WELLINGTON COUNTY – Triathlete Taylor Reid will be teaming up with learning disability experts in an upcoming conference.
The Learning Disabilities Association of Wellington County (LDAWC) is a non-profit organization that helps children, youth and adults navigate the impacts of learning disabilities (LDs), through programs and events.
One of those events is the LDAWC 10th Annual Family Conference.
“It’s a day-long free event basically connecting families and those interested or who have been impacted by learning disabilities,” LDAWC executive director Marciane Any told the Advertiser. “It’s connecting them with different experts in fields related to learning disabilities, family relations and mental health.”
The conference will run from 9am to 4pm and include two nutrition breaks, speakers and several breakout sessions with three to four speakers that attendees can choose from.
This event is scheduled to be held at the John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational Institute in Guelph.
During the small group breakout sessions guests can hear from experts speaking about:
– youth transitioning to post-secondary education;
– individual education plans (IEP) support and advice;
– parental self-regulation and how it impacts child growth and development; and
– fostering open communication in the home.
“Having the opportunity to hear from these experts in this small group setting, they’re able to not only get the information but have some really good dialog with each other and with the expert,” added Any.
The event will be held in “fair-style” with tables set up during the nutrition breaks, allowing guests the opportunity to speak with different community partners and resources in the county, noted Any.
Parts of the event like the breakout sessions will follow a “presentation-style” format with a question-and-answer period afterwards.
“Having an event like this that’s free, it’s really been helpful to parents in the past so that’s why we really want to keep doing it,” she said.
LDAWC president Dr. John McNamara invited Reid as there was already a friendship established between them, stated Any.
Reid was invited as the keynote speaker because of his backstory with dyslexia and how he found ways of “coping and thriving” through sports.
“[I’m] very excited to meet him,” said Any.
Taylor Reid
Reid discovered he had dyslexia in Grade 2 when he began struggling in a French immersion program. His parents got him tested and ultimately discovered the reason behind his troubles.
“It was really good to discover that I had dyslexia early on,” Reid told the Advertiser. “I could sort of learn some tools and understand why I struggled in certain areas.”
Reid became shy as a child because he wasn’t reading and comprehending at the same level as other students.
Later in Grades 7 and 8 he found his passion in cross country running.
“I wasn’t really good at the team sports because there was too much social pressure and I just didn’t feel control over my own destiny,” he added.
When Reid found individual sports, he then realized his potential.
“Sometimes people with dyslexia have some hand-eye coordination trouble,” noted Reid.
As he discovered the thrill of winning races, Reid’s parents introduced him to a triathlon coach.
Barrie Shepley, head coach at C3 Canadian Cross Training Club based in Caledon, was Reid’s coach for “10 to 15 years.”
Reid racing in the Barrelman competition in Niagara Falls on Sept. 15. Submitted photo
“He was there for a long period of my career and basically brought me from a young sort of aspiring athlete to a full professional,” he said.
In his career Reid has won several triathlons and Ironman competitions. He has competed in events as far away as Puerto Rice and as close as Guelph – winning in both places.
Reid now lives in Guelph with his wife and six-month-old daughter.
“It’s been rather important to me being able to be a spokesperson for dyslexia or just people with learning disabilities,” stated Reid.
During the conference Reid will be sharing his story and how he found certain tools and resources to help him succeed.
He explained the possibility of his daughter growing up with dyslexia and expressed the importance of a parent understanding what their child may be going through.
“It’s really nice to be able to express sort of what I’ve gone through and hopefully that will help the parents or the person with a learning disability understand that you’re different but you’re different in a good way,” he said.
Those interested in seeing Reid and other speakers can visit the LDAWC website at ldawc.ca.
Future programs
The organization has many programs dedicated to helping those with LDs.
Reading Rocks is one of the programs president McNamara created while in graduate school.
It’s an eight-week, one-on-one literacy program for children aged six to 12 who require support with their literacy skills.
Officials noted the organization doesn’t require proof of diagnosis as tests can be “extremely time consuming” and “expensive.”
“Just because we think differently or learn differently, doesn’t mean that we can’t make a huge impact on society,” Reid added.
