Originally published in TEACH Magazine, November/December 2007 Issue
By Karen Hoffmann-Zak
An inability to function socially or emotionally is as much of a learning disability as the inability to read, says acclaimed child psychologist Dr. Ross Greene. He speaks at seminars on treating behaviour problems and explosive outbursts.
“The tragedy of our time,” he says, is that few recognize and treat explosive, noncompliant behaviour as evidence of a learning disability. And so, these youth worsen rather than improve. Categorized as manipulative, unmotivated attention-seekers, they do not receive help. Withdrawal of attention, punitive actions, and rewards and consequences often further impair their lives.
Karen Hoffmann-Zak is a Toronto-based freelance writer and editor.
