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“The reality of Learning Different (LD) Children:

How to promote their social, psychological & academic development through Psychological

Counseling & Academic Support

Gina ThanopoulouGina Thanopoulou, Ph.D. cand, Ed. M.,M. A,. , Ph.D. cand, Ed. M.,M. A,.

Harvard University ,Harvard University ,

Counseling Educational Psychologist Counseling Educational Psychologist

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The Profile of an LD/ ADHD Child (A)

A child that has a A child that has a neurological differenceneurological difference or or a difference in brain organizationa difference in brain organization

A child that A child that an an average or even high IQaverage or even high IQ

A child that has difficulties A child that has difficulties in in understanding,understanding, decodingdecoding, , concentrating, controlling concentrating, controlling impulses, organizing his space & time, impulses, organizing his space & time, following instructionsfollowing instructions & & is is easily distractedeasily distracted by external stimuliby external stimuli

A child that has a A child that has a hard time hard time acquiring, acquiring, retaining & retrieving information,retaining & retrieving information, & & has has difficulty in memorizationdifficulty in memorization

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The Profile of an LD/ ADHD Child (B)

A A child that is often child that is often misunderstood, misplaced, misunderstood, misplaced, misjudged & mislabeledmisjudged & mislabeled as ‘disabled’, ‘lazy’, as ‘disabled’, ‘lazy’, ‘bored’, ‘indifferent’‘bored’, ‘indifferent’

A child that has a A child that has a weak academic profileweak academic profile, , poor poor social adjustmentsocial adjustment & often develops & often develops psychological psychological problemsproblems, such as low self esteem, lack of self , such as low self esteem, lack of self confidence & social inabilityconfidence & social inability

A child that is very often A child that is very often academically, emotionally academically, emotionally & socially ‘abandoned’ , even ‘abused’& socially ‘abandoned’ , even ‘abused’

A child that needs A child that needs our our psychological & academic psychological & academic SUPPORTSUPPORT in order to face his differences, discover in order to face his differences, discover his unique abilities, & develop his unique abilities, & develop his his TRUE SELFTRUE SELF

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The Psychological and Academic profile of the LD Students

DepressionIsolationIndifference, withdrawalSadness, loneliness, low self esteemNeed to escape from realityNeed to create “own world”

Aggressive, violent behaviorAnger, negativityJuvenile delinquency

Low Academic Achievement & Antisocial Behavior

The MaskAn angry, aggressive

“impossible” child

External Characteristics (age & grade appropriate)Difficulty in the “traditional” way of learning Difficulty in perceiving, decoding, processing & storing infoDifficulty in understanding & following instructionsDifficulty in sustaining attention, hyperactivity & impulsivity (ADHD)Exhibits antisocial behavior, academic failure and lack of balance

SymptomsLD Students

Internal Characteristics (age & grade appropriate)Low self esteem, confused self imageRejection of self and lack of faith in abilitiesStigma of being different and inferiority feelingsDeep inner pain and disappointmentDeep internal confusion and anger

The RealityA lonely, confused,

discouraged, disappointed, sad child

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The Vicious Cycle of an LD Student

SymptomsDifferent way of learning & understandingDifferent way of decoding & processingDifferent way of storing & reproducing infoDifficulty in concentration & hyperactivity

EtiologyLearning Differences

(Difficulties, Disabilities)

Cognitive Academic EffectsLow academic achievementAcademic, personal differences

Psychological & Social EffectsStigma of being different- ‘BULLY’/ ‘SHY’Social rejection from self and othersInferiority feelings and low self esteem

BehaviorsAntisocial behavior (depression or aggression)Need to follow alternative (-)ve solutionsNeed acceptance & recognitionJuvenile delinquency

More social and psychological problems

More academic problems and gaps

DEAD END Repetition of the same

vicious circle

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BULLYING LD CHILDRENBULLYING LD CHILDREN LD children are bullied LD children are bullied regularly, regularly,

viciously and far more oftenviciously and far more often than non LD than non LD children. children.

An LD child’s chance of being bullied An LD child’s chance of being bullied is is greater, if his disability is more visiblegreater, if his disability is more visible..

A learning difference is not visible itself A learning difference is not visible itself but but its associated elementsits associated elements are definitely are definitely evidentevident and, therefore, and, therefore, inviting to a bullyinviting to a bully..

LD children LD children are as likely to bullyare as likely to bully as they as they are to be victims of bullying. are to be victims of bullying.

Bully / victimsBully / victims are often the are often the most most disturbeddisturbed of all bully categories of all bully categories

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TYPES OF BULLYING IN LD TYPES OF BULLYING IN LD CHILDRENCHILDREN

Social bullyingSocial bullying, ,

--most commonmost common

-involves -involves physical and verbal abusephysical and verbal abuse in in social settingssocial settings

Relational bullyingRelational bullying, ,

-deliberate attempt by a bully -deliberate attempt by a bully to destroy to destroy the friendshipsthe friendships of an LD child or of an LD child or

--isolateisolate him/her from close friends by him/her from close friends by lying, spreading rumors, threatening lying, spreading rumors, threatening etc.etc.

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Effects of bullying Effects of bullying

on LD childrenon LD children It makes children It makes children ill, anxious, depressed, ill, anxious, depressed,

angry, terrified, vengeful and withdrawnangry, terrified, vengeful and withdrawn,, It It destroys their self esteemdestroys their self esteem and their and their

feeling of self worthfeeling of self worth,, It makes them It makes them non- assertivenon- assertive,, It It undermines their social skillsundermines their social skills Victims are psychologically Victims are psychologically introvertedintroverted, ,

relatively relatively uncooperative, uncompetitive uncooperative, uncompetitive and not group orientedand not group oriented (Rigby 2002). (Rigby 2002).

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The Role of Counseling Psychologists &Special Educators

Counselors and special educators can support these children by being actively involved –academically and psychologically-in their lives and their development so that they will not be marginalized; help them see their unique, real abilities and move around their weaknesses, inspire them to take off the “Mask" and develop their AUTHENTIC SELF.

Counselors and special educators, through effective counseling and teaching, can become the most important “CATALYSTS" for the cognitive and emotional development of LD children, in order to support and inspire them, to move from a marginalized, stigmatized life into a life that can be full of abilities and wonderful possibilities for balance, happiness and development.

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INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ATHENSINTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ATHENS

THE COUNSELING & LEARNING THE COUNSELING & LEARNING CENTERCENTER

A team of A team of highly qualified highly qualified CounselingCounseling and Educational Psychologists, Special and Educational Psychologists, Special Educators, Speech Therapists, Educators, Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Clinical Occupational Therapists, Clinical Psychologists, Child Psychiatrists and Psychologists, Child Psychiatrists and NeurologistsNeurologists that that work togetherwork together in in order to support a population of LD order to support a population of LD students within the regular school students within the regular school population.population.

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SERVICES OFSERVICES OFTHE COUNSELING & LEARNING THE COUNSELING & LEARNING

CENTERCENTER DiagnosisDiagnosis (WISC-R III, WOND, WJ-R, CFSEI, BENDER, (WISC-R III, WOND, WJ-R, CFSEI, BENDER, DIEBELS, VMI, Drawings, interviews etc)DIEBELS, VMI, Drawings, interviews etc)

Detailed written reportDetailed written report Modified Academic ProgramModified Academic Program & & Individual Resource Individual Resource

SupportSupport Specialized academic interventionSpecialized academic intervention, within school – in , within school – in

and out the classroom- and and out the classroom- and after school tutoringafter school tutoring Counseling supportCounseling support (individual) (individual) Family counseling supportFamily counseling supportValues that the services are based on in order to be Values that the services are based on in order to be

successful:successful: Collaboration, communication, coordination, Collaboration, communication, coordination,

cooperation, professionalism, confidentiality, cooperation, professionalism, confidentiality, empathy, care, positive thinking, constant workempathy, care, positive thinking, constant work

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The LD Child and Its Therapeutic Cycle The LD Child and Its Therapeutic Cycle

Child

Counseling Counseling PsychologistPsychologist

Child

Special Educator

Child

Counseling Counseling PsychologistPsychologist

Parent Parent

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COUNSELING & LEARNING CENTER Counseling Goals for the LD children

DiminishDiminish insecurities and phobias insecurities and phobias ExpressExpress feelings and concerns feelings and concerns Provide Provide encouragementencouragement and and positive positive

reinforcementreinforcement Help them Help them see their qualitiessee their qualities and and balance balance them them

with their difficultieswith their difficulties Help them develop Help them develop good coping strategiesgood coping strategies and and

problem solving skillsproblem solving skills AssistAssist them with social issues them with social issues InspireInspire values of values of empathy, understanding, empathy, understanding,

patience, delayed gratification, hard workpatience, delayed gratification, hard work Make them Make them believe in themselvesbelieve in themselves EducateEducate the LD student and his/her family the LD student and his/her family

about problems related to Learning Differences about problems related to Learning Differences

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COUNSELING & LEARNING CENTERCOUNSELING & LEARNING CENTER The Counseling ProcessThe Counseling Process

Behaviour management techniquesBehaviour management techniques to to help them become help them become socially acceptedsocially accepted and and remediate existing problemsremediate existing problems

Emotional control strategiesEmotional control strategies to improve in to improve in the the management of their emotionsmanagement of their emotions

Social skills trainingSocial skills training to develop to develop healthy healthy communication patternscommunication patterns and and functional functional relationshipsrelationships

Social information processingSocial information processing to improve to improve their their understanding understanding of othersof others

Cognitive and emotional perspective Cognitive and emotional perspective trainingtraining to help them to help them limit their self-limit their self-centerednesscenteredness

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COUNSELING & LEARNING CENTERCOUNSELING & LEARNING CENTER

THE ROLE OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATOR THE ROLE OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATOR (A)(A)

Assist students Assist students understand their LDunderstand their LD Help them Help them identify academic strengthsidentify academic strengths

and and weaknessesweaknesses Assist them with Assist them with study strategiesstudy strategies Assist students with developing Assist students with developing skills skills

for note-takingfor note-taking Guide students on how to Guide students on how to identify identify

prioritiespriorities Provide Provide recommendations for recommendations for

appropriate school curriculumappropriate school curriculum

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COUNSELING & LEARNING CENTERCOUNSELING & LEARNING CENTER

THE ROLE OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATOR THE ROLE OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATOR (B)(B)

Provide Provide content tutoringcontent tutoring MonitorMonitor the students’ work the students’ work Assist them with Assist them with test takingtest taking Help them understand how to Help them understand how to manage manage

their timetheir time Assist students with skills to Assist students with skills to stay stay

focusedfocused and on task and on task Help them work on becoming Help them work on becoming

independent learnersindependent learners

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COUNSELING & CAREER CENTERCOUNSELING & CAREER CENTER

THE ROLE OF THE PARENTSTHE ROLE OF THE PARENTS

ReinforceReinforce desired behaviours desired behaviours Provide Provide encouragementencouragement Develop a Develop a positive relationshippositive relationship with the child with the child

based on genuine interest and active listeningbased on genuine interest and active listening CommunicateCommunicate in a clear and concise manner in a clear and concise manner Provide Provide stabilitystability – explain expectations and – explain expectations and

boundaries /be calm, well-composed and boundaries /be calm, well-composed and consistentconsistent

Assign Assign responsibilitiesresponsibilities within ability to within ability to strengthen the child’s feeling of successstrengthen the child’s feeling of success

Plan activities to Plan activities to direct child’s energy in positive direct child’s energy in positive waysways

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Therapeutic Triangle

Family / ParentsFamily / Parents

Child Child

School Counselors Special Educators

Constant Moving Energy Within the 3 PolesConstant Moving Energy Within the 3 PolesCommunicationCommunicationCollaborationCollaboration

Constructive Exchange of Ideas, Actions, and EmotionsConstructive Exchange of Ideas, Actions, and Emotions

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Key Final Points

Not riskNot risk to loseto lose important minds and souls important minds and souls As soon as possibleAs soon as possible appropriate help & appropriate help &

supportsupport Caring and specializedCaring and specialized educators and educators and

counselors counselors Appropriate specialized Appropriate specialized academic and academic and

psychological supportpsychological support HonorHonor the different learning style of each the different learning style of each

individualindividual Try to find Try to find unique solutionsunique solutions to accommodate to accommodate

individual learning stylesindividual learning styles See the See the “whole child” - Holistic Education“whole child” - Holistic Education Promote Promote communication & collaborationcommunication & collaboration

between children, parents and school between children, parents and school Inspire Inspire FAITHFAITH in the LD children and their in the LD children and their

unique abilitiesunique abilities

2020

References

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Gardner Howard, Gardner Howard, Frames of MindFrames of Mind, Basic Books, New York, 1988, Basic Books, New York, 1988 Goldman, Daniel, Goldman, Daniel, Emotional Intelligence,Emotional Intelligence, New York: Bantam New York: Bantam

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