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Books and Journals for Teaching Adults
with Learning Disabilities
Books
Journals
Books
Brinckerhoff, L. C., McGuire, J. M., &
Shaw, S. F. (Eds.). (2002). Postsecondary education and transition
for students with learning disabilities (2nd ed.). Austin, TX:
Pro-Ed.
Although primarily geared toward students attending or planning to attend college, this book offers excellent chapters that provide information on judicial intent and legal precedents, the assessment of learning disabilities, the process of providing accommodations, and the use of assistive technology for students with learning disabilities.
Citro, T. (Ed.). (1999). Successful lifetime management: Adults with learning disabilities. Washington, D.C.: Learning Disabilities Association of America.
The book provides articles written by experts in the field of adult learning disabilities and addresses such topics as assessment and diagnosis, understanding your learning disability, impact of the LD on adult social relationships, impact of LD in the workplace, legal issues, and success in educational environments. It provides helpful information for educators and for adults with learning disabilities themselves.
Crawford, V. (2002). Embracing the monster: Overcoming the challenges of hidden disabilities. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
Veronica Crawford describes her life experiences of living with learning disabilities, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. She describes her struggles in school, at work, and in her personal relationships, as will as her resourcefulness as she learns to confront and accept her disabilities. A noted expert on these types of disabilities, Dr. Larry B. Silver, concludes each chapter with information on what can be done to help individuals with learning disabilities lead more positive and productive lives.
Nolting, P. D. (2000). Mathematics and learning disabilities handbook: Guide to processing deficits and accommodations. Bradenton, FL: Academic Success Press, Inc.
The handbook provides information on the processing deficits that cause learning disabilities and their effects on mathematics learning, as well as specific learning strategies and accommodations that compensate for the specific processing deficits. The author provides case studies that illustrate some of the difficulties students with learning disabilities in the area of mathematics have and gives teachers ideas for instructional strategies and accommodations to use in each case.
Rodis, P., Garrod, A., & Boscardin, M. L. (Eds.). (2001). Learning disabilities and life stories. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
The book offers memorable autobiographical essays by individuals with learning disabilities that makes vivid and concrete the many issues raised by learning disabilities. The essays provide the readers with first person accounts that convey how learning disabilities are experienced by those who have them. It also offers further insight and guidance through a closing set of essays by scholars from the field of education and psychology in which the writers provide teachers, school counselors, and parents with pragmatic suggestions for what they might do to improve the lives of persons with learning disabilities.
Roffman, A. J. (2000). Meeting the challenge of learning disabilities in adulthood. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
The author explores the impact of LD within the various domains of adult life and offers strategies for the management of many of the challenges that arise. Throughout the book, the author uses stories and quotes from in-depth interviews she completed with a diverse group of individuals with learning disabilities. These adults describe how they have dealt with their disabilities at work and at home. The ten chapters discuss the challenges and positive strategies in a wide range of areas, including overall mental health, day-to-day life, dating, employment, and parenting. It offers practical tips to help adults with LD identify and capitalize on their strengths and achieve a better quality of life.
Shapiro, J. & Rich, R. (Eds.). (1999). Facing learning disabilities in the adult years: Understanding dyslexia, ADHD, assessment, interventions, and research. London: Oxford University Press.
The authors offer current information and strategies of action for adults diagnosed with learning disabilities. They define the problems, address the assessment and diagnosis issues and controversies, and then offer discussions of instructional approaches, vocational services, research, and legal issues relevant to adults with learning disabilities.
Smith, C. R. (2003). Learning disabilities: The interaction of students and their environments (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
The book is primarily geared for future teachers of students with learning disabilities but is helpful for current professionals as it provides over 60 real-life vignettes and numerous LD simulations to give the reader a feel for what having a learning disability might be like. In addition, it provides chapters that cover the history of the field, definition and identification of LD, and two separate chapters devoted to instructional strategies.
Smith, S. L. (2005). Live it, Learn it: The academic club methodology for students with learning disabilities and ADHD. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Company.
The author describes an approach to improve school success for students with LD and/or ADHD called "Academic Clubs," a learning-by-doing approach. The book discusses how to immerse students in any subject using drama, sculpture, music, and other art forms.
Strichart, S. S. & Mangrum, C. T. (2002). Teaching learning strategies and study skills to students with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, or special needs (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
The book and an accompanying CD-ROM assessment provide a comprehensive program for helping students with learning disabilities develop the learning strategies and study skills necessary for success in school. The chapters cover such skills as remembering information, reading and taking notes from textbooks, interpreting graphic aids, preparing for and taking tests, using reference sources, and learning word meanings. The CD provides a brief assessment covering the strategies taught in the book and provides a diagnostic profile for individualizing instruction on the various strategies.
Vogel, S. & Reder, S. (Eds.). (1998). Learning disabilities, literacy, and adult education. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Company.
The authors provide chapters related to literacy and adults with LD, including topics on screening and assessment, instructional strategies, employment, personal perspectives, and legal aspects. It concludes with a chapter addressing future directions in learning disabilities, literacy, and adult education.
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Journals
The journals listed below often
contain articles relevant to adult students in literacy educational
environments. They offer reports of research studies, teaching
strategies and resources, and some information on adults with learning
disabilities. Many of them have full text articles that can be accessed
and printed from a computer.
Adult Basic Education
Adult Basic Education is a scholarly journal with a practical intent devoted to improving the efforts of adult educators working with low-literate, educationally disadvantaged, and educationally oppressed people. It is a peer reviewed journal published three times per year.
Adult Learning
Adult Learning has practical articles of interest pertaining to adult and continuing education for both educators and learners. It is a peer reviewed journal published four times per year.
Adults Learning
Adults Learning is published in the United Kingdom and contains in-depth and topical articles written by leading practitioners and experts in adult learning. It is published ten times per year and is not a peer reviewed journal.
Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy
The Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy is intended as an open forum for the literacy and language arts education of older learners. Its goals are to encourage innovative ways of teaching and studying literacy, as well as to address problems faced by educators. It provides practical, classroom-tested ideas grounded in sound research and theory. It is peer reviewed and is published eight times per year.
Learning Disabilities Research and Practice
Learning Disabilities Research and Practice features information regarding practices related to identification, assessment, placement, teacher training, and service delivery systems. Although geared primarily toward school age students with learning disabilities, many of the articles on strategies and teaching are appropriate for older learners struggling to read and write effectively. It is peer reviewed and published four times per year.
Intervention in School and Clinic
Intervention in School and Clinic is primarily geared toward school age students, but some of the information is pertinent to the characteristics and identification of older learners with learning disabilities. It is peer reviewed and published five times per year.