About
Contact Information:
Producer: Whitney S. Hoffman
email: ldpodcast at gmail dot com
voicemail: 302.482.4599
skype: Whitney.Hoffman
Twitter: ldpodcast
What is the LD Podcast?
The LD Podcast is a weekly podcast about all aspects of learning disabilities and kids who struggle in school. We interview educators, authors, doctors and professionals who work with children who are having some trouble in school or have developmental delays, whether or not they have a diagnosis of a specific learning disability. Most importantly, we also talk to other parents who have kids with learning disabilities and have tread down this often confusing path before, to help you make sense of this world, and how you can best help your child.
One of the most important parts about the podcast is building a community. When your child is having problems and seems to just hate school, doesn’t like to read, or isnt as successful at school as you think they could be, we offer strategies and tips to help you help your child. We also provide links to online resources, books, and other information you can use to help your child today.
Learning how to learn is the best gift we can give to anyone, child or adult. Education isn’t just about children, it’s about you, too. You need to understand how your child thinks and learns, so you can help them reach their potential. The first step is understanding how your child views the world, and then providing them with the tools they need to be successful. Without these tools, kids often give up on themselves and stop trying, thinking it is simply no use. This sense of hopelessness is the most destructive part of having a learning difference- it defeats a child before they even start to try.
Our goal through this podcast is to help you understand that whether you call it a learning difference, learning disability, developmental delay, or school struggles, all of these terms mean a child does not seem to fit in well at school. And while no one will say for sure what the root cause of learning disabilities are, we do know that they reflect a difference in the neurological wiring of a child. Each child has their own individual brain, a product of their genetics and experiences over time. Childhood is also a developmental process, during which a child will grow and change, and their ability to think and learn will be affected by how they view the learning process. We hope to help you help your child to love learning, and to be successful. As Dr. Mel Levine has so eloquently put it, “Success is a vitamin” that is absolutely necessary for the proper growth and development of children. Let’s help them be successful!
Hi! I’m Whitney Hoffman and the creator of the LD Podcast. I have two sons, both with learning differences, ages 11 and 8. Besides being a mom, I am also an attorney, aspiring writer and professional pediatric logistic specialist. It’s my hope that you’ll find the LD Podcast, fun, informative, and even entertaining. We’re sharing information, advice, and just girl talk about our kids and experiences, hoping you’ll find it helpful and worthwhile. Please let us know how we’re doing in the forums or by emailing us at ldpodcast at gmail dot com.
Contributors
Sharon Martin
Masters in Education, Speech Language-Pathology
Licensed in Georgia, Member of ASHA, NSSHLA, GOSSLP
Sharon joined the LD Podcast as a regular contributor in the summer of 2008. Sharon has worked with special need students, ranging from profound/severely impaired to mild articulation disorders. Her work includes students with learning disabilities, language impairments, autism, down syndrome, mitochondria, CP, cochlear implants, apraxia phonological processing disorders and emotional behavioral disorders. Sharon has participated in specialized training and tasks forces involved with Response to Intervention (RTI), literacy/language interventions, and special education regulation.
Sharon is also a regular member of The DIvaCast, a podcast discussing life issues with five close friends.
Melody Ruth
Melody Ruth will be a frequent contributor to LD Podcast. Melody has a son with Asperger’s Syndrome, and works evenings to make sure she can be a Mom during the day. Besides being a great friend and fellow knitter, Melody has a degree in Special Education and has worked with Group Homes and helping people with various disabilities for years. Her sense of humor is wonderful!