Using a case study technique, he probes into the issues and dynamics that influence the increasing participation of kids with disabilities in such activities as Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and park and recreation programs.
Many Ways To Learn: Young People's Guide to Learning Disabilities
With a positive, friendly approach, this guide defines learning disabilities, illustrates the different types, and explains where they come from, all the while providing reassurance without overwhelming the child. Many Ways to Learn describes the effects learning disabilities have on young people's behavior, performance, and emotions, and offers solid, proven suggestions for coping at home, in school, and with friends. It features a first-person account from a child with learning disabilities, a chapter on computers and an extensive resource list for parents. The message in Many Ways to Learn is that kids with learning disabilities have average or above-average intelligence; they just find it difficult to learn in a particular area or areas. With some help from school and family—and a little extra work on their part—they can do as well as anyone else.
Meet Me in the Middle: Becoming an Accomplished Middle-Level Teacher
The author lays out a clear vision of what responsive middle level teaching should be. This is a book for all reasons - help for the novice teacher, support for the mid-career teacher wanting to improve her craft, and inspiration and confirmation for the later-career teacher as well. Part I creates a culture of learning, leading to Part II and many specific ideas on promoting higher student achievement through innovative and accomplished practice. Part III cycles back to the middle school context - effective teams, teacher-student advisories, outdoor adventures, and working with parents.
Meeting the Challenge: Special Education Tools That Work for All Kids
This book is intended to serve as a freestanding reference for teachers whose classes include students with academic or behavioral difficulties. The recommended best practices were originally developed for students with disabilities but have been found to be effective with all students. Each chapter provides principles, suggestions and specific tools (such as sample check lists, rubrics, forms, word lists, observation guides, planning guides, and lesson plans).
Memory Foundations for Reading: Visual Mnemonics for Sound/Symbol Relationships
The visual mnemonic strategies introduced in Regina G. Richards' Memory Foundations for Reading are designed to help students transform a struggle with basic phonics into a successful learning experience. While some children learn sound/symbol relationships quickly and easily, others need more practice and there are some who struggle greatly. The visual mnemonic system presented in MFR can be modified and adapted for a variety of learning situations.
Negotiating the Special Education Maze
Negotiating the Special Education Maze is one of the best tools available to parents and teachers for developing an effective education program for their child or student. Every step is explained, from eligibility and evaluation to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and beyond. This edition covers changes in disability laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It reviews early intervention services for children from birth to age three, and for those who have young adults with special needs, it also covers transitioning out of school.
No Easy Answers: The Learning Disabled Child at Home and at School
This completely updated book contains new chapters on Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and on the public laws that guarantee an equal education for learning disabled children. There is also an entirely new section on learning disabled adults and the laws that protect them. Sally Smith, the parent of a learning disabled child herself, guides parents along every step of the way, from determining if their child is learning disabled to challenging the school system to provide special services. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of experience at her own nationally acclaimed school, she also offers valuable strategies to teachers who are anxious or discouraged as they struggle with learning disabled students. Although there are no easy answers, Sally Smith's experience, wealth of information, and sense of humor provide essential support.
Nonverbal Learning Disabilities at Home: A Parent's Guide
Do you know a child who is bright, charming and articulate, but has no friends? A child who showed early signs of intelligence, but is now floundering, academically and emotionally? Children with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NLD) are an enigma. They're children with extraordinary gifts and heartbreaking challenges that go far beyond the classroom. Nonverbal Learning Disabilities at Home explores the variety of daily life problems children with NLD may face, and provides practical strategies for parents to help them cope and grow, from preschool age through their challenging adolescent years. The author, herself the parent of a child with NLD, provides solutions to the everyday challenges of the disorder, from early warning signs and self-care issues to social skills and personal safety. User-friendly and highly practical, this book is an essential guide for parents in understanding and living with NLD, and professionals working with these very special children.
On Their Own
On Their Own is an invaluable road map to ease these parents' fears and answer their questions, especially the one that haunts them daily: Will or can their child be on their own, and how? In a candid, sympathetic style, laced with real-life stories. Topics include: social skills and dating, staying healthy, sibling relationships, interaction with employers and co-workers, job hunting, finding the right college or trade school, and estate planning. It also includes a comprehensive resource guide and exclusive interviews with prominent professionals who have surmounted their learning disabilities: CEO's Sir Richard Branson, John Chambers, David Neeleman, and Charles Schwab, and former governor Gaston Caperton.
Overcoming Underachieving: An Action Guide to Helping Your Child Succeed in School
In Overcoming Underachieving two nationally recognized experts in children's school problems show you how to become your child's advocate, coach, and guide through the educational process. Using numerous case examples, they help you pinpoint your child's unique learning patterns and the problems that interfere with learning, behavior, and achievement. This information-packed book provides dozens of creative, parent-tested tools to help your child overcome difficulties with reading, math, handwriting, study skills, memorization, attention span, and many other problems that affect school success.
Proceeds from the sale of books purchased from our recommended books section can help support LD OnLine.