Learning disabled children aren't the only ones with books targeted toward them. A growing number of resources for teens have been made available in recent years as well. The teenage years are often tumultuous ones, with new social rules to abide by and one's post-high school future to worry about.
The added pressure of having a learning problem certainly doesn't help to reduce the stress that teens face, but the good news is that there are some entertaining, informative, and inspiring books that have been written to aid them in realizing their full potential. Some of the very best include: 1. The Survival Guide For Teenagers With LD* (*Learning Differences), written by Rhoda Woods Cummings, Gary L. Fisher, Pamela Espeland, and L.K.
Hanson, $12.95 (paperback), available on Amazon.com This no-nonsense guide covers a great deal of information, from social skills to taking control of one's own education.
The writing is accessible and concise, managing to cover a lot of ground without glossing over anything important. The text is laid out in a reader-friendly format, with a clean font and ample room between lines. Frequent illustrations support the authors' writing, and enhance textual meaning for visual learners. A great introductory guide for teens who have just been diagnosed with learning problems. 2. Learning Outside the Lines: Two Ivy League College Students With Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give You the Tools for Academic Success and Educational Revolution, written by Jonathan Mooney and David Cole, $14.
00 (paperback), available on Amazon.com Perhaps the most encouraging advice for teens on how to handle scholastic difficulties is the kind that comes from those who have experienced them personally. Mooney and Cole not only found ways to work around their learning disorders, but they went on to attend Ivy League colleges. This book communicates the all-important message that higher education is certainly not off-limits to those with learning issues. Teens will appreciate the humor and warmth of this book, along with the practical advice of those who have faced struggles similar to their own. 3.
My Thirteenth Winter: A Memoir, written by Samantha Abeel, $15.95 (hardcover), available on Amazon.com Abeel's intimate account reveals the life of a creative and intelligent person who faced tremendous difficulties in the early part of her academic career.
For the author, school was a fun place to learn new things and socialize with friends until the second grade, when she realized that she was falling behind her peers in many areas. Abeel spent another five years wondering what was hampering her scholastic progress, until finally, in the seventh grade, she was diagnosed with dyscalculia. While many books about learning disabilities treat the period immediately following diagnosis as one of crisis, the author saw it as a time of relief and recovery. A well-written and inspiring tale.
Jane Saeman runs an In-Home Tutoring service called Aim High Tutors. Find out about how to help your student reach their full potential at http://www.aimhightutors.com/blog .
