Talking and understanding
Learn how to improve communication skills, self-advocate, and better understand others. Get tips for talking about learning and thinking differences like ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. Find conversation starters that can help.
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Key articles
Tips and strategies
- Quick tipRole-play conversations.
Some people need more practice with conversations. Role-play different scenarios to help make conversations easier.
- Quick tipPractice “stop, look, and listen.”
Show kids how to stop every few sentences and look to see how others in the conversation are reacting.
- Quick tipUse phrases that show attention.
People want to know that others are paying attention when they talk. Use words or phrases like “right” or “that’s great.” Mix them up to avoid saying the same thing over and over.
Podcast
How to talk to your child after a tantrum or meltdown
Talking can help you find out what caused the outburst. But timing is crucial. Learn how to tell if your child is ready to talk and what to say.
Downloads
How to respond to your child’s fearsPDF
How to tell family members about your child’s challengesPDF
Activity: Make a question jarPDF
SORRY templatePDF
More resources
All articles
- 7 secret fears about dyslexia
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- I’m having communication issues at work. What’s going on?
- Perspectives: How to make sure families of color are heard by the school
- Conversation starters for teachers to use with families
- Trouble making conversation: Why it happens
- 5 self-advocacy sentence starters for middle-schoolers with dyscalculia
- 5 self-advocacy sentence starters for grade-schoolers with dyscalculia
- Empathetic sentence starters for teachers
- Teens with ADHD and lying
- Teacher tip: Use animated videos to help your child learn to make inferences
- How having mentors can help kids who learn and think differently
- 6 common myths about nonverbal learning disabilities
- How to help if English language learners are struggling in school
- 5 things not to say to your child about going back to school
- Why do some kids always interrupt people?
- 3 ways I’m trying out Universal Design for Learning at home with my kids
- 10 things for teachers to know about English language learners
- What to say when kids fail a test
- What to do if you notice learning and thinking differences in other people’s kids
- 7 tips for talking to your child’s teacher about sensory processing challenges
- 8 tips for telling family members about your child’s challenges
- How to explain sensory processing challenges to friends and family
- 7 ways to boost your child’s vocabulary
- What is phonological awareness?
- 5 self-advocacy sentence starters for middle-schoolers with dyslexia
- Conversation tips for kids who struggle with social skills
- ADHD and oversharing
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- 6 self-advocacy sentence starters for grade-schoolers with DCD
- 5 self-advocacy sentence starters for middle-schoolers with ADHD
- 5 tips for employee communications about disability inclusion
- What is word retrieval (or word finding)?
- Why pediatricians want to know how your child is doing in school
- Teaching with empathy: Why it’s important
- Conversation starters to use with your partner about signs you’re seeing in your child
- 6 phrases to use when asking your professor for support
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- How to talk with your child about signs you’re noticing
- Why it’s important to support LGBTQIA+ kids with learning differences
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- Why kids grieve in unexpected ways
- Trouble with focus: Conversation starters to use with your child’s teacher
- Math trouble: Conversation starters to use with your child’s teacher
- Reading trouble: Conversation starters to use with your child’s teacher
- Trouble with self-control: Conversation starters to use with your child’s teacher
- 9 tips to ease tough talks with your partner about your child’s challenges
- Conversation starters for pediatricians to use with families whose kids are struggling
- How to talk to your child about learning and thinking differences
- How to talk with kids about their sibling’s challenges
- 7 tips for talking to your child’s teacher about ADHD
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- What is social communication disorder?
- Social and emotional trouble in school: 7 things to ask your child’s teachers
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- 5 conversation starters for discussing an evaluation report with teachers
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- 8 tips for talking to your child’s teacher about dyslexia
- What “I’m not a math person” means to me
- 5 self-advocacy sentence starters for grade-schoolers with dyslexia
- 5 ways a child’s issues can impact a relationship
- What to say to your child about trouble with focus
- What is auditory processing disorder?
- Classroom accommodations for auditory processing disorder
- How speech-language pathologists work with kids
- 5 self-advocacy sentence starters for middle-schoolers with DCD
- 6 ways kids use flexible thinking to learn
- How to help your child learn to read facial expressions
- How to help your child notice voice pitch and tone
- How to help your child understand body language
- 6 self-advocacy sentence starters for grade-schoolers with ADHD
- The importance of showing empathy to kids who learn and think differently
- 5 things not to say to your child about dysgraphia
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- 10 ways to improve your middle-schooler’s communication skills
- Assistive technology for auditory processing challenges
- Anxiety and slow processing speed
- How to help tweens and teens talk with friends about challenges
- Crucial conversations: Collaboration with families and educators
- 7 ways to communicate with your child without yelling
- 10 ways to improve your grade-schooler’s communication skills
- 4 tips to help Spanish-speaking families communicate with teachers
- 6 ways talking about your child’s challenges can help
- How to show empathy to your students with compassionate curiosity
- How to talk to your child about slow processing speed
- Conversation starters to use with your child’s teachers
- Video: What to do when you and your child don’t “get” each other
- 10 ways to improve your high-schooler’s communication skills
- Perspectives: Talking with kids about racial injustice
- Printable: Help families prepare for parent-teacher conferences
- Download: Parent-teacher conference surveys
- Video: The emotional journey of one family with many learning and thinking differences
- Self-advocacy sentence starters for kids who learn and think differently
- How to say it: Helping your teen manage 6 common fears about the future
- Download: Feelings wheel
- My 5 tips for talking with doctors about learning and thinking differences
- Why some kids talk nonstop
- Why kids have trouble finding the right word to say
- Why some kids don’t listen