Slow Processing Speed, ADHD Comorbidities, More

SLOW PROCESSING SPEED is a concern to many here. A clinical psychologist writing at Psychology Today addresses the topic in light of the recent NY Times article about parents paying for evals to see if a child might qualify for accommodations. He writes that children with slow processing speed “do not necessarily present with classic attention, learning, or psychiatric disorders. Unless the school is concerned, they often do not get evaluated and do not receive accommodations.” Along with insights on how slow processing fits in (or doesn’t) with other learning challenges, the psychologist offers tips parents can use to help their children. Find the article.

ADDITUDE. One of last week’s most popular articles at this site was about ADHD comorbidities. “For patients with attention deficit, a mental health diagnosis almost always includes an ADHD comorbidity as well — autism spectrum disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and other conditions. To fully understand your mental health diagnosis and get the full benefit of ADHD treatment, you must factor co-occurring conditions into the medication equation.” Find the article.

SUPPORTING NEURODIVERSE COLLEGE STUDENTS. EdSurge describes efforts to help college students with ASD, ADHD, and other challenges become oriented to campus and to live and learn here successfully. Peer mentoring is often part of the support. (The article also offers that the term neurodiversity “offers a lens—sometimes called the neurodiversity paradigm—for viewing the strengths, not just the challenges, that accompany cognitive differences.”) Find the article.

GROWTH MINDSET EVIDENCE? From Science Daily: “Boosting academic success does not have to derive from new teachers or curriculum; it can also come from changing students’ attitudes about their abilities through a short online intervention, according to the latest findings from the National Study of Learning Mindsets published in Nature on Aug. 7.” Find the study write-up.

NEWSLETTERS
— The August edition of LDA Legislative News is out, with news of the congressional feat of actually passing a budget; LDA’s position on funding early childhood programs; and more. Find the newsletter.
— The Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT) has issued information about upcoming PD for educators of neurodiverse students; an article on universal design for learning; and pointers to articles published elsewhere on topics of potential interest to those here. Find the newsletter.

EVENTS
— August 13, free live webinar by ADDitude, “Teaching Executive Functions to Children with ADHD. More information.
— August 19, YouTube presentation on preventing school behavior challenges, by Understood. More information.
— August 23-25, the free Executive Function Online Summit with 23 experts. More information.

Spotlight Booklets for Educators

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o Writing and the 2e Learner: Issues and Strategies
o What 2e Students Need: Setting Up 2e Learners for Success.

Find tables of contents and pricing at the site of The 2e Resource.