Self-confidence comes from knowing what you do well and using your unique strengths to accomplish your goals. Building successful social relationships may require that you use a different set of skills that may also be affected by your disability, such as the following:
Language Skills
Many people with learning disabilities have difficulty choosing the right time to speak, finding the right words or understanding what is being said. This may make it difficult to understand jokes, make quick responses in a fast-paced conversation, or offer questions or comments in return.
Reading Non-Verbal Information
People also communicate using facial expressions or tone of voice. They send messages, or signals, in the way they use their eyes or hold their body. These signals contain important non-verbal information. If you have LD, you may have trouble "picking up" and responding to a message that is being sent in a non-verbal manner.
Reading Different Situations
It takes experience and careful observation to learn what is socially acceptable in different situations. The way you talk to friends at a party is different from the way you answer questions at a job interview. A conversation on a first date is different from a conversation with a friend. Some people with LD have difficulty changing the way they talk and act in different situations. This can cause problems and misunderstandings.
Impulsivity
Knowing when to contribute to a conversation can be challenging for some people. Some individuals with LD are unusually impulsive in conversation and may tend to interrupt or blurt out an idea that might better be left unsaid. If you have LD, you may feel a need to immediately say what is on your mind from fear of losing your train of thought. And talking too much or at the wrong times can put a strain on relationships at school and at work.
How does the process of learning affect a child's emotions, specifically children with learning disabilities? Contrary to what many might think, learning is not only a cognitive experience. More >
NCLD was a lead supporter of this eye-opening documentary. In this emotional interview, Lee Hirsch talks about the problem of bullying and how it relates to LD. More >
The Nature of Learning Disabilities
One of the hallmark features of learning disabilities (LD) is inconsistent performance. Research studies with children, adolescents and adults with LD frequently point to sometimes erratic and often confusing profiles of individuals who seem to b... More >
Any of this sound familiar? Your child's teacher tells you that your son is having trouble sitting still in class…Every day, homework turns into a teary-eyed, hair-pulling, paper-tearing tug o' war…Your teen is caught painting graffiti on the bathroom wall…You may be baffled by ... More >
As young children, we develop what are known as “scripts,” or abstract descriptions of a series of actions or events that are necessary to achieve an objective. Typical scripts a child may have include:
The format for a birthday party (i.e., you arrive, play games with others, ... More >
Thinking back on this past calendar year and the scores of studies and texts that I've read (OK, maybe skimmed) covering dozens of important topics, I am reminded of how frequently I found myself nodding my head in agreement with Dr. Samuel Kirk's observation of more than 30 years ag... More >
Children with learning disabilities (LD) grow up to be adults with LD. That is, many of the difficulties experienced in childhood continue throughout adulthood. Even so, some people with LD follow a life path that leads them to success. They become productive members of society. They ... More >
My child is struggling 
Now that my child has 
