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Professionals in Learning Disabilities 

and Special Education

Welcome to Professionals in Learning Disabilities and Special Education

Who are we?

Professionals in Learning Disabilities and Special Education is a group of dedicated volunteers who are professionals in the field of Special Education in Chicago and the north suburbs. We seek to provide professional growth experiences for ourselves that broaden our knowledge in the field. Regular meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month four times during the school year at Oliver McCracken Middle School in Skokie or Rogers Park Montessori School in Chicago in addition to our Janet Lerner Memorial Seminar and our Annual Dinner. For more information, please email us at pldsechicago@gmail.com.


PLDSE is Zooming!

This year, PLDSE is planning to hold all of our meetings via Zoom. Please stay tuned for interesting webinars as well as discussion groups to share questions, concerns, and ideas. We look forward to learning with you!

Become a member

Continuing education programs featuring speakers who are leaders in the field, keeping members abreast of current trends and new developments in Learning Disabilities and related areas. Topics concern students from preschool age through adulthood. Programs are scheduled six times a year from September through May. Members receive discounts for our Annual Seminar and Dinner as well as CPDUs for all meeting attended.


2023-24 Programs


Please check back to see what we are planning!





New Mailing Address

P.O. Box 911

Glenview, IL 60025


Now offering CPDUs!

Members can now receive CPDUs through Northeastern Illinois University.


Volunteering at Bernie's Book Bank

For the last few summers, we have chosen Bernie's Book Bank in Lake Bluff as a fun way to spend some time together while doing good works. 

Bernie's Book Bank collects, processes and distributes new and used children’s books to at–risk pre-school and school age children throughout Chicagoland. As volunteers, we will sort, sticker and bag books and have lots of fun doing it.

We were greeted at the door by Bernie’s people and given a task to level books into appropriate grade levels and some special categories. They were most helpful and appreciative of our efforts and our expertise. Everyone had fun and felt like we were making a difference for children in poverty.

Study Groups

PLDSE holds study groups that meet in members' homes to have more in depth discussions and presentations on topics of interest to the group. Meeting dates and locations are set by the individual groups. For more information, see Study Groups.












Survey Says! ...

Please follow this link to take our Interest and Action Survey to help us continue to provide sessions on topics that are timely and pertinent

Interest and Action Survey

McCracken School Location

Rogers Park Montessori School Location

The Science of Reading: A Defining Movement

A coalition of educators, policymakers, education advocates, and academics – launched a shared definition of the Science of Reading.

The Science of Reading is a vast, interdisciplinary body of scientifically-based research about reading and issues related to reading and writing. This research has been conducted over the last five decades across the world, and it is derived from thousands of studies conducted in multiple languages. The science of reading has culminated in a preponderance of evidence to inform how proficient reading and writing develop; why some have difficulty; and how we can most effectively assess and teach and, therefore, improve student outcomes through prevention of and intervention for reading difficulties.

The Defining Movement coalition is driven by the underlying belief that learning to read and teaching reading to all children is a 21st century civil right. In addition to developing a shared definition for the term Science of Reading, the coalition has developed language explaining its rationale, and will create a series of calls to action for education leaders and stakeholders.

The website – whatisthescienceofreading.org – is the hub for resources and will include a guidebook, messaging, and data that can be used to talk more collaboratively about the Science of Reading, the growth of the movement, and the work ahead. We encourage you to log on, learn more, and join the movement. 


Media Gallery

From our 2016-17 Meetings

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PLDSE 

P.O. Box 911

Glenview, IL 60025

pldsechicago@gmail.com

Professionals in Learning Disabilities and Special Education is a not-for-profit organization offering continuing education programs to inform members of current instructional practices, assessment, and policy issues in the field of learning disabilities.  PLD/SE also offers a referral service to the community, providing qualified professionals for diagnostics and remediation.  PLD/SE provides programs as a service to its members.  PLD/SE does not endorse any specific program, speaker, instructional materials, method, treatment, or evaluation center for children with disabilities.  

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