Maximizing Learning Strengths: Practical Approaches to Learning Difference and Disabilities
California Library Literacy Services – Webcast
September 23, 2004 – 10 am – noon
This virtual workshop is provided by ALL Online, an LSTA-funded project, in response to the training needs identified in a recent survey of California public library literacy staff.
Maximizing Learning Strengths:
Practical Approaches to Learning Differences and Disabilities
In recent years the need to distinguish between learning differences and learning disabilities in adult literacy instruction has become one of the most challenging and confounding issues for the field to address. The topic of LD in adulthood is complex and multifaceted, and recent efforts by literacy organizations to develop training programs and instructional materials to address the issue have generated more confusion than clarity and led to a tendency for some to label students who struggle to read as learning disabled. In subtle ways, this has the potential to shift our philosophical perspective from one of focusing on strengths to correcting deficits.
Because our adult literacy programs rely primarily on volunteers for instruction, the topic can be even more complicated:
- What exactly are learning disabilities and how many of our students have them?
- Is there a difference between reading difficulties, learning differences, and learning disabilities? How does all this translate in terms of assessment, screening and instructional approaches?
- Do we need specialized materials and training for our tutors? If so, what works?
- What can volunteers be expected to do, and what services are programs required to provide under ADA (the American Disabilities Act)?
In order to answer these questions, an LD Task Force of 25 CLLS literacy staff from throughout California came together in 1999 and 2001 to identify and analyze the issues and develop the LD Resource Guide. While the guide was distributed to each CLLS program in the fall of 2002, our recent online survey found that few staff have had the time to dive in and check out the contents.
This webcast will provide adult literacy staff with:
- A deeper understanding of the distinctions between reading difficulties and learning disabilities
- Some practical approaches to working with the most common barriers to reading and writing development
- Strategies that staff and tutors can use to help identify and work with their students’ strengths and intelligences.
About the Trainers:
- Leslie Shelton
Leslie Shelton, Ph.D. served from 1999to 2001as the facilitatorof the Statewide LD Task Forceof CLLS programs, whichmettoexplore the issue of learning disabilities and learning diffenences in adult literacy instruction and recommend common policies and approaches. Sheis the primary author and editor of the LD Resource Guide,which was created under the direction and inputfrom the Task Force members. Leslie served as the founding Director of Project Read in the South San Francisco Public Library for fourteen years.
- Holly Fulghum-Nutters
Holly has been on staff at Project Read for 12 years and has worked with Leslie Shelton on developing Honoring Diversity, tutor training material that highlights practical applications of the theory of multiple intelligence.
Slides and Handouts:
- Speaker's PowerPoint Presentation (PowerPoint document)
- Speaker's PowerPoint Presentation (alternate PDF with room for notes)
- "I CAN" Activity (Word document)
- Quick Reference Guide (Word document)
- Red Flags (Excel spreadsheet)
Technical Requirements for Watching a Webcast
- Internet connection (ideally DSL, cable, T1, or above)
- Sound card
- Speakers or headphones
- RealPlayer (available free at http://www.real.com/freeplayer/)
- Current MSIE or Netscape browser
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If you have questions about how to use the webcast technology, please contact Dan Theobald at 415-431-0329 or dtheobald@i2icom.com.