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Home : Programs
and Services : Community-Based
Connections Programs
Community-Based Connections Programs
LDA Minnesota's community-based programs are services offered
through partnerships with community agencies and local
schools. Currently, LDA Minnesota has two community-based programs
that offer services for children and youth in the Minneapolis
area, the Learning Connections Program and the School-to-Work
Transition Program. LDA Minnesota also engages in Public Education
& Outreach to help raise awareness about learning disabilities
and related learning difficulties.
Learning Connections Program
The Learning Connections Program is a collaborative
partnership with Twin Cities communities and elementary
schools with the shared goal of promoting literacy and
learning success for children at-risk for reading failure.
Working together with parents, teachers and volunteers
for more than 6 years, LDA Minnesota has successfully replicated this
model program with a total of 11 partners. The Learning
Connections Program provides:
- An intensive, individualized and hands-on approach
to reading instruction for children with low reading
skills and reading disabilities
- Parent education and/or involvement through parent
workshops, support groups, or family literacy activities
with their children
- Teacher and volunteer training to build their capacity
to improve reading instruction and behavior management
for children with low reading skills and reading disabilities.
LDA Minnesota's current partners include:
- Anishinabe Academy
- Lyndale
- Bryn Mawr
- Parkview
- Lucy Laney
- Northport
- Earle Brown
- Bethune
- Risen Christ
- CHOF – Christ Household of Faith
- San Miguel
Download Learning Connections brochure.
Parents as Partners
Helping Families Support School
Success
Research shows that parents’ involvement
with their child’s learning is key to a child’s
academic success. The Parents as Partners Program empowers
parents to become more involved and better equipped
to support their children’s learning. Parents as
Partners will access parents’ existing strengths
by first helping parents identify what they already
do that is working to support their child. The program
builds parent confidence to use their own strategies
and then empowers them with new tools, strategies, skills,
and practical information sensitive to their culture
and life situations.
Download Parents as Partners brochure.
Click
here for the home/school checklist to document strategies
that work at home and school.
1. Family Fun Nights
Bring the whole family together for an evening of fun,
food, and learning. We make it easy by providing a meal
and educational activities for the whole family. Our
games and activities provide parents with fun and easy
ways to help their children build language and math
skills at home. Families can take their games home to
be used again and again.
2. Parent Workshops at Partnership Sites
Workshops are 1-2 hours and include a presentation by
an expert, discussion with parents, and referral to
resources. We will also prepare customized workshops
for other appropriate topics. Current topics include:
- Helping your child with reading
- Helping your child with homework
- How to communicate with your child’s teacher
- Tips for helping your child prepare for the MCA’s
- What is a learning disability?
3. ADHD Support Services
LDA Minnesota now offers a comprehensive menu of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) service for individuals, couples, and families looking for support and resources to overcome the daily challenges and concerns living with ADHD. Whether you are new or very familiar with ADHD, our services are tailored to meet your needs and schedules.
ADHD Services Include:
COUNSELING FOR INDIVIDUALS, COUPLES, OR FAMILIES
Hour-long sessions are available to discuss issues related to ADHD or ADD that are interfering with life success. Clients receive guidance in examining their concerns, take stock of resources, and set realistic goals. Service and number of sessions are customized to meet each client’s needs. Available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, by appointment.
THURSDAY MORNING ADULT SUPPORT GROUP for adults 18+
Join other adults with ADHD who face similar challenges that friends and family might not understand. This discussion group provides an open and confidential opportunity to meet others with ADHD and share strategies to manage the challenges of ADHD. This group is for adults who would benefit from regular support. Group meets weekly every Thursday from 10am -12pm. Open to any adult in the community. New topics each week. No pre-registration required. First session FREE of charge.
MONTHLY ADULT SUPPORT GROUP
A new topic opens discussion for each support group, followed by group sharing and support to learn strategies, gain new outlooks, ask questions, and deepen understanding of ADHD concerns. Support group meets the first Monday evening of every month.
PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH ADD/ADHD - 6 WEEK SERIES
Parents of children with an attention disorder can benefit by sharing their struggles and success stories with parents facing similar challenges. Weekly topics enrich understanding of attention disorders as they affect family interactions, promote problem solving, and seek positive outcomes.
SPOUSES AND PARTNERS OF ADULTS WITH ADD/ADHD - 6 WEEK SERIES
This series assists those in a primary relationship with an adult who has ADD or ADHD to understand what their spouse or partner is experiencing. Participants learn strategies to provide support to their spouse or partner, to cope with the stress of being on the receiving end of ADHD behavior, and ultimately to maintain a healthy relationship.
COUPLES TALKING CIRCLES - 4 WEEK SERIES
Couple Talk is a place to speak and be heard and supported. The group follows the "talking stick" tradition wherein each person will be able to speak, without interruption, what is on their heart, for their partner and the circle to listen. Everyone will have time to speak. As appropriate, specific topics may be woven into the conversation by the facilitator. First session is held at LDA Minnesota offices; remaining sessions held conveniently in your home via conference call. Couples may repeat as often as they wish.
PROJECT PLANNING AND COMPLETION
Three key elements to finishing a project are managing time, information, and "stuff." In this coaching group, explore strategies, systems, and tricks to manage all of the these things in a way that is consistent with how your mind works. The group uses the Taming ADD workbook and role-plays to learn management skills, while having fun along the way. Group is limited to 10 participants. First and last sessions are held at LDA Minnesota offices; remaining sessions held conveniently in your own home via conference call.
EXPERT RESOURCES
LDA Minnesota is host to the annual ADHD Fall Symposium and Spring Conference. Experts speak on all aspects of ADHD, including a Q & A panel discussion. Visit our website for current information.
Download ADHD Support Services brochure.
For more information or to register for any of these services, please contact LDA Client Services at info@ldaminnesota.org or call 952.582.6000. All services take place at LDA Minnesota unless otherwise noted.
4. Parent-to-Parent Problem-Solving Sessions
Moderated discussions focused on issues which are identified
by parents regarding specific academic achievement or
behavior-related topics.
5. Parent Mentors
Trained providers offer peer support to other parents.
Resources include information fact sheets, LDA Minnesota’s
website, and parent consultations. Consultations can
be made by phone, at home, or by e-mail. We will connect
parents to talk about a variety of topics including:
- Your child’s behavior
- Communicating with your child
- Helping your child succeed in school
Let us know if you are interested in talking to a parent
mentor, or becoming a parent mentor yourself. Please
call LDA Minnesota at 952.922.8374.
6. Parent Advisory Council
Provides guidance in development planning for parent-to-parent
problem solving, workshop activities, and networks with
local resource organizations. Serves as a clearinghouse
to find solutions to unaddressed needs or barriers to
participation. Assists in evaluation planning for program
activities. LDA Minnesota is currently seeking passionate parents
to participate in the Advisory Council.
For more information and learn how you can get involved
in the Parents as Partners Program, please contact Susan
Hallam, Parents as Partners Manager, 952.922.8374 x3723
or E-mail at sh@ldaminnesota.org.
Parents as Partners activities are also offered
in Spanish
Early Literacy Program
Building Successful Readers
“The single most significant factor influencing
a child’s early educational success is an introduction
to books and being read to at home prior to beginning
school.” --National Commission on Reading
The Early Literacy program at LDA Minnesota is a new initiative
that is based on early childhood research. The program
prepares parents through workshops, practical hands-on
strategies, and literacy materials to support their
child’s early reading skill development. It supports
childcare professionals through training and materials
to encourage parents’ efforts at home and incorporate
early literacy strategies throughout their program.
We also collaborate with childcare centers in the metro
area to implement the Raising A Reader take-home book
bag program to support early literacy.
The program’s major goal is to support the early
literacy development of pre-school children so they
will be better prepared to succeed in school and ready
for kindergarten.
- Provide opportunities for exposure to books and
language for children before entering elementary school.
- Empower parents with family literacy strategies
and materials to use at home.
- Serve as a community resource for early literacy
and support child care providers in implementing early
literacy activities in their programs.
- Disseminate a “Literacy Benchmarks” document
to track each child’s progress and help parents
identify targeted interventions to support each child’s
reading development.
- Reaches out to low-income families and those with
limited literacy or English proficiency.
- Strategies for parents who do not read English are
included in parent trainings.
What is Raising A Reader?
Raising A Reader is a take-home book bag program focused
on increasing children’s exposure to books and
reading before they enter Kindergarten. Each week book
bags filled with a variety of books, including multi-cultural
and multi-lingual vocabulary-building materials, go
home from school. Parents are trained in fun, interactive
ways to share books with their children, and the book
bag and its contents become a child’s favorite
toy. The result is an irresistible request: “Please
read to me!”
Access to books is essential to reading development.
In fact, the only behavioral measure that correlates
significantly with reading scores is the number of books
in the home. However, children from low-income families
have extremely limited access to books. A recent study
shows that while in middle-income neighborhoods the
ratio of age-appropriate books per child is 13 to 1,
in low-income neighborhoods, the ratio is 1 book for
every 300 children.
We are currently seeking to expand our community partnerships.
For more information on the Early Literacy program or
how to collaborate with us, please contact Sandy Ditmarsen,
Early Literacy Coordinator, at 952-922-8374 x3722 or
E-mail sd@ldaminnesota.org.
Public Education & Outreach
LDA Minnesota's Public Education & Outreach is provided through
its communication materials, information and referral
services, educational conferences, and seminars. LDA Minnesota's
goal is to provide quality information and training
to parents, teachers, professionals, and the general
public on learning disabilities (LD) or related learning
difficulties so that they become more knowledgeable
about LD and the resources available for people with
LD.
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