It's So Much Work to Be Your Friend: Helping the Child with Learning Disabilities Find Social Success

This book is the leader’s discussion guide for the F.A.T. City Workshop (opens in a new window). This important program looks at the world through the eyes of a learning-disabled child by taking you to a unique workshop attended by parents, educators, psychologists and social workers. There they join in a series of classroom activities which, cause frustration, anxiety and tension — emotions all too familiar to the student with a learning disability.

Backed by decades of experience in the classroom, Lavoie explodes common myths and gives specific advice for motivating children with learning disabilities. He outlines parents’ and teachers’ roles, suggesting ways in which they can work together to encourage any child to reach his or her potential. Finally, he reveals what we can learn from some of the most powerful motivators in the world: advertisers. With empathy and understanding, Lavoie offers parents and teachers the key to unlocking enthusiasm and responsiveness, proving any child can be motivated to learn.

This book identifies the six attributes that lead to success for children with learning disabilities — self-awareness, proactivity, perseverance, goal-setting, social support systems, and emotional coping strategies — and presents structured activities that foster those traits in students. Each of the 60 fun, ready-to-use activities contains a lesson plan and reproducible student worksheet, complete with modifications, accommodations, and helpful teaching tips.