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Taking Action
The most important thing you must determine is the source of your child's learning problem. Time is of the essence—if your child does, in fact, have a learning disability, "wait and see" almost always means "wait and fail." If you act early, you will gain the peace of mind that comes with knowing what is causing your child's learning difficulties. You also will be helping to ensure that she overcomes her struggles and enjoys success in school.
In addition to working with your child’s teacher, here are additional steps you should take:
Collect information on your child's performance.
Keep notes, copies of your child's assignments, and any correspondence from
his school regarding his performance in a folder so that you can document
any patterns. At the same time, it is also important to observe your child's
strengths and interests, encouraging and rewarding him for the things he
does well.
Monitor your child’s progress.
Watch your child’s progress to be sure that your child’s needs
are being met. Keep your child’s education folder up to date, adding
new samples of schoolwork and test results. If your child is not making progress,
discuss your observations with school personnel and work together to make changes.
You may need to ask for a comprehensive educational evaluation to determine
if your child may be eligible for special education services.
Learn as much as you can.
The more you understand about the way your child learns and the help that's
available, the better equipped you will be to help her succeed. If it turns
out that she does have a learning disability, you also need to be aware of
your rights and protections under the law.
Join with others who care.
By joining with other parents and professionals you can increase awareness
of the issue, dispel popular misconceptions, help establish educational systems
that provide for the needs of children with learning disabilities, and get
support for yourself. Locate the LDA Chapter near you today!
Enjoy your child and encourage an interest in learning.
You can encourage your child's interests outside the classroom and create a
home environment that supports the way she learns. Rather than focusing solely
on your child’s deficiencies, emphasize and reward your child’s
strengths.
Visit our For Parents area for additional information on how to help your child and help yourself!
Learning Disabilities Association of America
4156 Library Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15234-1349
Phone (412) 341-1515 Fax (412) 344-0224
www.LDAAmerica.org
© 2004 LDA of America