Gifted Underachievement, LD in College, More

GIFTED UNDERACHIEVEMENT. On July 9, we noted an article in the Washington Post’s “Answer Sheet” feature on gifted underachievement, an article that omitted learning disabilities as a cause of such underachievement. On July 17, the “Answer Sheet” published another piece on the topic, this one focusing on twice-exceptionalities as a cause of underachievement. We’re pleased that Valerie Strauss, who curates the feature, chose to publish our contribution. Find it.

LD IN COLLEGE. The Hechinger Report posted an article on the challenges students with learning disabilities face in college. Here’s a telling quote from the article: “While 20 percent of elementary and secondary students have a learning disability, 94 percent of those students received some sort of help or accommodation while in high school. In contrast, while nearly one in five college students has some type of disability…the median percentage across all institutions of undergraduate students formally registered as having a disability was only 6 percent in 2017.” The article describes efforts to change that situation. Find the article.

GOOGLE GLASS FOR ASD? From The New York Times: “Privacy concerns caused the computerized eyewear to fail with the general public. But researchers believe it could help autistic children learn to recognize emotion and make eye contact. Find the article.

BULLYING. About 20 percent of students 12-18 are bullied. About 3 percent are bullied online or by text message, according to a new federal report. Find out more.

NEWSLETTERS AND PODCASTS
— The Child Mind Institute’s current newsletter says: “This week we offer parents’ hacks for helping kids with sensory issues, organizational challenges and difficulty dealing with new experiences. We run down accommodations that you might not know are available at theme parks, in theaters and on airplanes to make travels and outings more successful.” Find the newsletter.
— GHF’s most recent newsletter is titled, oddly enough, “The Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted.” That’s what the SENG organization name stands for, but hey, good information is good information, and the newsletter contains several articles that might be of interest to readers here. Find the newsletter.
— You may find the July Dyslexic Advantage newsletter at the organization’s website, with intriguing article titles such as “Spiderman Is Dyslexic?”; “Dyslexic Advantage Meets the Price of Sweden”; and “Tuskegee Airman Shares His Dyslexia Story.” Find the newsletter.
— TiLT Parenting’s most recent podcast is on the power of play in supporting differently-wired kids. Find it.

AND FINALLY, THIS, from Science Daily: “Just 10 minutes of interacting with cats and dogs produced a significant reduction in students’ cortisol, a major stress hormone.” Find the study write-up.

Not Too Late
Summer’s slipping by, but it’s not to late to order a copy of Bob Seney on Books to find some good reading for your gifted or twice-exceptional child. In this reasonably-priced booklet from our Spotlight on 2e Series, Professor Seney offers advice on books providing understanding of differences; food for thought on social issues; or just a good time in a picture book, of which his choices can apply to all ages. Find out more.