Unlocking Potential: College and Other Choices for People With LD and ADHD

Meet Eddie Minetti, human whirlwind and third-grader. He thinks, moves, and speaks quickly and it often gets him into trouble. One day at school, Eddie arrives late because he forgot his lunch, misses part of his spelling test, is accused of cheating, knocks over things, and loses the classroom’s pet rat and that’s only part of the morning! His exasperated teacher, Mrs. Pinck, says, “I’ve had enough, Eddie, enough!” That’s all it takes, and soon the entire class is taunting Eddie with his new nickname, Eddie Enough.

Parents of teens with learning disabilities face a wide range of questions and concerns regarding the education of their children. Periods of transition, particularly the movement through high school to the working world or to further education, can be particularly difficult to navigate. Guiding Teens with Learning Disabilities helps parents as their children shift from teenage life to adulthood. It includes sections on planning for transition, post-secondary education, vocational training, career preparation, and life in the community.

Life is good for Jenna Bianchi. She’s just started her second year of teaching English at Morrison High School, a job she loves. She has a pet parrot with attitude. And there’s a handsome math teacher who wants to be more than just friends. But everything changes when a defiant, disruptive tenth grader walks into her classroom.

With a smart mouth and a swagger to match, Michael Tayler is a problem for Jenna from the very first day. His school record screams troublemaker, and Jenna wonders if the new year is already doomed. But when she reads Michael’s first poetry assignment, she recognizes it for what it truly is: a cry for help.

Michael’s presence sets into motion a chain of events that turns Jenna’s perfect life upside-down and threatens to destroy her career. Faced with a challenge unlike anything she’s ever known, Jenna commits to doing what no one has done for Michael Tayler before.

A treasured resource, this book empowers parents by arming them with the knowledge, expert guidance, and confidence they need to ensure that their child with ADHD receives the best care possible. Dr. Barkley explains what the latest research reveals about the nature of ADHD, its causes, and the most effective treatment strategies.

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.

Socially ADDept helps parents teach the hidden rules of communication to children who are having social problems. The manual is in a workbook format and guides parents through each topic through a series of exercises and suggested dialogue. Some of the topics covered are how to handle teasing, use appropriate body language, comprehend jokes and sarcasm, and join groups effectively. Socially ADDept is easy to read and use.