Beyond the Label: A Guide to Unlocking a Child's Educational Potential

When a child is struggling with a learning disability or behavioral disorder, it can be overwhelming for their parents, who often do not know what to do or where to turn for help. This groundbreaking book is a "must have" for any parent, educator, or person who cares for and wants to help children who face challenges in school. It will help you to recognize the warning signs that may indicate a potential problem with a child and explain how to find the best help.

This superb guide shows you how to obtain the necessary assessment(s) that will help you to better understand a child's strengths and weaknesses. It also describes what an educational "accommodation" is and how it can serve as a bridge to learning. Every child has the legal right to fully access the learning environment and to show what they truly know when taking tests. The authors describe how accommodations specifically target a child's weaknesses in order to level the playing field in the classroom and during test taking situations. Accommodations can be as simple as giving the child extra time to finish a test or allowing them to take a test in a smaller group to minimize distractions. In addition, this handbook outlines the relevant research to help you understand the big picture of a child's learning and emotional needs.

The authors offer extensive discussion of issues such as attention and concentration, memory, executive functioning, language, visual perception and processing, emotional functioning, and social skills. Throughout, they stress that, by focusing on behaviors and not labels, you will be able to better understand the whats, whys, and hows of a child's learning and emotional challenges.

Karen L. Schiltz, PhD is an Associate Clinical Professor (volunteer) at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles. She has 25 years of experience assessing children with attention, memory, learning, and behavioral difficulties. She maintains a private practice in pediatric neuropsychology in Calabasas, California.
Amy M. Schonfeld, PhD is a clinical psychologist with a specialty in pediatric neuropsychology. Her research interests and publications have involved neuropsychological functioning and the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure.
Tara A. Niendam, PhD is an Assistant Professor at the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry. She has published multiple articles on cognition and functional outcomes in psychiatric illness.