K12 Educational Learning Disabilities

The term learning disability (LD) refers to a group of disorders that affect a broad range of academic and functional skills including the ability to speak, listen, read, write, spell, reason and organize information. A learning disability is not indicative of low intelligence. People with learning disabilities sometimes have difficulty achieving at their intellectual level because of a deficit in one or more of the ways the brain processes information.

Interestingly, there is no clear and widely accepted definition of “learning disabilities.” Because of the multidisciplinary nature of the field, there is ongoing debate on the issue of definition, and there are currently at least 12 definitions that appear in the professional literature. These disparate definitions do agree on certain factors:

1. The learning disabled have difficulties with academic achievement and progress. Discrepancies exist between a person’s potential for learning and what he actually learns.

2. The learning disabled show an uneven pattern of development (language development, physical development, academic development and/or perceptual development).

3. Learning problems are not due to environmental disadvantage.

4. Learning problems are not due to mental retardation or emotional disturbance.

Experts estimate that 6 to 10 percent of the school-aged population in the United States is learning disabled. Nearly 40 percent of the children enrolled in the nation’s special education classes suffer from a learning disability. The Foundation for Children With Learning Disabilities estimates that there are 6 million adults with learning disabilities as well.

Little is currently known about the causes of learning disabilities. However, some general observations can be made:

• Some children develop and mature at a slower rate than others in the same age group. As a result, they may not be able to do the expected school work. This kind of learning disability is called “maturational lag.”

• Some children with normal vision and hearing may misinterpret everyday sights and sounds because of some unexplained disorder of the nervous system.

• Injuries before birth or in early childhood probably account for some later learning problems.

• Children born prematurely and children who had medical problems soon after birth sometimes have learning disabilities.

• Learning disabilities tend to run in families, so some learning disabilities may be inherited.

• Learning disabilities are more common in boys than girls, possibly because boys tend to mature more slowly.

• Some learning disabilities appear to be linked to the irregular spelling, pronunciation, and structure of the English language. The incidence of learning disabilities is lower in Spanish or Italian speaking countries.

Children with learning disabilities exhibit a wide range of symptoms. These include problems with reading, mathematics, comprehension, writing, spoken language, or reasoning abilities. Hyperactivity, inattention and perceptual coordination may also be associated with learning disabilities but are not learning disabilities themselves. The primary characteristic of a learning disability is a significant difference between a child’s achievement in some areas and his or her overall intelligence. Learning disabilities typically affect five general areas:

1. Spoken language: delays, disorders, and deviations in listening and speaking.

2. Written language: difficulties with reading, writing and spelling.

3. Arithmetic: difficulty in performing arithmetic operations or in understanding basic concepts.

4. Reasoning: difficulty in organizing and integrating thoughts.

5. Memory: difficulty in remembering information and instructions.

Among the symptoms commonly related to learning disabilities are:

• poor performance on group tests

• difficulty discriminating size, shape, color

• difficulty with temporal (time) concepts

• distorted concept of body image

• reversals in writing and reading

• general awkwardness

• poor visual-motor coordination

• hyperactivity

• difficulty copying accurately from a model

• slowness in completing work

• poor organizational skills

• easily confused by instructions

• difficulty with abstract reasoning and/or problem solving

• disorganized thinking

• often obsesses on one topic or idea

• poor short-term or long-term memory

• impulsive behavior; lack of reflective thought prior to action

• low tolerance for frustration

• excessive movement during sleep

• poor peer relationships

• overly excitable during group play

• poor social judgment

• inappropriate, unselective, and often excessive display of affection

• lags in developmental milestones (e.g. motor, language)

• behavior often inappropriate for situation

• failure to see consequences for his actions

• overly gullible; easily led by peers

• excessive variation in mood and responsiveness

• poor adjustment to environmental changes

• overly distractible; difficulty concentrating

• difficulty making decisions

• lack of hand preference or mixed dominance

• difficulty with tasks requiring sequencing

When considering these symptoms, it is important to remain mindful of the following:

1. No one will have all these symptoms.

2. Among LD populations, some symptoms are more common than others.

3. All people have at least two or three of these problems to some degree.

4. The number of symptoms seen in a particular child does not give an indication as whether the disability is mild or severe. It is important to consider if the behaviors are chronic and appear in clusters.

Pointers for parents of children with learning disabilities:

1. Take the time to listen to your children as much as you can (really try to get their “Message”).

2. Love them by touching them, hugging them, tickling them, wrestling with them (they need lots of physical contact).

3. Look for and encourage their strengths, interests, and abilities. Help them to use these as compensations for any limitations or disabilities.

4. Reward them with praise, good words, smiles, and pat on the back as often as you can.

5. Accept them for what they are and for their human potential for growth and development. Be realistic in your expectations and demands.

6. Involve them in establishing rules and regulations, schedules, and family activities.

7. Tell them when they misbehave and explain how you feel about their behavior; then have them propose other more acceptable ways of behaving.

8. Help them to correct their errors and mistakes by showing or demonstrating what they should do. Don’t nag!

9. Give them reasonable chores and a regular family work responsibility whenever possible.

10. Give them an allowance as early as possible and then help them plan to spend within it.

11. Provide toys, games, motor activities and opportunities that will stimulate them in their development.

12. Read enjoyable stories to them and with them. Encourage them to ask questions, discuss stories, tell the story, and to reread stories.

13. Further their ability to concentrate by reducing distracting aspects of their environment as much as possible (provide them with a place to work, study and play).

14. Don’t get hung up on traditional school grades! It is important that they progress at their own rates and be rewarded for doing so.

15. Take them to libraries and encourage them to select and check out books of interest. Have them share their books with you. Provide stimulating books and reading material around the house.

16. Help them to develop self-esteem and to compete with self rather than with others.

17. Insist that they cooperate socially by playing, helping, and serving others in the family and the community.

18. Serve as a model to them by reading and discussing material of personal interest. Share with them some of the things you are reading and doing.

19. Don’t hesitate to consult with teachers or other specialists whenever you feel it to be necessary in order to better understand what might be done to help your child learn.

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There is a preconception involved when discussing specific learning disabilities or learning disabilities in general.  A generalized learning disability can be the result of many things such as a neurological condition, environmental disadvantage, mental retardation or a physical diagnosis (i.e. blindness, or deafness).
Specific learning disabilities are categorized by their individual characteristics.  The inability to organize thoughts or actions, not being able to control motor functions in a way that impedes the ability to handle a pencil or crayon and even listening skills are all specific learning disabilities.
Language based learning disabilities are when a child cannot express his or herself, have difficulty reading and understanding the words, or cannot make the connection to the words being spoken and their meaning.  In these cases the parents and the educators must find alternative means in which to get across their message and for the child to express his or herself.
A test for learning disabilities will illuminate what areas the child is having problems with and then a program can be tailored to the individual needs.  The solution might be as simple as issuing clear, concise directions that are step by step.  This eliminates any confusion on the child’s behalf when there is one direction issued at a time.
A great example of this would occur when a parent or teacher instructed the child to clean up an area after playtime.  Telling a child to stop what they are doing, go wash their hands, and then pick up all the play things, all at once might generate some confusion.  The child might do the first item on the list and the last item but forget the things that were said between.
Specific learning disabilities can also be discovered later in life.  Adults with learning disabilities often go years not knowing why they have difficulty reading or understanding complex orders.  By breaking down the individual tasks, it can make the overall concept a bit more manageable.
All methods in instructing students or adults with specific learning disabilities include one commonality: consistency.  There always needs to be the same rules and same guidelines.  Change, while not always bad, is something that may be upsetting when it comes to basic functions and learning.  This is why professionals advocate strongly that a consistent method and discipline always be maintained.
There is no such thing as someone that cannot be taught.  It may just mean that there must be an alternative method or technique used.  Time and patience is incredibly important to understanding that specific learning disabilities do not mean that it is a lost cause.  It may just require more understanding and knowledge.
To find out more about specific learning disabilities go to the local school or healthcare system or the Learning Disabilities Association of America.  The LDA offers information for parents, adults with learning disabilities, educators and students.

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To have to watch a child struggle through school and homework can be a difficult burden yet millions of parents have students with learning disabilities. They see test after test, report card after report card and tons of teachers’ notes detailing how the child is struggling with school and or life in general.
It is frustrating for a child to not quite grasp a problem as easy has his or her schoolmates. Students with learning disabilities often act out if they are experiencing these academic and life frustrations and the problem begins to escalate.
There are specific learning disabilities that many adults, parents and school officials are familiar with courtesy to a movement by health officials. One of these specific learning disabilities is dyslexia.
A common misconception regarding dyslexia is that the person reads “upside down” or “backwards”. Dyslexia is actually quite complex and can have a wide range of symptoms. Doctors usually look for at least three of the signs or symptoms before diagnosing a child. The actual symptoms also vary according to age group and can be difficult to isolate if the child has problems such as Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD.
Health officials and school officials perform learning disability assessments in order to determine what the child is specifically having trouble with. It could range from emotional to physical.
It is important to remember that sometimes there might not be an actual learning disability. Far too often there are misdiagnoses for students with learning disabilities when in actuality the child might develop or learn at a slower rate than his or her classmates. It is not a clear indication if the child is disabled in any way.
Teachers are now being trained on observing to see if there are students with learning disabilities in their classrooms and what steps need to be taken in order to ensure that the federally mandated laws such as “No Child Left Behind” are enacted.
It is important that each child be given every possible help needed in order to learn and grow in a healthy environment. If there is a possibility that a learning condition exists then the child is tested. In most cases there are three areas that professionals look that help determine the extent of the specific learning disability.
The first is within speech and communication. Does the child have trouble with reading and communicating thoughts? The second is how the child does in the academic setting. Is the child struggling to pay attention? Or is there a specific subject that the child is having problems with? And the third is any physical disorder or behavior problem that might indicate a learning disability.
Students with learning disabilities no longer have to be simply “passed” through until they reach the proper age to graduate. There is help available for students, teachers and parents alike.

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