Mel Levine

Neurodevelopmental Phenomena in Childhood and Adolescence
July 21-25

Dr. Mel Levine will provide an overview of his phenomenological, non-labeling approach to the understanding of differences in "brain wiring" and how those variations affect the quest for school success and career gratification. Describing the growth and application of specific neurodevelopmental functions, he will offer insights into the unraveling of breakdowns in school and work performance. Additionally, Dr. Levine will explore the ways in which clinicians and educators can observe phenomena that are windows on central nervous system functioning and how they can make use of such observations to help with the process of demystification along with other forms of direct intervention.

There is growing evidence that labels such as "dyslexia", "learning disability", and "ADHD" fail to capture the diversity of clinical patterns and individual service needs of affected children and adolescents. Dr. Levine will provide an in-depth view of the critical neurodevelopmental functions and how they develop or else fall short during the school years. He will trace the ingredients of successful school performance and also examine the sometimes hidden dysfunctions leading to success deprivation in childhood and adolescence. Dr. Levine's approach is phenomenological, a way of thinking about and enhancing the performance of children without labeling any of them. Abundant clinical examples will be offered throughout the week.

Monday
An Overview of Neurodevelopmental Phenomenology

Tuesday
Attention and Language

Wednesday
Memory and Higher Order Cognition

Thursday
The 3 R's: Phenomenological Analyses

Friday
Part One: The Social and Behavioral Side
Part Two: The Search For Recurring Themes and Management by Profile

Mel Levine, M. D., is a professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, where he conducts research and training programs in the field of developmental disabilities. He is also co-chairman of the board with Mr. Charles Schwab of All Kinds of Minds, a non-profit institute dedicated to the understanding of differences in learning.

Dr. Levine has written many books and articles. His books include A Pediatric Approach to Learning Disorders, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Developmental Variation and Learning Disorders. Dr. Levine has written three books for children: Keeping A Head in School (for adolescents), All Kinds of Minds (for younger children), and Jarvis Clutch-Social Spy (for middle school kids). He also has written A Mind at a Time (which was a #1 New York Times bestseller), and The Myth of Laziness, books for the general public. He was featured on a Public Television special entitled "Misunderstood Minds" and also on The Oprah Show. He has been actively involved in the design and validation of new diagnostic instruments that integrate neurological, behavioral, developmental, and health findings in children with learning disabilities.

Dr. Levine graduated summa cum laude from Brown University and was Rhodes Scholar of Oxford. He later graduated from Harvard Medical School and completed his pediatric training at The Children's Hospital in Boston. During his leisure time, Dr. Levine raises multiple varieties of domestic and wild geese, as well as mammoth donkeys, swans, pheasants, and peacocks, whose behavior and learning he studies and writes about.