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Nominations for the LDA and AJLD awards have now closed – thank you to all those who took the time to nominate/apply.

Consultant Membership is now open to Speech Pathologists, new members can apply HERE.

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Welcome to Learning Difficulties Australia

Learning Difficulties Australia is an association of teachers and other professionals dedicated to assisting students with learning difficulties through effective teaching practices based on scientific research, both in the classroom and through individualised instruction.
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The Science of Effective Reading Instruction: Theory and Practice

Perth | Saturday 31 July 2021   Not sure how a comprehensive reading approach taught explicitly looks like? Join Associate Professor Lorraine Hammond, Jared Bussell, Jordan O’Sullivan and Brooke Wardana for a day that focuses on both the Science of Reading and how to teach it.
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Join a community of professionals committed to effective teaching.

By becoming a member of LDA, you will have an opportunity to meet fellow teachers, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, researchers and other professionals working in the field of education who have a passion for improving student outcomes through effective instruction based on scientific research.

Members receive regular LDA publications via post, including the LDA Bulletin and the Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties as well as member discounts for participation in workshops, seminars and conferences.

You will also have access to the ‘Members Only’ areas of our website where you can obtain past issues of our publications as well as conference and seminar notes.

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Latest Publication

Bulletin | Volume 54 | No 1, April 2022

Special Issue: Teaching Teachers
The theme of this issue is ‘Teaching Teachers’. What can schools do to ensure they provide effective ongoing professional…
The theme of this issue is ‘Teaching Teachers’. What can schools do to ensure they provide effective ongoing professional learning as they support teachers to support their students?
The theme of this issue is ‘Teaching Teachers’. What can schools do to ensure they provide effective ongoing professional learning as they support teachers to support their students?
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Events

Success for All Learners: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Join us at LDA's MTSS online conference on Sunday 20th March, 2022, to hear about practical implementation of multi-tiered…
Join us at LDA's MTSS online conference on Sunday 20th March, 2022, to hear about practical implementation of multi-tiered systems of support to enable success for all learners.
Join us at LDA's MTSS online conference on Sunday 20th March, 2022, to hear about practical implementation of multi-tiered systems of support to enable success for all learners.
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LDA Blog

Response to Disability Royal Commission

Learning Difficulties Australia, Inclusive Educators Australia and Autism Awareness Australia have released an unprecedented joint statement, condemning a culture…
Learning Difficulties Australia, Inclusive Educators Australia and Autism Awareness Australia have released an unprecedented joint statement, condemning a culture of low expectations surrounding children and teenagers with disabilities, learning difficulties and additional needs.  Please read our statement outlining concerns and…
Learning Difficulties Australia, Inclusive Educators Australia and Autism Awareness Australia have released an unprecedented joint statement, condemning a culture of low expectations surrounding children and teenagers with disabilities, learning difficulties and additional needs.  Please read our statement outlining concerns and recommendations below. Disability Royal Commission Joint Statement
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Effective Instruction

Teachers are a major force for improving society. To be successful, the teaching profession must base its instructional practices on the results of good quality empirical research, and this involves keeping abreast of scientific developments. One of LDA’s main goals is to keep bridging the gaps between evolving scientific knowledge and members of the teaching profession, including educational policy makers, teacher education faculties, and teachers at the chalkface. Visit the skill areas below to learn about initiatives, approaches and programs that are being used effectively in each area.

Reading
Reading is a complex skill and it is a relatively recent invention, as far as human timelines go. Unlike speaking and listening, humans aren’t predisposed to develop reading skills naturally.
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Spelling
Reading and spelling are closely linked, but also draw on different skills and processes. At the most basic level, spelling is a production task while reading is one of recognition.
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Writing
As with reading, writing is not a natural skill and therefore must be taught. Unfortunately, many teachers do not feel well prepared to teach writing.
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Numeracy
Numeracy is a concept that is referred to as the ability to make use of mathematical concepts adeptly in our daily lives.
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