Life Success
For Students With Learning Disabilities:
A Parent Guide

Self-Awareness

My child... Is aware of his/her academic strengths Is aware of his/her academic weaknesses Is aware of his/her non-academic strengths Is aware of his/her non-academic weaknesses Is aware of his/her special talents and abilities Is aware of his/her feelings, opinions, and values Is able to match activities to strengths Understands his/her specific learning disability Accepts his/her learning disability Is able to "compartmentalize" Uses strategies to work around the learning disability

Research suggests that self-awareness is made up of a number of components. These components must be addressed in any effort to enhance the self-awareness of children with learning disabilities. Note they deal with both general self-awareness and awareness related specifically to the learning disability.

General Self-Awareness
In order to develop self-awareness, persons with learning disabilities need to:

• Understand what self-awareness is and its importance;
• Develop awareness of personal strengths, weaknesses, and talents in various settings (not only school);
• Gain awareness of their feelings, opinions, and personal values and how they relate to those of others;
• Develop their own definition of success;
• Develop "niche-picking skills" (matching their abilities to specific settings).

Learning Disability Awareness
In order to develop self-awareness, persons with learning disabilities need
to:

• Develop an understanding of their specific learning disability and how it may affect their life;
• Develop awareness of successful coping strategies to compensate for their learning disability;
• Learn to accept and compartmentalize their learning disability.

Far too often, the development of self-awareness focuses almost entirely on academic performance at school. However, in order to gain the highest level of self-awareness and acceptance, an individual must understand his or her strengths, weaknesses, special talents, desires, fears, and beliefs in a number of areas. These include:

• Psychological/emotional;
• Physical;
• Social;
• Educational;
• Communicative;
• Philosophical (personal values, ethics).

In order to foster general and specific learning disability self-awareness, the following activities are recommended.

GENERAL ACTIVITIES FOR FOSTERING SELF-AWARENESS Work with your child to develop and discuss lists of his or her individual strengths, weaknesses, and special talents or interests. Consider all areas, not just school-related. Use the words "strength," "weakness," "limitations," and "special talents" to describe the behavior of all members of your family. Arrange for your child to talk to adults with learning disabilities about their experiences -- both struggles and triumphs. If you have a learning disability yourself, share your own feelings, experiences, and thoughts. Help your child choose potential jobs and careers that best match his or her abilities and discuss relevant choices.

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