|
Server : Apache/2.4.62 System : FreeBSD fbsdweb2.web.rcn.net 14.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 14.1-RELEASE releng/14.1-n267679-10e31f0946d8 GENERIC amd64 User : www ( 80) PHP Version : 8.3.8 Disable Function : NONE Directory : /domains/bburke/xYouth/ |
Upload File : |
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0">
<meta name="ProgId" content="FrontPage.Editor.Document">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<title>Ask The Youth Commission</title>
<style>
<!--
li.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-top:0in}
-->
</style>
<meta name="Microsoft Theme" content="copy-of-blends 011, default">
</head>
<body background="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blegtext.gif" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" vlink="#CC3300" alink="#0000FF"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"><!--mstheme--></font><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="100%" id="AutoNumber1" height="247">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="183"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<p style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1">
<img border="0" src="../images/townseal.gif" width="150" height="183"></p>
<p align="center" style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"><font face="Trebuchet MS">
<a href="../xTownMisc/oldindex.htm">Needham Home Page</a></font><!--mstheme--></font></td>
<td width="100%" align="right" valign="top" height="183"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<img border="0" src="youthcommission.gif" align="right" width="607" height="87"><p style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"> <p style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1"><b>
<font face="Verdana" size="2">1471 Highland Avenue - Town Hall<br>
Needham, MA 02492<br>
Phone - 781-455-7518<br>
Fax - 781-449-4569</font></b><p style="margin-top: 1; margin-bottom: 1">
<o:p>
<b><font face="Verdana" size="2"><font color="#000000">Email:</font><font color="#0000FF">
</font>
<a style="text-decoration: none" href="mailto:[email protected]">
<font color="#0000FF">[email protected]</font></a></font></b><!--mstheme--></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="876" colspan="2" height="22" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom: 1px solid #C0C0C0"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> <!--mstheme--></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="876" colspan="2" height="9"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"><!--mstheme--></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" colspan="2" height="9" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#C0C0C0"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<p></p>
<p align="center"><b><font face="Verdana" size="5" color="#0000FF">Ask The
Youth Commission - Disabilities</font></b></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p align="center"><!--mstheme--></font></td>
</tr>
</table><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"><!--mstheme--></font><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="100%" id="AutoNumber2">
<tr>
<td width="52%" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#C0C0C0" height="68"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<p align="center"><a href="YouthCommissionAskTheYouthCommission.htm">Ask
The Youth Commission</a><!--mstheme--></font></td>
<td width="50%" style="border-left-width: 1; border-right-width: 1; border-top-width: 1; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1" bordercolor="#C0C0C0" height="68"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<p align="center"><a href="index.htm">Youth Commission
Home</a><!--mstheme--></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" colspan="2"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: 0; margin: 1 5" align="justify">
</p>
<o:p>
<p style="line-height:200%">
<span style="line-height: 200%; font-weight:700"><font size="4">Dear Youth
Commission,</font></span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="line-height: 200%">I am interested
in learning more about learning disabilities. What exactly they are, what
causes them, and what to do if you have a child with a learning disability?
Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="line-height: 200%">--Need More
Information </span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%">
<span style="font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 200%"> </span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%">
<span style="line-height: 200%; font-weight:700"><font size="4">Dear Need More
Information:</font></span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%" align="justify"><span style="line-height: 200%">Thank you for
your questions. Your letter doesn�t ask about a specific learning
disability, therefore we will provide you with some general information that
may be helpful to you.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%" align="justify"><span style="line-height: 200%">The phrase
�learning disabilities� refers to a number of disorders that may affect the
acquisition, organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal or
nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who
otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking
and/or reasoning. </span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%" align="justify"><span style="line-height: 200%">Learning
disabilities result from impairments in one or more processes related to
perceiving, thinking, remembering or learning. These include, but are not
limited to: language processing, phonological processing, visual spatial
processing, processing speed, memory and attention, and executive functions
(i.e. planning and decision-making).</span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%"><span style="line-height: 200%">Learning
disabilities range in severity and may interfere with the acquisition and
use of one or more of the following:</span></p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--><table type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<span style="line-height: 200%">Oral language (i.e. listening, speaking,
understanding); </span><!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<span style="line-height: 200%">Reading (i.e. decoding, phonetic
knowledge, word recognition, comprehension);</span> <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<span style="line-height: 200%">Written language (i.e. spelling and
written expression); and</span> <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<span style="line-height: 200%">Mathematics (i.e. computation, problem
solving).</span> <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--></table><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<p style="line-height:200%" align="justify"><span style="line-height: 200%">Learning
disabilities may also involve difficulties with organizational skills,
social perception, social interaction and perspective taking. </span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%" align="justify"><span style="line-height: 200%">Learning
disabilities are due to genetic and/or neurobiological factors or injury
that alter brain functioning in a manner that affects one or more processes
related to learning. These disorders are not due primarily to hearing and/or
vision problems, socio-economic factors, cultural or linguistic differences,
lack of motivation or ineffective teaching, although these factors may
further complicate the challenges faced by individuals with learning
disabilities. Learning disabilities may co-exist with various conditions
including attention, behavioral and emotional disorders, sensory impairments
or other medical conditions.</span></p>
<p style="line-height:200%" align="justify">Learning disabilities are lifelong. The way in
which they are expressed may vary over an individual's lifetime, depending
on the interaction between the demands of the environment and the
individual's strengths and needs. For success, individuals with learning
disabilities require early identification and timely specialized assessments
and interventions involving home, school, and community and workplace
settings. The interventions need to be appropriate for each individual's
learning disability subtype and, at a minimum, include the provision of
specific skill instruction, <span style="line-height: 200%">accommodations,</span>
<span style="line-height: 200%">compensatory strategies, and</span>
<span style="line-height: 200%">self-advocacy skills.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%" align="justify">The following list of
indicators of a learning disability may help you decide whether you should
seek guidance about your child.</p>
<p><b><u>In Infancy</u></b></p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--><table type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Trouble with nursing, sucking or digesting <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Resistance to cuddling and body contact <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Lack of, or excessive response to sounds or other
stimulus <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Delays in sitting, standing, walking <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Little or no vocalization <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Irritability <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--></table><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<p><b><u>In the Preschool Years</u></b></p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--><table type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Delayed language and immature speech patterns <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Difficulty following directions <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Cannot skip, has trouble bouncing and catching a
ball <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Impulsive, cannot control behavior <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Fearless <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Does not respond to discipline <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--></table><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<p><b><u>In Adolescence</u></b></p>
<!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--><table type="disc" style="margin-bottom: 0in" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Poor and laborious handwriting and/or bizarre
spelling mistakes <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Disorganized; books are a mess, notes that are out
of order, or they have a tendency to lose things <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Poor social skills, few friends, or socializes with
a younger group <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Lacks insights into his own future, his strengths
and weaknesses <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Tendency to be very literal, rigid, humorless,
and/or gullible <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42"><img src="../_themes/copy-of-blends/blebul1a.gif" width="15" height="15" hspace="13" alt="bullet"></td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">Vulnerable to peer pressure, often the "scapegoat"
in situations <!--mstheme--></font><!--msthemelist--></td></tr>
<!--msthemelist--></table><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica">
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="line-height:200%" align="justify"><span style="line-height: 200%">Many children
experience one or more of the above signs in the normal course of their
development. Only when a number of these characteristics are present might
there be an indication of a learning disability.</span></p>
<p align="justify">If you would like to learn more about learning disabilities, check out
the following websites:</p>
<p align="justify">Learning Disabilities Association of America at
<a href="http://www.idanatl.org/" style="color: #0099CC; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single">
<span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none">www.idanatl.org</span></a></p>
<p align="justify">National Center for Learning Disabilities at
<a href="http://www.ncld.org/" style="color: #0099CC; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single">
<span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none">www.ncld.org</span></a></p>
<p align="justify">NIMH: Learning Disabilities at
<a href="http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/learndis.htm" style="color: #0099CC; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single">
<span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none">
www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/learndis.htm</span></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="line-height:200%" align="justify">We hope that you found this information useful,
but remember, only a professional evaluation can determine the presence of a
learning disability. If you think your child may have a learning
disability, contact the child�s guidance counselor and/or teacher for
advice. We wish you the best of luck.</p>
<p style="line-height:200%" align="justify"> </p>
<o:p>
<!--mstheme--></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" colspan="2"><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"> <p align="justify" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 1 30">
<o:p>
<span style="font-family: Verdana"><font size="2">The Needham Youth
Commission offers a variety of services to Needham residents including
counseling for children, adolescents, and families; Substance Abuse
Awareness Program; Employment Program; Volunteer Program; Peer Tutor
Program; Project VAN; Ray of Hope; and Students Against Destructive
Decisions. For further information regarding any of the abovementioned
services or to submit a question to �Ask the Youth Commission� at please
contact the Needham Youth Commission by phone at 781-455-7518, by fax at
781-449-4569, by mail at Needham Town Hall 1471 Highland Avenue Needham,
MA 02492, by e-mail at </font><span style="color:black"><font size="2">
<a href="mailto:[email protected]" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single">
[email protected]</a>,
or visit our website at <a href="http://www.town.needham.ma.us/xYouth">http://www.town.needham.ma.us/Youth</a>.</font></span></span></p>
<p> <!--mstheme--></font></td>
</tr>
</table><!--mstheme--><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica"><!--mstheme--></font></body>
</html>