CanLearn Newsletter – March 2024

CanLearn News & Updates

Read the March 2024 CanLearn newsletter.

About Reading Comprehension Difficulties

About Reading Comprehension Difficulties

Did you know that between 10% and 15% of children and adults experience reading comprehension difficulties despite maintaining adequate levels of decoding accuracy and fluency? (Stothard & Hulme, 1995).

Reading comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading and one of the most essential learning skills. Although difficulties in decoding are a frequent cause of reading comprehension problems, between 10% and 15% of children and adults can decode words and sentences fluently; they can “read,” but they just can’t seem to remember much from the text.

Recalling specific text details is a struggle; the information read is often misconstrued. Parents and even teachers can make the mistake of assuming their child is a good reader because they can decode effortlessly when they read aloud. When decoding is strong but comprehension is weak, it is common to assume that the child “just needs more practice”.

If the reading comprehension difficulties are caught, it is often only in grade 4, often much later, if at all. At this point, reading comprehension difficulties hinder their ability to learn in all subjects, whether math class or social studies.

For example, a child with comprehension difficulties may struggle to complete a math word problem – not because math is complex, but because the reading makes it impossible to navigate math.

Learning the subject content in high school is almost impossible when there are reading comprehension deficits. At this point, many struggling readers disengage from learning and proclaim that they “just don’t care about school”.

It is common knowledge that reading problems in childhood and adolescence are associated with adverse outcomes in adulthood, including lower income, poorer self-esteem, and higher rates of health problems.

Why do children and adults struggle with reading comprehension?

The Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986) asserts that reading comprehension is the product of decoding and oral language comprehension skills. According to the Simple View of Reading, poor reading comprehension, despite adequate decoding, is associated with difficulties with oral language in the form of limited vocabulary knowledge, semantics, and syntactic understanding (i.e., grammar).

In other words, comprehension difficulties in reading are not unique to reading but are part of general language impairment. This information is crucial as it explains why, for many individuals, reading comprehension continues to be laborious despite instruction in strategies such as activating prior knowledge, predicting, visualizing, and summarizing (to name just a few), which are supposed to boost reading comprehension.

The researcher Timothy Shanahan has observed that teaching comprehension strategies reminds him of pushing the elevator button twice: it might make you feel better, but it won’t make the elevator come faster.

So, what is the best way to help children and adults improve their reading comprehension?

Relations between decoding, oral language, and reading comprehension have been extensively researched, with decoding and oral language explaining unique variances in reading comprehension. There is no simple answer to this question.

First and foremost, it is essential to identify the underlying cause of why learning or reading comprehension is so hard for the learner to find a one-on-one reading program that targets the underlying cause. This individualized and targeted approach is used in all literacy programs at CanLearn.

Nada Jerkovic
Manager, Literacy Programs, CanLearn Society

ADHD and Goals

Setting Goals for ADHD Brains

Setting realistic goals while managing challenges like ADHD requires an approach that considers your unique needs. You need a balance between what is practical and ambitious that will contribute to both attaining your goals and mental well-being. Here are some tips to help you set and achieve goals effectively:

  1. Understand Your ADHD: Recognize how ADHD impacts your daily life and mental well-being. ADHD affects everyone differently, so remember that your strengths and challenges and how it affects you is different from others. Acknowledge any specific triggers, tendencies, or patterns that might affect your goal setting and completion. For example, how important is exercise (to get the dopamine up), using a body double (to help you focus on the task), or writing down a task in smaller chunks (to help with getting started and staying on task)? What do you need to do differently?
  2. Keep Goals Clear and Manageable: Break down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks. Try setting specific, bite-sized points that are easier to focus on and accomplish. This can help stop the feeling of being overwhelmed or scattered. Or you can try turning this around and write down each task that you complete to create your Ta-Da list. Long lists don’t often work for ADHD brains and can also lead to feeling overwhelmed. Try to keep your expectations realistic, and don’t compare yourself to others.
  3. Prioritize and Organize: Yes, using a system that works for you helps and can positively impact your self-esteem! Many ADHD brains find strategies like to-do or ta-da lists, planners, or digital apps can help to organize tasks and priorities. Structure is often a bugbear with ADHD brains, but know that building routines and creating daily or weekly plans can help manage ADHD symptoms and help you achieve your goals. Try changing things up and build a flow chart of tasks, or let your creativity help you determine what will work well for you.
  4. Time Management Techniques: It’s common knowledge that ADHD can make time management challenging. Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique (working in short bursts with breaks) can work well. Try gamifying it by setting a timer for 15 minutes and see how much you can accomplish. Or set an alarm or reminders to help you to stay on track with tasks. Try listening to music, a podcast, or an audiobook to keep your brain from slipping into “I’m bored.”
  5. Be Realistic and Flexible: Set goals that challenge you but are also realistic. Understand that flexibility is key. Some days might be more challenging than others, and it’s okay to adjust your goals or expectations accordingly. If you got one thing done, celebrate that. We’re human, and some days just aren’t as productive as others.
  6. Utilize Support Systems: Seek support from friends, family, counselling, or an ADHD coach. Having someone to check in with or provide encouragement can be invaluable in staying motivated and accountable. I mentioned using a body double before, so if you have friends or family who can fill that position, take advantage of it. Using an ADHD coach can help you look beyond the challenges and learn to harness the superpower in your ADHD brain.
  7. Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself if you face setbacks. ADHD can make consistency difficult at times. Instead of dwelling on perceived failures, focus on progress and what you’ve accomplished. Perfectionism can be a side effect of an ADHD brain, and that often comes from feelings of shame or low self-confidence. Don’t compare yourself to others. Instead, look at your accomplishments and use sticky notes to remind yourself of your strengths and those moments when you were proud of what you accomplished.
  8. Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small. Positive reinforcement can motivate you to keep moving forward. I often get ADHD brains to do an exercise I learned about in my training as a coach called ‘Magical Moments on the Mountain.’ It’s about looking for those moments and achievements when you could throw your hands in the air and shout, ‘I did it!’ What are your moments on the mountain?

Remember, managing ADHD and setting goals is a journey. It’s crucial to embrace patience and perseverance. It’s about steady progress rather than perfection. Experiment with different strategies and find what works best for you. If you need help, don’t hesitate to seek out counselling, an ADHD Coach or support groups specifically tailored for ADHD management—they can provide valuable insights and strategies.

 

January 27 – Family Literacy Day

January 27 – Family Literacy Day


Family Literacy Day (FLD) is a national initiative by ABC Life Literacy Canada. It was created in 1999 to inspire a love for learning and literacy in families. Each year, on January 27, literacy organizations, libraries, and schools host events and activities to celebrate this initiative. In 2024, Family Literacy Day will mark its 25th anniversary.

The theme this year is “Let’s Have a Family Party”. ABC Life Literacy Canada encourages families to celebrate by making food, singing songs, and playing games. They will present a virtual event on January 27th with FLD Honorary Chair Barbara Reid as part of the celebrations. You can register here.

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” says children’s book author Emilie Buchwald. This simple advice can be challenging for families to follow. Too often, reading and learning together as a family takes a backseat to hectic family lives. Electronic devices are increasingly pulling both children and adults away from reading books. Too much emphasis is often placed on developing reading skills rather than reading for pleasure. Left to our devices (pun intended), children and adults are bound to drift toward screens. Our emails, texts, and social media still deliver words, and we know that with the help of apps, websites, and other digital resources, children can learn about anything they are interested in, from animals and plants to history and outer space. While digital resources are valuable for acquiring knowledge, they cannot replicate the joy derived from reading a physical book.

CanLearn will celebrate Family Literacy Day throughout January by sharing book recommendations with our families, learners, and clients.

The Witch’s Cat and The Cooking Catastrophe: A Fantastical Tale of Magic, Mischief, and Mishap is an excellent book for young readers. This funny and heart-warming story is fun to read aloud, with many opportunities for children to join in and guess what happens next.

Becoming Better Grownups is a beautifully illustrated adult book. It shares the messages we can all discover merely by listening and reveals that – in a world in its current state – the secret to well-being is to become more childlike.

DID YOU KNOW?
The first family literacy program at CanLearn was developed and implemented in 1996. Since then, more than 12,000 families have benefited from our family literacy programs!

WHAT BOOK DO YOU RECOMMEND?
Whether it’s a children’s book, fiction, fantasy, crime, history, chick lit, a current bestseller, or any other genre, please share with us what you’re currently reading. You can share on social media with the hashtag #CanLearnSociety or comment below.

Nada Jerkovic
Manager, Literacy Programs

FREE December Webinars on ADHD

December Webinars on ADHD – And They’re FREE!

When It’s Tough to Make Friends: Self-Regulation Strategies that Work
December 12 from 6:00 – 7:30 PM
Presented by Neva Capin and Dr. Heather Baker

We are excited to offer a webinar focused on supporting your child as they navigate friendships. This workshop is perfect for parents, guardians and other adults involved in children’s support groups. Come and learn about some foundational social-emotional strategies and how kids can use these strategies while they are making friends and working through all the ups and downs of peer relationships. We will also discuss ways parents/guardians/support adults can help their kids use these strategies in their daily lives.

 

ADHD Throughout the Lifespan – Navigating Adulthood with ADHD
December 18 from 6:00 – 7:30 PM
Presented by Neva Capin and Dr. Heather Baker

Although there has been a concerted shift to understand better the challenges and opportunities encountered by adults with ADHD, there is much left to uncover. Significant life milestones and transitions happen throughout adulthood, which can be impacted by ADHD symptoms. This presentation provides an insight into ADHD throughout the lifespan, specifically focusing on adulthood. Emerging research highlighting the unique ways ADHD can impact an individual’s life is presented. Examples from clinical cases are presented to bring life and context to these challenges and strengths. Attendees will leave with an appreciation of how ADHD presents differently in adulthood. In addition, attendees will have a better understanding of how common co-morbid conditions, such as anxiety, mood and learning challenges, can significantly impact or affect an individual’s ability to cope with ADHD.

Both workshops will be held on Zoom. Contact [email protected] for more information.