Nonverbal Learning Disability

RESOURCES

 

*Please Note:  Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD) is not the same as Asperger Syndrome.  One can have NLD and not have Asperger Syndrome, but many students with Asperger Syndrome also have NLD.  This is why many books that discuss NLD also reference Asperger Syndrome.  

 

WEBSITES:

www.nldline.com

Wealth of information on all aspects of functioning and support related to children with NLD, numerous articles for parents and teachers, social skills, developing IEP’s for children with NLD, etc.

www.childmind.org

What Is Nonverbal Learning Disorder? Difficulty picking up concepts and patterns affect kids visually, socially and academically. By Caroline Miller https://childmind.org/article/what-is-non-verbal-learning-disorder/

www.smartkidswithld.org

This site provides some nice information for parents and teachers about NLD and how best to support NLD. Click on “First Steps” on the home page, then “What are Learning Disabilities”, then choose “Nonverbal Learning Disabilities: An Overview” from the list of topics.

www.understood.org

Information under the Nonverbal Learning Disability section of this wonderful website!

 

 

EXCELLENT VIDEO DEMONSTRATING THE IMPORTANCE OF NONVERBAL CUES IN COMMUNICATION:

The Importance of Nonverbal Cues as Told by Friends:  https://youtu.be/OvEci5Bjgd4

 

BOOKS:

For Students to Learn About Having NLD:

 NLD from the Inside Out:  Talking to Parents, Teachers, and Teens about Growing up with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities by Michael Brian Murphy.

Tell Me About NLD by Amy Dawson (October, 2005; found at www.nldline.com)

 

 

For Parents and Teachers:

 

• The Source For Nonverbal Learning Disorders By Sue Thompson – Considered the comprehensive resource for parents and teachers on NLD by one of the foremost experts in the field of NLD. Can be ordered from LinguiSystems at 1-800-776-4332 or www.linguisystems.com or through Amazon.com

 

• Syndrome of Nonverbal Learning Disability:  Neurodevelopmental Manifestations by Byron P. Rourke, PhD, FRSC (This is the groundbreaking book by one of the leading experts in NLD.  It is considered the original “bible” of NLD)

 

• Nonverbal Learning Disabilities At Home: A Parent’s Guide by Pamela B. Tanguay
Foreword: Byron P. Rourke, PhD, FRSC – Addresses such issues as the parent’s roll, fine motor skills, coordination, organization, thinking skills, social skills, communication skills, daily living skills, coping with change, safety issues, etc.  Highly recommended by parents of children with NLD as a useful resource for parenting a child with NLD

 

• Helping a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder or Asperger’s Disorder-Second Edition by Kathryn Stewart. The book offers readers ways to evaluate their child’s strengths and weaknesses in areas such as visual and spatial functioning, writing problems, information processing and organizational skills, social and emotional capabilities, language skills, and interactive abilities. It offers specific strategies for intervening and helping the child to cope with these obstacles, such as teaching the child how to socialize with humor and empathy, alternatives for learning to write, tips for organizing daily activities, multi-tasking, and more.

 

• Raising NLD Superstars: What Families with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities Need to Know about Nurturing Confident, Competent Kids by Marcia Rubinstien and Pamela Tanguay. Raising NLD Superstars is essential reading for all those who come in to contact with children with non-verbal learning disorders (NLD). Instead of insisting upon the one size fits all model of intervention the author focuses on the individual nature of NLD children and offers practical, adaptable advice that will help them find their place both in the family and in wider social groups. The author shares her experiences of life as the parent of a child with NLD with humanity and humor. She looks not only at day to day practicalities such as making meal times easier for all the family and reaching compromises on inappropriate clothing choices but also at the long-term plan for independence. The book will help parents and carers to support children with NLD to reach their emotional and cognitive potential while taking into account the views and experiences of other family members.

 

• Nonverbal Learning Disabilities:  A Guide to School Success (Middle/High School by by Dr. Dean Mooney, Sherry Newberry, and Nina Kurtz.  From Amazon: Nonverbal Learning Disabilities: A Guide to School Success shares the experience of three professionals who work with students with NLD in a variety of settings. Whether it is how to best present a writing assignment or how to ask a classmate to a dance, the authors have come to appreciate these students as creative, informed and personable. Rather than focusing on the limitations of this disability, these authors believe that with a quality comprehensive evaluation, a well-informed team, appropriate approaches, and the input of the student, academic and social success can be achieved!

 

• Nonverbal Learning Disabilities At School:  Educating Students with NLD, Asperger Syndrome and Related Conditions by Pamela B. Tanguay (Order through amazon.com):  Most teachers will at some point come across a child with nonverbal learning disabilities, and this practical and informative book will be invaluable in helping them to help such children to achieve their full potential in the classroom. Topics such as finding the right school, curriculum modifications, and social and emotional issues experienced by children with NLD are covered. However, the bulk of the book outlines specific teaching strategies, from how to deal with essay questions, to tips on helping the student master long division and ideas for improving reading comprehension. The author defines and discusses concepts such as frontloading and a cooperative learning environment, and discusses how they benefit the student with NLD.

 

• Employment for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome or Nonverbal Learning Disability:  Stories and Strategies by Yvona Fast and others.  From Amazon:  Most people with Non-Verbal Learning Disorder (NLD) or Asperger Syndrome (AS) are underemployed. This book sets out to change this. With practical and technical advice on everything from job hunting to interview techniques, from ‘fitting in’ in the workplace to whether or not to disclose a diagnosis, this book guides people with NLD or AS successfully through the employment mine field. There is also information for employers, agencies and careers counsellors on AS and NLD as ‘invisible’ disabilities, including an analysis of the typical strengths of somebody with NLD or AS, and how to use these positively in the workplace. Practical information and lists of career resources are supported by numerous case studies to inspire and advise. An essential resource for people with NLD or AS seeking or in employment and their existing or potential employers.

 

• Helping Children with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities Flourish:  A Guide for Parents and Professionals by Marilyn Martin – In Helping Children with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities to Flourish, Marilyn Martin presents a comprehensive developmental profile of children with NLD. She explores the controversies surrounding the disorder so parents and professionals can identify learners with NLD and insure they receive early intervention. Offering practical advice on NLD at home and at school, she describes step-by-step interventions for improving a range of skills from penmanship to social acumen.