Cultivando mentes brillantes: supporting children with learning differences in the US

Image © Shutterstock

Growing up, Lola struggled in school and was diagnosed with several learning differences, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, and auditory processing difficulties. As an adult, she kept her diagnosis a secret from those in her life. But when she noticed her eldest child facing similar struggles, she decided to open up to her extended family. This conversation sparked empathy and led to important discussions that ultimately helped her child. Today, Lola hopes to support other families by sharing her story on Understood.org, a not-for-profit organisation that provides resources to support children, families, and adults with learning differences.

Since 2020, UnidosUS, a US-based not-for-profit organisation, has partnered with Understood.org to create helpful resources about learning differences, especially among Spanish speakers. Together, they launched Cultivando Mentes Brillantes, or Cultivating Brilliant Minds – a six-week, interactive course in Spanish designed for parents and caregivers of school-aged children in the US. Delivered in person through collaborations with six community-based partners nationwide, the programme aimed to increase understanding of learning differences and the mental health challenges that often accompany them. The course empowers families to confidently support their children, and helps them navigate the school system.

“Sometimes, because of cultural perceptions of social and emotional behaviour in our community, parents may feel that their children are misbehaving. However, the issue is often not behaviour,” says Nadia Hernandez of UnidosUS, “It’s about addressing the unique needs of each student to help them learn and comprehend the material taught in class.”

The programme was aimed at all parents and caregivers, not just those with children who have diagnosed learning differences. As a result, several parents noted that the programme helped them recognise signs of learning differences in their children or in others in the community, fostering empathy for children who may struggle or act out in the classroom. Some parents even recognised that they themselves might have undiagnosed learning differences. These insights were part of the programme’s broader goal of fostering inclusivity and spreading awareness.

“Throughout the sessions, parents had the opportunity to share personal stories and gained a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by parents and the unique strengths of students,” said a representative at El Sol Academy, a charter school in Santa Ana, California, that delivered the programme. “Many expressed greater appreciation for these experiences and emphasised the importance of creating inclusive environments, both at home and in the community.”

“It was an excellent initiative for parents to learn about our rights, the school system, and tools to help our children,” says one parent who participated. “We really hope that more schools can join in this learning.”

Ultimately, UnidosUS and Understood.org hope to reach as many families as possible with the Cultivando Mentes Brillantes programme. To this end, they have created a free online hub of resources around learning differences, mental health, and empathy, available in Spanish here. Understood’s many resources are available in English here and Spanish throughout.

UnidosUS is now embarking on the next phase of the project, in which it will increase the amount of affiliate partners to deliver the programme on more sites, add resources to the online hub, and gather data and experiences from participants to make education policy recommendations.

This work forms part of Oak Foundation’s Learning Differences Programme, which commits its resources to ensuring that educational systems unlock each student’s creativity and power. To read more about the programme’s updated strategy, click here. To learn more about UnidosUS, click here.

In Spring 2023, Oak’s Learning Differences Programme launched an initiative with eight exceptional organisations to pilot solutions for school-based mental health support. Both UnidosUS and Understood.org are organisations in this cohort.