“Dis is Wat it Mus Be Like!” Learning Disabilities from the Inside Out!

This powerful workshop will dispel the myths and provide a concrete overview of some of the most common learning difficulties faced by so many children in our day cares and classrooms today. Through a variety of interactive activities, participants will have the opportunity to experience first-hand what it must be like to actually have a learning disability of their own! Together we will look at Visual/Spatial Perception Deficits, Auditory Language Processing Difficulties, Conceptual Challenges, Attention Deficit Disorders, Autism, and Childhood Anxiety. As well, we’ll look at a wide range of strategies, accommodations, and alternative methodology that can be used, in order to build a child’s self-esteem, demystify their struggles, and maximize opportunities for social, emotional, and academic success.
As an educator for both the school and public health systems, Simmy feels privileged to have worked with, taught, counselled, and supported children with special needs and their families for over 35 years. Through an array of workshops and speaking engagements, she is delighted to now bring her extensive experience to teachers, ECEs, administrators, parents, and healthcare professionals across the country. Simmy is currently working on a book which will encapsulate her training workshops and provide practical, well-honed strategies for promoting success for children of all ages. Besides Simmy’s active teaching and consulting career, she enjoys a busy family life in Toronto Ontario, where she is a well-known local storyteller, avid painter, and the proud mom of two wonderful young men.