Learning differences may be more common than you think.
“One in every five people in this country are affected by a learning difference of some kind,” said Kerri Benson, Executive Director of the Key Center for Learning Differences.
The key is, noticing those learning differences in your own child, especially when it comes to more students planning to learn from home for the start of the school year.
“In Tarrant County alone, there are 78,000 children in the schools here affected by learning differences,” Benson said. “A lot of times these are children who could be labeled as lazy, but they aren’t. It’s about educating and empowering the families and the children to advocate for themselves.”
Whether inside or outside the school setting, the Key Center for Learning Differences provides at-cost and free resources for families in need of help, especially in the area of dyslexia.
“Eighty percent of reading disorders are dyslexia. We work every day trying to tackle the issue through community-based programs and the navigation institute. We should these families different ways they can help their children learn. Especially when it comes to dyslexia, which is neurological in origin. But in order to get these students help, it must be identified,” Benson said.
They offer free seminars for families and educators getting a glimpse into the life of a child dealing with learning differences. There are several free resources and worksheets on their website that can also help with distance learning.
The Key Center for Learning Differences is an extension of The Key School in Fort Worth that has been a mainstay in that community for more than 50 years.
