This is Me

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This is Me

• Leigh Ann

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My LD is visual processing deficit, short term
memory deficit and ADHD

• It affects my learning because I have a hard time
  connecting meaning with symbols, ie. Words
• A short term memory deficit makes it hard to
  remember what I just read
• I have a hard time trying to stay focused on one
  topic
• Only recently diagnosed

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Stuck

• I feel like I am stuck in 1st grade when I try to
  read, trying to sound letters out and they do not
  make any sense
• Grew up hating school and reading

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My Weaknesses

• Problems in the past
• I was told I was lazy so I lived it better to be
  lazy than stupid!
• Gr. 1 teacher threw book at me for not trying
  hard enough
• Impact on my life now
• I CAN READ!!
• Marks have gone way up
• I love school

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My strengths
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Strategies I Use

• Personal strategies
• Listening to people discuss
• Summaries
• Study groups
• Traditional strategies
• Flash cards
• Cornell Note taking
• Mnemonics

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Accommodations I use

• Testing accommodations
• 1/3 extra time
• Kurzweil 3000
• textHELP Read Write
• Learning accommodations
• Typing notes in class
• Sit at the front of the class
• (get the right seat)

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Adaptive Technology

• How I use adaptive technology
• Kurzweil 3000 for reading my textbook
• textHELP Read Write to proof read my essays
  and tests
• textALOUD MP3 to convert my study notes to an
  MP3 and listen to them on my pocket PC
• Inspiration to plan and organize essays

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If I would have known

• Kurzweil is amazing
• I am not illiterate
• I am way smarter than I have ever imagined
• I can be successful in an academic
  environment

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More Advice

• Embrace how you learn. Once I stopped worrying
  about the details of trying to learn like the
  normal kids, I was free to learn and share my
  ideas.

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Suggestions for Teachers

• Having access to reading material in advance
• Kurzweil does not scan old photo copies well
• Note taking can be extremely difficult for us
• Have class notes to distribute

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Understanding

• Just because we are not paying attention in class
  does not mean we do not care