Breakthrough Learning with Lori Benson Adams

10/18/2025

This new systematic review consisting of 31 studies investigated patterns in individuals with - the researchers found that individuals with ADHD showed a significantly higher prevalence of sensory differences across all four domains of the Sensory Profile assessment compared to those without ADHD.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2025.02.019

09/12/2025

09/04/2025

This image comes from an MRI study of preschoolers (Hutton et al., JAMA Pediatrics, 2020). It shows how screen use is linked to the wiring of the developing brain.

The top row (blue) highlights where more screen time is tied to weaker white matter organization. White matter is the brain’s wiring system that connects regions so they can work efficiently.

The bottom row (red) shows where heavier screen use is linked to weaker insulation on those connections. Insulation, or myelin, helps brain signals travel quickly, like the protective coating on an electrical wire.

Why does this matter? These highlighted areas include pathways for language, early literacy, and self-regulation. Children with higher screen scores also performed lower on language and literacy tests.

This is not a before and after of one child. It is a group-level finding. The message is clear. In the early years the brain is wiring for life. The more time children spend with people, play, movement, and books, the stronger these foundational circuits become.

08/24/2025

This is spectacular!

Performance asks kids to prove themselves. Play allows them to find themselves.

In performance-based settings, kids learn early that their value lies in how well they meet adult expectations. The right answer. The perfect test. The gold star. It’s about doing it “right” so someone else will approve.

Play flips that on its head.

In play, no one’s waiting for applause. There’s no rubric. No timer. Just children exploring what interests them, how they want to do it, and who they want to be while doing it. That’s not aimless. That’s powerful.

Because when kids have space to follow their own ideas, they start learning who they are. What they’re drawn to. How they problem-solve. How they relate to others. These are the things that build a sense of self. Not performance, but identity.

This is why play isn’t a “break” from learning. It’s the very foundation for lifelong growth.

07/25/2025

Such truth!!

Thanks, Autism Little Learners! Yes, this message incapsulates what we have been sharing with my great colleagues/collaborators and countless self-advocates and families through Uniquely Human (the book), The SCERTS Model, and Uniquely Human Podcast going back to 1978! (my dissertation on echolalia).

Autism Level UP Uniquely Human The SCERTS Model

07/03/2025

04/08/2025

Great resource!

Wow! This is an incredible resource!!

>>> https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2022/07/a-handy-chart-featuring-over-30-ipad.html

04/07/2025

Cool resources! Let me know if you’ve had success w any!

Assessment is more than just quizzes and tests, and these days, there are more options than ever. No matter what type of assessment you need, there’s a tool to help you out. And to make it easier to choose the right tool, we’ve created a list of our favorites!

03/29/2025

Yes!🙌🙌🙌

Louder for the people in the back. 👏👏

03/21/2025

Thoughts?

Teachers say children can’t hold pencils, tie shoes, or use scissors.

Children today are struggling with basic fine motor skills, and experts believe increased screen time is a major culprit. Teachers report that young students are arriving at school unable to even turn the pages of a book.

Researchers say the decline in hands-on activities — like crafting, outdoor play, and puzzles — is being supplemented by screen time for years.

The problem? With screens replacing traditional playtime, kids are missing out on crucial movements that develop dexterity, patience, and focus.

To help reverse this decline, we must allow children plenty of outdoor play, which naturally incorporates endless fine motor opportunities (i.e., digging in the dirt, grasping & hanging from tree limbs, picking up small pebbles, etc.).

Let the children play!

learn more https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088520062200031X?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/why-kids-are-losing-fine-motor-skills?utm_source=chatgpt.com

09/21/2024

This all the way!!