Programs

Programs

Stepping Toward Success

LDA Wellington County is excited to be able to provide a breadth of fantastic programming and support modules to help children and youth with learning disabilities find their path to success!
*Please note that our programs are not structured for individuals that have been diagnosed/identified with an intellectual disability or have significant behavioural support needs. While exceptionalities such as Autism, Mild Intellectual Disability, etc. may impact an individual’s learning, a Learning Disability is a specific impairment and is distinct from these and other exceptionalities. More information on what constitutes a learning disability is available here.
Reading Rocks is an 8-week, one-on-one literacy program for children aged 6-12, who require support with their literacy skills. Children are matched with a trained tutor who will develop hands-on activities and games to teach the essential literacy concepts of phonics, sight words, and fluency, while building children’s motivation and fostering self-regulation. Each evening, children work with their tutors to set goals and graph their success in these areas. One of the aims of Reading Rocks is to make reading fun!

For: Children aged 6-12, who have a suspected or diagnosed learning disability/ADHD and are struggling readers.

*Please note that we will offer as many spaces for students as we are able to. Acceptance into the program is not first come/first served. Our program relies on volunteer tutors, and we work very hard to match their skills with the needs of individual students. Also, as we continue to strive to keep this a free program, spaces are limited to the amount of funding we have.

Take a second to browse parent testimonials about their childs’ Reading Rocks! experience and see the impact this program can have for children who require support to improve their literacy skills. We also encourage you to read this journal article about the measurable benefits of the Reading Rocks! program from the American Journal of Applied Psychology.

Winter 2025 Reading Rocks! Program Dates & Registration

February 3 - April 7

Mondays & Wednesdays
6:30pm - 7:30pm

Mondays & Wednesdays
6:30pm - 7:30pm

Tuesdays & Thursdays
6:30pm - 7:30pm

Tuesdays & Thursdays
6:30pm - 7:30pm

Location TBD
East Guelph

Session A

Mondays & Wednesdays

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Location TBD
South Guelph

Session B

Mondays & Wednesdays

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Location TBD
West Guelph

Session C

Tuesdays & Thursdays

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Location TBD
North Guelph

Session D

Tuesdays & Thursdays

6:30pm - 7:30pm

J D Hogarth Public School
Fergus

Session E

Tuesdays & Thursdays

6:30pm - 7:30pm

*Registration for enrolling your child into the Winter Program is now open. Times provided above are tentative. Volunteer tutor applications can be submitted at any time.

For more program information, please email the program coordinator at [email protected]. If you are interested in supporting this program through a donation or sponsorship for the 2024-2025 school year, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

JFR Partners With Reading Rocks!

LDAWC has partnered with John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational Institute for their Reading Rocks! program and is looking for University of Guelph students to volunteer as tutors. For more information on how to apply, click on the button below.

Program Dates 2024

JFR Partnership With Reading Rocks!

LDAWC has partnered with John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational Institute for their Reading Rocks! program and is looking for University of Guelph students to volunteer as tutors. For more information on how to apply, click on the button below.

Program Dates 2024

The Social Skills program is an 8-week, small group learning initiative for children aged 6-12, with the goal of assisting in the development of social skills and social problem-solving strategies, while also promoting self-esteem and self-advocacy in a supportive environment. The program focuses on several key elements: encouraging friendships, positive emotional behaviours, effective communication, comprehension of social norms, assisting in non-verbal communication including body language and and unspoken rules, promoting self-esteem and confidence, and developing social skills, life skills, and problem solving strategies.

The Social Skills program is an 8-week, small group learning initiative for children aged 6-12, with the goal of assisting in the development of social skills and social problem-solving strategies, while also promoting self-esteem and self-advocacy in a supportive environment.

The program focuses on several key elements: encouraging friendships, positive emotional behaviours, effective communication, comprehension of social norms, assisting in non-verbal communication including body language and and unspoken rules, promoting self-esteem and confidence, and developing social skills, life skills, and problem solving strategies.

For: Children aged 6-12, who have a suspected or diagnosed learning disability/ADHD and would benefit from social skill developmental support.

Winter 2025 Social Skills Program Dates & Registration

February 3 - April 7

Tuesdays
6:30pm - 7:45pm

Location TBD

Session A

Tuesdays

6:30pm - 7:45pm

*Registration for enrolling your child into the Winter Program is now open. Times provided above are tentative.

For more program information, please email the program coordinator at [email protected]

SOAR (Student Orientation and Academic Readiness) is an 8-week, small group academic transition support program for students in, entering, or preparing to graduate high school, that aims to equip them with the necessary tools and skill sets to successfully navigate the transition to a new, more autonomous and comprehensive academic environment.

SOAR | Transition To High School

SOAR | Transition To High School

This program introduces self advocacy tools for success and tips on making choices for the future high school experience. The focus is on understanding their learning disability, learning style, and models for problem solving, as well ways to successfully approach the new workload requirements, including strategies to stay on top of homework, organizational issues, IEPs, and other available accommodations.

For: Students entering grade 9, who have a suspected or diagnosed learning disability/ADHD.

SOAR Sr | Transition To Post Secondary

SOAR Sr | Transition To Post Secondary

This program focuses on developing self-advocacy and coping strategies, building confidence, developing an understanding that there are others experiencing the same difficulties, and learning about the various resources available at college and university, so they are better prepared for a positive transition to post-secondary education.

For: Students in grades 11 and 12+, who have a suspected or diagnosed learning disability/ADHD.

Winter 2025 SOAR Program Dates & Registration

February 3 - April 7

Mondays
6:30pm - 7:30pm

Location TBD

Session A

Mondays

6:30pm - 7:30pm

*Registration for enrolling your child into the Winter Program is now open. Times provided above are tentative. Volunteer tutor applications can be submitted at any time.

For more program information, please email the program coordinator at [email protected]

Winter 2025 SOAR Sr Program Dates & Registration

-

No Winter Session

The Executive Functioning & Skills program is an 8-week, small group learning initiative for children aged 10-16, to help youth with learning disabilities and ADHD learn to build a multitude of fundamental self-regulation skills which provide a strong academic and professional foundation. The skills that are focused on include: planning, time management, organization, task initiation, impulse control, sustained attention, working memory, self-awareness, and flexibility.

For: Children aged 10-16, who have a suspected or diagnosed learning disability/ADHD.

Winter 2025 Executive Skills Program Dates & Registration

February 3 - April 7

Day Of Week TBD
6:30pm - 7:30pm

Location TBD

Session A

Day Of Week TBD

6:30pm - 7:30pm

*Registration for enrolling your child into the Winter Program is now open. Times provided above are tentative. Volunteer tutor applications can be submitted at any time.

For more program information, please email the program coordinator at [email protected]

Stay Tuned! More Great Programs Coming Soon...

Keep an eye out for more great LDAWC programs throughout the year.

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