NILD

NILD At the National Institute for Learning Development (NILD), we train educators and specialists to change lives.

Our research-based training empowers professionals to help struggling learners thrive—impacting 10,000+ students in 16+ countries.

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and we want to start with the basics.Dyslexia is a difference in how the brain proc...
10/02/2026

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and we want to start with the basics.

Dyslexia is a difference in how the brain processes language. It has nothing to do with intelligence or effort. Many children with dyslexia work incredibly hard and still find reading, spelling, and writing frustrating. Because the signs can be subtle, especially in the early years, many families aren't sure what they're seeing or where to turn.

Is your child having difficulty following a two-step direction? Or pronouncing some sounds or words? These can be early signs worth paying attention to.

Our 7-question checklist can help you spot early signs of learning challenges in kids ages 5 to 7: https://nild.org/resources/ld-warning-signs-checklist-for-children-ages-5-7

Progress isn't a solo effort — and for a child with learning differences, that's especially true. It takes an educator w...
09/28/2026

Progress isn't a solo effort — and for a child with learning differences, that's especially true. It takes an educator willing to try a different approach, a family that keeps showing up, and a learner starting to believe in what they're capable of.

That's the foundation of NILD Educational Therapy, and it's why this work matters.

Tag someone in the comments who's shown up for a learner in your life.

09/25/2026

"It was heart-wrenching to see Andrew grappling with self-doubt and feelings of not fitting in."

One NILD parent shares what changed when her son finally found a program built around how he learns, not against it.

"We saw a joy in his eyes that had been missing for years."

If your child's learning journey feels like a struggle, we'd love to connect. Learn more at nild.org.

Ever watch a student breeze through addition and subtraction, then completely stall out when fractions show up? That's n...
09/22/2026

Ever watch a student breeze through addition and subtraction, then completely stall out when fractions show up? That's not a motivation problem. It's often a missing step: the shift from additive thinking to multiplicative reasoning.

Join Dr. Anneke Schreuder, founder of Dyscalculia Services, on September 29 for a webinar built for educational therapists working with students who have a math learning disability or dyscalculia. She'll share hands-on tools, visual organizers, and games that help students build the reasoning skills fractions and proportions require.

📅 September 29 | 12:00 PM EST
Link in comments for access.

09/18/2026

We’re already teaching executive function, we just don’t always name it.

Melanie Davda explains how everyday NILD practices can help students develop essential executive-function skills, including:

Attention
Working memory
Self-monitoring
Planning
Emotional regulation

The goal isn’t to add one more thing to an already full session. It’s to become more intentional about the strategies already in place.

A clear shape of the day, visual supports, reflection, and opportunities for self-advocacy can help students recognize what they need and communicate it:

“I need repetition.”
“I’m stuck.”
“I need a reset.”

These small moments build confidence, independence, and lifelong learning skills.
At NILD, we believe students can grow when they are given the right tools, language, and support. Executive function is not a character trait—it’s a set of skills that can be taught and strengthened.

Watch the webinar as Melanie shares more about making executive function visible in NILD practice: nild.org/webinars

Some students seem to just know how to plan a task, catch problems early, and tell when they're actually finished. Other...
09/16/2026

Some students seem to just know how to plan a task, catch problems early, and tell when they're actually finished. Others need help with every step. That gap isn't about ability. It's a skill, and NILD treats it the same way it treats handwriting or reading: something built through practice, not something kids are expected to figure out alone.

Here's a simple way to build it at home or in the classroom. Before, during, and after almost any task, ask out loud:

What's my plan?
What might get in the way?
How will I know when I'm done?

Say it where your student can hear it. Over time, those questions stop being yours and become theirs, which is really the whole point.

It won't feel like much the first few times. Keep going anyway. Researchers have found this kind of consistent practice can add roughly seven months of extra academic progress over a school year.

What's the question you find yourself repeating most with your student?

Executive function, planning, follow-through, knowing when a task is actually done, doesn't have to be a mystery skill s...
09/15/2026

Executive function, planning, follow-through, knowing when a task is actually done, doesn't have to be a mystery skill some students pick up and others don't. It's already built into NILD's five core techniques.

This Thursday, Melanie Davda, MAEd, PCET and NILD Level I Instructor, walks through exactly where those skills live in the techniques you already use, and how to mediate them with more intention so they travel with the student.

Live September 17 at 12:00 PM ET, or purchase to watch anytime. Link in comments.

Teachers, honest question. How many planners did you hand out in the first two weeks?We're not knocking them. For a stud...
09/09/2026

Teachers, honest question. How many planners did you hand out in the first two weeks?

We're not knocking them. For a student who's got the underlying skills, a planner is genuinely useful.

But executive function keeps developing until somewhere around age eighteen to twenty. That's setting a goal, getting started, holding instructions in your head, catching yourself when you've wandered off. A seventh grader is nowhere near done building any of it.

So when the planner comes back empty, it's often not about effort.

The better news is that these skills can be coached. That's the whole point of our Executive Function Workshop: what they are, how they develop, and how to help students build strategies that actually fit them.

September 18, virtual. Registration closes Friday.

🧠 https://nild.org/workshops/nild-executive-function-workshop

Some students fill up every page on their Anchor Word Spelling sheets before the skill fully sticks, and that's not a pr...
09/04/2026

Some students fill up every page on their Anchor Word Spelling sheets before the skill fully sticks, and that's not a problem, that's the process working.

NILD's new Spelling & Syllable Digital Supplement gives Educational Therapists a way to print more Anchor Word Spelling and Syllable pages straight from the Gray Matter Guide: Student, so returning students can keep going for as many repetitions as they need.

Now available in the NILD store: https://nild.org/products/the-spelling-and-syllable-digital-supplement

Address

1540 Breezeport Way Ste 500
Suffolk, VA
23435

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+17574238646

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when NILD posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to NILD:

Shortcuts

Share

Category