Learning Disabilities Program

Do you know this child?

He/She ...

• Is capable, but still fails in reading, writing and/or arithmetic.
• May have impaired language development, or unclear speech.
• Is unable to associate letters with their sounds.
• May be passive, distractible, impulsive or hyperactive. May be colouring a picture and suddenly dart across a room.
• Finds social situations difficult. Can't cope and often becomes withdrawn.
• Has poor gross or fine motor coordination. Consequently, may run awkwardly, hold crayons in a peculiar way, write poorly and avoid participation in sports or games.
• Has poor comprehension skills. Can recognize words but can¹t understand their meaning.
• Has difficulty extracting main ideas from conversations or stories.
• Is sometimes repetitive, saying or doing the same things over and over.

A child who exhibits any combination of the above traits is often said to suffer a hidden handicap. Educators call this child learning disabled.

How Bridgeway Can Help

At Bridgeway Academy, we are working to help this child. We know he or she needs understanding and individualized academic programs. But these children also need awareness and respect from a society which too often demands rigid conformity from people who may not be able to learn in the usual way.

Bridgeway Academy believes each child must be taught in the way he or she learns best. This means individualized remedial programs in classes which never exceed a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio. A psycho-educational assessment, combined with our own formalized testing, identifies each student's strengths and needs. Individualized programs which address each student's academic requirements are designed and implemented by the educational staff. Evaluation of a student's program is conducted by educational staff on an ongoing basis to determine effectiveness, and adaptations are made according to the child's rate of progress to ensure that the outcomes established within the guidelines are being met.
We follow the Nova Scotia Department of Education curriculum guidelines within a framework of remediation. Students receive remedial instruction in the areas of reading, math, spelling and writing.

The Nova Scotia Department of Education also certifies our High School Program. Our teaching staff are all certified with the Nova Scotia Department of Education and are actively engaged in continuing education activities related to their field. A team of professional educators and psychologists is also available for consultation.