The Grand River Academy Publishes Guidelines for Helping Students with Learning Disabilities

July 3, 2014 - If your child is struggling in school and is falling behind, he or she may be one of 2.4 million school aged children with a learning disability. Discovering a disability in your child can be difficult, but working with your child's school to carefully monitor your child's progress, as well as his or her strengths and weaknesses can help you pinpoint and determine if your child has a learning disability.

The Grand River Academy, a private boarding school for boys, has recently released a white paper that outlines how to correctly determine a learning disorder within a child, as well as how to offer the proper support for a child suffering from a learning disability. The earlier a disability is discovered, the better the chance of future academic success for your child. As a parent, careful monitoring of what does and does not work for your child while providing support and positive reinforcement is the most important thing you can do for a child.

Not all learning disabilities should be approached in the same manner. There are several types of learning disorders, with each disorder hinders a child in a different way, with the most common of which being dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. While not classified as a learning disorder itself, many students who are diagnosed with a learning disorder also are found to have ADHD, further hampering their academic efforts.

Often, the smaller class sizes as well as the highly trained staff and faculty in a boarding school can help put your child in the best position for academic success. Many students within the public school system can quickly fall behind before any true problem is recognized, as 45 percent of students with a learning disability falling as many as three grades behind their peers.

In contrast, many private boarding schools play host to a 24/7 academic community, helping children to remain focus while providing them the support they need. Many private boarding schools offer on-site psychologists and specialists that are able to assist your child with academic needs. In addition, the smaller class sizes typically found at private boarding schools help highly trained and skilled teachers to work closely with your child, helping them to unlock their full academic potential while providing them with the educational tools needed for current and future academic success.

If you feel like your child has an undiagnosed learning disability, reach out to your child's school and consult the Grand River Academy's white paper for more information at www.grandriver.org/school-life/blog/private-boarding-schools-and-learning-disabilities.

With their Foundations for Learning Program, The Grand River Academy provides comprehensive academic support for students battling learning disorders and challenges. Through daily sessions with a qualified instructor, students enrolled in the Foundations Learning Program work towards become a self-directed learner by developing effective learning strategies, organizational skills, time management and self-advocacy. Learn more about what the program can offer your son by visiting www.grandriver.org/academics/the-learning-center.