Disabled Books

It is for a layperson like myself - as well as the professional person - a very good and rewarding book to read. I learned a lot from what I read - and wanted to continue - because it is not too technical - well, there is some chapters of defining the terms and the framework to relate to. However it never takes over - and there is so much LOVE and CARE in her work. I like the brilliant way in which the author brings in the voices and experiences of 13 individuals.

What struck me most was that the skills used by the individuals in meeting the challenge of LD could be a guideline and a necessity of us the majority without LD to incorporate. So I shall read it again.

I reviewed this book in the Annotated Bibliograpy of Learning A Living; A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding a Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder and Dyslexia. Here is what I wrote:

Through quotations from people with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder, this book describes the experience of having these disabilities and ways to cope with them. Includes information on dating, marriage, work, home, and friendship. The last chapter outlines a progressive agenda for improving the well-being of adults with learning disabilities.

As the parent of a 22 year old learning disabled daughter I can attest to the validiy of everything written in this book.

The format is easy to read and understand. I liked the paragraphs written by the author and then followed up by quotes from the interviewed adults. This book is not jargon filled and is a great resource for people with little knowledge about adults with learning disabilities as well as those who have spent many years in the field on learning disabilities.

What a great help this book will be to the general population in understanding the struggles of adults facing the difficult challenges learning disabilities impose on living a successful, joyfilled life.

Every employer should have this book as a resource.

I was required to buy this book as part of my masters study. I am extreamly lucky to have Ellen Arnold, the author of this book as my teacher for the course. The book is absolutly wonderful and gives great ideas and strategies for using the multiple intelligences in the classroom. It is also very useful in looking at how you can apply those intelligences all over the curriculum. This book is a great resource for any type of classroom.

Written especially for those responsible for teaching students who have difficulty learning, The MI Strategy Bank by Ellen Arnold (Director of Arncraft, a company dedicated to educational consulting) looks at eight different types of intelligence shared among human beings, from musical-rhythmic, to bodily-kinesthetic, to logical-mathematical intelligence. For each type of natural intelligence at which a person may excel, there are special strategies that can be utilized to apply that intelligence to learning how to solve other types of problems. For example, young people with a keenness for music can learn to create a song for number facts or tap math facts to a rhythm when learning math, among many other possible strategies. The MI Strategy Bank is recommended as being a first-rate supplementary educational resource for classroom instruction.

This quote from the back cover of the book, "The MI Strategy Bank" sums up the author's beliefs. Dr. Arnold expands on the Howard Gardner theory of multiple intelligences--the part of your brain that you use the most in learning new tasks. These include musical, visual, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, mathmatical, nature & linguistic. She begins each section by relating a real-life experience, and then proceeds to lay out characteristics & strategies for learning in reading, writing, and math; how-to's on developing your particular strengths; and also info on conflict-resolution. Her outlines can be easily adapted to lesson plans for teachers or as creative ideas for parents in home use. Emphasis is on the fact that this style of teaching is for anyone(she has worked with people from 3 to 63!)...it can be applied in any setting, such as school, or for the adult in the workplace, when encountering new demands. This book features clear, articulate language in a simple, direct style and includes a glossary of terms, basic overview, and thorough bibliography. This is fascinating to read, and thrilling to put into action. The "Bank"--this book--has the investments needed that will allow you to empower your student or yourself to tap into all your abilities.

No child left behind no longer needs to be a catchy phrase but can now become a reality in an education system that is willing to incorporate the ground breaking results of Dr. Thornton's research and Neurocognitive program.

The honest and committed efforts in school districts to improve the LD child's academic functioning has experienced only limited success. The focus of remediation programs that schools utilized was to train the dysfunctioning adacemic skill in order to imporve the child's cognitive ability. The goal was to bring about a change in the neuropsysiology of the brain by working from the outside (tutoring) to bring about change on the inside (improved cognitive ability).

The Neurocognitive program developed by Dr. Thornton, and so clearly presented in his book, requires a paradigm shift in our perception of remediation. The Neurocognitive approach directs remediation at the dysfunctioning neuropsysiology of the LD child to stimulate connections in the brain to function more effectively in the academic task, i.e. reading. Neurocognitive remediation works to change the brain functioning within the cerebral cortex in order for the child to achieve success on the outside academic task.

Neurocognitive biofeedback opens a whole new vista to our education system. The neurotherapy field itself is still in the initial stage developing and researching the vast potential of enhancing brain functioning through self-regulation training. Dr. Thornton, in his book, demonstrates the power of the Neurocognitive approach to transform the lives of learning disabled children. Educators, it will make a difference so that no child will be left behind.

Henry A. Malone, Ph.D., Psychologist.

Dr. Thornton's book is an excellent work which describes his ground breaking research for the development of a neurocognitive approach using the quantitative EEG for the treatment of brain functioning for those with learning disabilities, ADHD, and traumatic brain injury. There is convincing evidence throughout the book of an increase in cognitive effectiveness, using Dr. Thornton's neurocognitive intervention model, with a 15 point average gain in IQ, demonstrated in multiple studies. Dr. Thornton presents convincing evidence for using QEEG activated guided neurofeedback to quantify the relationship between cognitive activity and electrophysiological variables, thereby, increasing the cognitive effectiveness of the brain. One of the underlying principles in Dr. Thornton's approach to EEG biofeedback treatment is to activate the brain under relevant conditions such as listening and reading, while monitoring brain waves and adjusting current patterns of functioning using electronic guidance during trial and error learning. Brain mapping is used to guide the treatment.

Based on scientific investigation presented in Dr. Thornton's book, it seems likely that our school systems could make a dramatic difference in improving educational outcomes for those with learning difficulties, using Dr. Thornton's neurocognitive approach compared to traditional models. Dr. Thornton makes a sound argument for the efficacy of his approach compared to the current educational intervention programs, suggesting that traditional models are minimally effective and more costly and time consuming than his model. I applaud Dr. Thornton for his work and what his contributions could mean for helping a myriad of children, adolescents and their familites suffering from problems in brain functioning.

Elizabeth Shanshala Stubbs Ph.D.,Psychologist

Dr. Thornton has compiled a truely important work. Readers will become convinced that we can do much better with our educational interventions by adopting a new paradigm.

The neurocognitive approach is a special kind of biofeedback. Biofeedback means interacting with a display of your physiology. EEG biofeedback begins by monitoring brain waves and encourages adjustments to current patterns of functioning with electronic guidance during trial and error learning. Dr. Thornton convincingly advocates that a certain type of brain mapping guide this intervention.

This book deserves to be broadly read and studied. The field of neurofeedback is currently vastly under-recognized. This book makes clear the extraordinary power and effectiveness of brain wave biofeedback in general and Dr. Thornton's approach in particular. Who cannot be impressed with muliple studies showing an average gain in IQ of 15 points?

I have never seen such compelling evidence that traditional educational programs pale in comparison to neurofeedback in general and QEEG activation guided neurofeedback in particular. Dr. Thornton achieves consistently strong results with learning disabilities.

At the inception of it's release, this book already has an auspicious history. I showed an early version of this book to the federal education department. Based on the bibliography and sound research basis presented here, the Institue of Educational Sciences has decided to request applications for further study of neurefeedback in education in several categories.

"The Institute's FY 2007 RFAs have already been released. They are available on the website (http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ies/programs.html). Individuals interested in the use of neurofeedback to improve reading outcomes should check the National Center for Education Research, NCER topics on (1) Reading and Writing, (2) Interventions for Struggling Adolescent and Adult Readers, and (3) Cognition and Student Learning, In addition, they should check the NCSER topic on Reading, Writing, and Language Development."

Once these large randomized controlled trials are completed, this book will continue to be seen as a guide to what is possible. The implications for transforming all of special education are vast.

Gary Ames, Psychologist, Bala Cynwyd, PA.

Such a crucial, scary time..."on their own." You wonder if it can ever happen successfully. Very knowledgeable, ungarnished yet helpful and hopeful.

This is the book every parent of an adult child with LD should read, especially in those times when you feel so hopeless and that no one truly knows what you are going through. As the parent of an adult son with learning disabilities I can honestly say that On Their Own has changed the way I think about my son and his future. Most of all it has given me hope that he has a future at all! The book helped us see the whole person with all their strengths and weaknesses. Nothing is sugar-coated here, and parents of adults with LD will find many points where'll they'll nod in agreement and realize that yes, after all someone truly does understand what we are going through. I absolutely loved Anne Ford's previous book Laughing Allegra. In that book, I felt she spoke to me personally as we followed her step by step while raising a child with LD. On Their Own continues the story, but it is a much more hands-on approach and with a great deal of practical information. Even so, I found it as readable as Laughing Allegra, with many insights and anecdotes that separate it from so many other dry academic books in this field. Parents of adult children with any disability will benefit greatly from On Their Own

I was worried that I would be bored by all the language specific jargon so commonly used by professionals in books like these, but the insight and personal account of dealing with learning disabled adults kept me totally engrossed for the entire book. I wish more books about dealing with disabilities were written with such a human voice.

Fellman is a genius with words and
Dr. Arnold Fellman is a master illustrator
Wilma Fellman makes you feel and hear those with ADD while Dr. Arnold Fellman's illustrations helps us to see .

This book is a splendid read and should be mandatory for everyone in Education, Parents and those infanticipating

I attended a conference and heard about this book. Once I read it, I felt myself relax. There are people like me who are smart, good people with disabilities we can't control. It helps to hear Ms. Fellman talk about how this feels. I agree with her 100%.

Wilma Fellman has written a warm, insightful, entertaining book of poetry about living with the ADD experience. If you think you've read "every" book on ADD, think again. This one is in a category and class by itself. I recommend it for people who have ADD, and also for those people in your life who might have difficulty "getting" what ADD is about. Adults and children can relate to Wilma's poems and go "aha! that's me!" My personal favorite is "Lima Beans, Brocolli, and Liver" which describes what a little girl with ADD goes through in a classroom -- much better than any book on kids with ADD can describe it. I like this book a lot and highly recommend it.

This is a comprehensive book that every parent/teacher of a child with any disability should read! It's a resource that you can refer to over and over! Well worth the money!

There are limited resources avaliable that fill the need for information on children with special needs. This book covers so many different topics that every parent and/or teacher can relate to. There are visual images that help to supplement the text which I found to be extremely helpful. It is obvious that the author has a lot of experience with this population. He gives many examples of solutions to common problems that I was completely oblivious to. Overall, the book was detailed without being excessively lengthy. It was an easy read and an excellent resource for anyone working with children with special needs. I would highly recommend it!!!

I found this book to be an excellent resource for caregivers of children with special needs. It is well organized, easy to read, and to the point. The photos/illustrations are great and supplement the text perfectly and appropriately. As an occupational therapist, I would also recommend this book to other therapists in pediatrics as a tool for educating and guiding parents in the care of their special needs kids.

This book focuses on behavioral treatments for children with autism. As the subtitle suggests, it covers the three main areas that are challenging for children affected by autism - communication, social, and academic development. While it is written with autism in mind, the techniques are certainly applicable to the spectrum of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs). The techniques are rooted in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and are developmentally sensitive. The authors attempt to make the treatments practical and natural (i.e. reinforcers should be tailored to the child's natural environment). I found the section on academic development to be especially helpful. Several pictorial examples of homework were given, and how a parent might make the homework less intimidating (e.g. organizing information, chunking, giving hints, etc.) This book could be used by parents, professionals, and paraprofessionals. I used it in an educational setting, and have not actually tried any of the techniques. But I can say that the interventions are based on sound research, and I expect that they would be effective when applied properly. PRTs for Autism is a complete and accesible book. However, it is not necessarily a motivational book nor one that you would use for an evening of easy reading. It is basically a book that gives detailed treatment techniques. I think this is its strong suit, as I have seen other treatment books and planners that simply give general ideas on how to approach treatment. For a book that is more motivational while still having practical strategies, I recommend another book by one of the co-authors (Lynn Kern Koegel) called Overcoming Autism -- which is geared more specifically towards parents.

A landmark contribution by two seasoned experts in teaching children with autism--this book guides the reader through an in-depth understanding about the pivotal responses in the child's developmental trajectory in relationships with teachers, therapists and, most importantly the family in everyday life. The application of behavioral principles in natural settings brings the concepts alive and makes them useful to readers.

---Robert A. Naseef, Ph.D., psychologist and co-editor of "Voices from the Spectrum," [...]
Special Children, Challenged Parents: The Struggles and Rewards of Raising a Child With a Disability

Knowledgeably co-authored by Robert L. Koegel (Director of the Koegel Autism Center, University of California, Santa Barbara) and Lynn Kern Koegel (Director of Clinical Services at the Koegel Autism Center) Pivotal Response Treatments For Autism: Communication, Social, And Academic Development is an informed and informative study of the tactics and strategies employed to improve the learning and comprehensive cognitive understanding of autistic children. Exploring ways to improve children's academic performance, advance children's communication and language skills, foster social interactions and friendships with typically developing peers, reduce disruptive behaviors, aid early identification and intervention, and reduce ritualistic behaviors and broaden children's interests, Pivotal Response Treatments For Autism is highly informative and very strongly recommended to all parents, teachers, and counselors of autistic children.

Sam's Just Sam is a charmingly written picture book story by Linda Morse about a day in the life of Sam, a special needs child. Following him through school, a surprising adventure, and then to home and bedtime, Sam's Just Sam is a heartwarming and thoughtful read which is illustrated by Pat Prescott with soft, ever-so-slightly abstract, full-color art that brings the soul of the story to life.

The story is a sensitive, positive portrayal of a young man with special needs and the accepting, positive manner that his parents accept him and enjoy him for his strengths. The illustrations enhance the book and add a warmth and charm to the reader's understanding of the child.

We knew Sam when we lived in New Hamphire. This book accurately portrays Sam as a child with "Special Needs". He is a very caring and loves life to the fullest. The art work should be appealing to children. It can also help children better relate to fellow students or friends with "special needs". Hopefully, Mrs. Morse will continue to write about Sam and how he affects others.

This is an excellent text for anyone wanting to understand learning disorders and the negative impact that social misunderstandings about the disorders have on those who struggle with them. This is a book of hope. Recommended highly for persons wanting to understand their learning disorder, anyone who knows someone who suffers with a learning disorder, and the professional community that wants to help them. This is a practical text, as well as a scholarly piece of work.

Myrna Orenstein's superbly presented work in Smart But Stuck covers the emotional aspects of learning disabilities: a topic often omitted from coverages which focus on physical development. From clues pointing to possible learning disabilities to treatment and therapies, Smart But Stuck provides excellent background and advice.

I actually wept through many parts of this book, as I saw the truth of my own experience described in its pages. The notion of undiagnosed learning disabilities, the "chasm", and "imprisoned intelligence" were ways to organize the previously indecipherable, chaotic jumble of my feelings, relentless feelings of humiliation, and hopelessness that wrecked my marriage, disabled my graduate studies efforts, and made my life a hell on earth. Once I saw my experiences in the light of "imprisoned intelligence", I found a plethora of ways to adapt to my learning disabilities in healthy ways, and thus begin to find more successful adaptations to daily problems, intellectual stagnation, and emotional satisfaction. I thought my life was over, a failure, my fraudulent self exposed to the world. Now, life is newly exciting, and problems are there to be solved, learning disabilities taken into compassionate consideration, and the joys of life returning. If you think this is too dramatic a description, you haven't been part of the learning disabled world.

After 35 years of teaching children with all kinds of abilities, I found this book truly emphasized the theory of working through strengths. Success can only be evaluated by the individual and his relationship to the world. It is easy for a professional or any person for that matter, to find one's faults. The skill of the professional is to discover one's strengths. This takes patience and a sincere determination to work with an individual and help him identify his potential. These strengths can be very simple however simplicity can lead to success. Jill Lauren has clearly illustrated this concept in her book and has made it an inspiration for both children, adults and most importantly educators. It is a pleasure to know that a person like Jill Lauren knows her strengths and she is obviously succeeding in her field.

In the Annotated Bibliography of "Learning A Living' A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding A Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Dyslexia, I wrote;

"Success stories of people that range from age 12-62. Some are famous including Pat Buckly Moss, an artist whose work is known worldwide, and Paul Orfalea, who is founder and Chairperson of Kinko's. Others are less famous, but also have lessons to teach. Most of the stories involve academic issues, but some workplace incidents are included."

I would like to add a few things to this initial review. The book has great, easy-to-read print. It is inspiring. I loved each story. It is very worth reading.

After 35 years of teaching children with all kinds of abilities, I found this book truly emphasized the theory of working through strengths. Success can only be evaluated by the individual and his relationship to the world. It is easy for a professional or any person for that matter, to find one's faults. The skill of the professional is to discover one's strengths. This takes patience and a sincere determination to work with an individual and help him identify his potential. These strengths can be very simple however simplicity can lead to success. Jill Lauren has clearly illustrated this concept in her book and has made it an inspiration for both children, adults and most importantly educators. It is a pleasure to know that a person like Jill Lauren knows her strengths and she is obviously succeeding in her field.