From Terri Mauro,
Your Guide to Parenting Special Needs.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Teachers can be great allies in keeping your child with nonverbal learning disabilities safe and successful in school, but you'll need to make sure they have all the knowledge they need to help. Use these suggestions to create a information packet to bring educators up to speed.

Five Things Teachers Need to Know

1. Although my child's diagnosis is "nonverbal learning disability," he is in fact very verbal. His problem is with the nonverbal components of language, such as tone of voice, body language, emotion and pragmatics.

2. My child may seem deliberately clumsy or careless, but gross motor difficulties are part of her disability.

3. My child may seem deliberately rude or cruel, but a lack of understanding of social cues and other people's feelings are part of his disability as well.

4. Although my child has significant challenges, she also has many strengths. Please giver her opportunities for success in those areas.

5. Please keep the lines of communication open between our home and the school. My child needs all the adults in his life working together.

Printouts to Share with Teachers

Non-Verbal Learning Disorders
Source: Learning Disabilities Association of America

What Are Nonverbal Learning Disabilities?
Source: NLD on the Web

Nonverbal Learning Disabilities
Source: Child Study Center

Neurobehavioral Characteristics Seen in the Classroom: Developing an Educational Plan for the Student with NLD
Source: LDOnLine

Nonverbal Learning Disability
Source: Tourette Syndrome "Plus"

How to use this material
More teacher information