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LIFE SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES: A TEACHER GUIDE

UNDERSTANDING SUCCESS ATTRIBUTES

According to the research, the success attributes have shown a greater influence on life success than academic achievement, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and even IQ. It is important to emphasize that not every "successful" individual possessed each of these attributes, and some attributes may be present to a greater or lesser degree. Similarly, unsuccessful persons may have had some of these attributes, again to a greater or lesser extent. Still, research has statistically confirmed that successful persons are much more likely to have these attributes, and that their presence increases the chances for positive life outcomes.

Although development of the success attributes does not guarantee success, any opportunity a teacher has to foster these attributes is a step towards helping their students reach their optimal potential and lead happy, satisfying, and rewarding lives.

The success attributes defined:

Self-Awareness: (1) recognition of one's strengths, weaknesses, special talents, and passions; (2) acceptance of the learning disability; (3) ability to compartmentalize the learning disability - see it as only one aspect of oneself.

Pro-activity: (1) being actively engaged in world; (2) belief in power to control own destiny; (3) ability to make and act upon decisions and take responsibility for outcomes (4) willingness to consult with others; (5) flexibility in considering options.

Perseverance: (1) persistence in pursuing goals despite adversity; (2) ability to modify goals; (3) ability to learn from hardships; (4) recognition of the value of adversity.

Goal-Setting: (1) ability to set specific, yet flexible goals in a number of domains; (2) development of strategies and understanding of the step-by-step process necessary to reach goals; (3) setting goals that are realistic and attainable.

Presence and use of effective support systems: (1) presence of clear and realistic expectations; (2) willingness to actively seek the support of others.

Emotional coping strategies: (1) development of effective means of reducing and coping with the stress, frustration, and emotional aspects of learning disabilities; (2) maintenance of a positive and hopeful outlook.

Emotional Coping Strategies

All people with learning disabilities experience stress in their lives as a result of living with learning problems. Such stress can be experienced in a variety of settings -- school, work, home, and social life. In some cases, the stress can be so significant that it leads to psychological difficulties such as anxiety or depression. One highly successful adult described her experience during the elementary school years:

"In childhood, I think that the critical events of my life had a lot to do with my learning disability. I carried a lot of stress about that. It was an impact because it was always there. I felt like a normal child, but it was always there. So every day of your life you have to sit down and do your homework and there was 'didn't you listen in school? Don't you have an example? Didn't the teacher tell you how to do it? . . .' and then there would be tears because you can't take it from school to home in your mind. There's tears and there's family conversation and there's tension."

Although all persons with learning disabilities may experience disability-related stress, successful individuals appear to have developed effective means of reducing and coping with stress, frustration, and the emotional aspects of their learning disabilities. In particular, there appear to be three components of successful emotional coping:

• Awareness of the situations that trigger stress
• Recognition of developing stress
• Availability/access to and use of coping strategies

For example, a successful adult with learning disabilities in our study manages her anxiety attacks by recognizing that (a) reading aloud in a group triggers anxiety, (b) physical symptoms such as rapid breathing are signs of stress, and (c) slow deep breathing reduces her anxiety.

Successful individuals have developed strategies for reducing stress and avoiding resulting psychological difficulties. Such strategies include seeking counseling, asking others to do unmanageable tasks on the job, changing activities periodically so stress does not build up, expressing feelings, asserting oneself, utilizing peer support and encouragement, learning to ask for help, planning ahead for difficult situations, staying away from negative or critical persons, obtaining medication if necessary, working out differences with friends and family, and sharing feelings and experiences with sympathetic family members.

Whereas recognizing triggers and using coping strategies helps successful individuals with learning disabilities cope, unsuccessful persons with learning disabilities report being blindsided by events that cause stress. When overly stressed or emotionally wrought, they have great difficulty thinking of potential resources -- both internal and external -- to help them reduce stress and regain stability.

For more detail on other attributes please see the reference given directly below. There is also a guide for parents on fostering these attributes in children.

Source:

Life Success for Students with Disabilities is a project of The Frostig Center, a non-profit organization that specializes in working with children who have learning disabilities. Founded in 1951 by Marianne Frostig, a pioneer in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of learning disabilities, the Center is dedicated to a three-part mission of: conducting research on learning disabilities, providing professional training and consultation to the community, and offering direct instructional services to children with learning disabilities through the Frostig School and other community services.

http://www.ldsuccess.org/index.html

 

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From NIMH: Neurobiological Brain Disorders (NBD) Are Chronic Diseases of the Young

The results of a landmark study were published in the June 6, 2005 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. The study, led by Ronald Kessler, PhD is called the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R) and was a joint project among Harvard University, the University of Michigan, and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Intramural Research. The study did not include those who are homeless or institutionalized so the findings may most likely be underestimated. The study also did not include schizophrenia or autism.

What researchers found is that mental illness (neurobiological brain disorders) begins very early in life. Half of all lifetime cases begin by age 14; three-fourths begin by age 24. From Thomas Insel, MD, Director of NIMH, "There are many important messages from this study, but perhaps none as important as the recognition that mental disorders are the chronic disorders of young people in the US."

The average age of onset for anxiety disorders and impulse-control disorders is eleven years old. Mood disorders and substance abuse generally start later, the study reports. Striking early in one's life, these disorders have a profound effect on one's ability to achieve certain milestones in life, like graduating from high school or college, experiencing successful personal relationships, and finding a career.

The study also found that mental illnesses are quite common in the US. Twenty-six percent of the population reported they had symptoms sufficient for diagnosis during a twelve month period. Many of these cases are mild or will not require treatment. Another significant finding is there are long delays between the onset of NBD and beginning treatment with the median delay being nearly ten years. The earlier treatment can begin, the better. Lack of treatment of these psychiatric disorders results in more frequent and more severe episodes. Untreated disorders can lead to school failure, teenage pregnancy, unstable employment, and trouble with the justice system.

A second paper reports that even though these disorders are widespread throughout the population, the main burden is concentrated in those who are severely affected, about six percent of the population. This group reports a "substantial limitation in daily activities or work disability, or suicide attempt or psychosis, for an average of 88.3 days per year. Another significant finding is that those with one mental disorder are at high risk of developing a second disorder (comorbidity). Nearly half (45%) with one disorder met the criteria for two or more disorders. What researchers believe is that the symptoms between some of these conditions overlap.

Not surprisingly, the US mental health system is not keeping up with the needs of the population. Only forty percent of those with NBD received treatment during a twelve-month period. That means sixty percent who needed services did not access them. The mental health system needs to improve initial access to care and enhance the quality and duration of treatment.

Source:

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News June 7, 2005 Vol. 05-86

 

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How to Be a Good Listener

Being an effective listener is an art we can all learn. The rewards are many once we become good listeners. We can experience happier relationships, better communication at home and work, and lead calmer, less stressful lives. Here are five tips on becoming a better listener:

• Anyone can learn to be a good listener. Listening is not about being rich, well-educated, or popular, although being a good listener can increase one's popularity. Children are often the best listeners because they have the ability to stop what they are doing and focus on what is being said. And yes, men and women alike can learn to be more effective listeners.
• Listening is active. We often think of listening as a passive activity but real listening requires actively paying attention to what is being said, and not just to words, but also to body language. We also can respond without a lot of words by using our facial expressions and exclamations ("I see").
• Listening means we need to turn off our own thoughts. It means ignoring the urge to offer advice or solutions or our own stories. People want to be heard and understood. This is not the time to be putting together our reply. Just listen. (This is also when we need to be "listening between the lines" as people often need to talk for awhile before they truly can identify what they want to get across.)
• Listening means no defenses. When we hear something we do not want to hear, we often lose our focus. We want to respond quickly and defend ourselves. Perhaps we believe the person talking has his story all wrong. That is not what is important at this time. It's not about right or wrong. We just need to listen. The story belongs to the person who is speaking.
• Listening is unselfish. To truly listen takes time. We might have to ignore distractions. That is not always easy, but it is well worth it to be a good listener. As Michael Nichols, author of "The Lost Art of Listening: How Learning to Listen Can Improve Relationships," says, "Listening isn't a need we have; it's a gift we give."

Source:

Thriving: A Journal of Well-Being from Family Solutions, Fall 2005