This week’s digest was contributed by Community Service Learning student Alyssa DeYesso. Alyssa is a student at University of Massachusetts at Lowell studying Psychology, Disability, and Education. She will be pursuing her Master’s degree in Autism Studies this fall. She has a passion for advocating for disabilities and mental health as she struggles with ADHD. She advocates through her blog, UnpuzzlingNeurodiversity.com.

Having a disability can make school, work, and family relationships difficult because our world is generally designed for neurotypical people. Those of us who are nuerodivergent find ourselves struggling to be understood or have a fair chance completing the tasks being asked of us. In this digest, we provide resources for parents and teachers trying to better understand disabilities and for students who may have a disability.

1)   How to ADHD YouTube Channel by Jessica McCabe, @HowtoADHD

This YouTube channel provides tips and support for individuals with ADHD through their fun and informational videos. Jessica and her team (whom she refers to as “the brains”) work tirelessly to provide information that is scientifically accurate and supported by research. In this video, she provides tips for overcoming procrastination – something that is all too familiar for those with ADHD. The best thing about these videos is that they are actually entertaining (as well as accurate), so you shouldn’t have much trouble paying attention!

2)   How to Treat the Symptoms of Dyslexia by Devon Frye

This informational article on Dyslexia explains that although Dyslexia is the most common learning disability, it can be really difficult for parents and teachers to recognize, which causes some individuals with Dyslexia to be denied resources for years at a time. This article attempts to bridge this gap by providing examples of academic, home, and workplace interventions for Dyslexia.

3)   8 Expert Tips on Helping Your Child With Dysgraphia by Peg Rosen

Dysgraphia is a lesser-known learning disability, which affects an individual’s ability to write. We previously published a guest blog post by a student with dysgraphia. In this article from Understood.org, they provide eight examples of exercises you can do to improve handwriting if you have Dysgraphia. Handwriting specialists provided these exercises, so you can be sure they are evidence based. Most importantly, these exercises can be completed in the comfort of your home.

4)   Activities and Downloads from DyscalculiaServices.com

Dyscalculia is a learning disability that makes it difficult to understand mathematical concepts and operations, often making simple number facts daunting. Luckily, this website provides a plethora of free activities to strengthen these math skills, and the activities range all the way from counting to fractions.

5)   Ask an Autistic YouTube Channel by Amythest Schaber, @AmythestSchaber

Amythest is a young adult with Autism who makes videos explaining different aspects of ASD and how to support people with ASD. She bases her videos on research as well as her own experiences as an Autistic person. These videos are great for a teacher, family member, or friend trying to learn more about Autism. Surely almost all of your questions about Autism can be answered through this channel – Amythest covers every topic imaginable.

If you liked this digest, you might also be interested in our previous digest on evidence-based learning strategies for learning disabilities.

Every Sunday, we pick a theme and provide a curated list of links. If you have a theme suggestion, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Our 5 most recent digests can be found here:

Weekly Digest #43: Unleash Your Creativity

Weekly Digest #44: Teaching Composition

Weekly Digest #45: Dual Coding, Sketchnoting, and Aphantasia

Weekly Digest #46: Ignite Discussions in the Classroom

Weekly Digest #47: Academic Lifestyle and Self Care