Learning Disabilities

“A specific learning disability is unique to the individual and can appear in a variety of ways.”

An untrained observer may conclude that a person with a learning disability is "lazy" or "just not trying hard enough."

Learning disabilities usually fall within four broad categories:

Spoken language-listening and speakingWritten language-reading, writing, and spellingArithmetic-calculation and conceptsReasoning-organization and integration of ideas and thoughts

Few Common Types of Learning Disabilities:1. Dyscalculia- A person with Dyscalculia has

difficulty understanding and using math concepts and symbols.

2. Dysgraphia- An individual with Dysgraphia has a difficult time with the physical task of forming letters and words with a pen and paper and has difficulty producing legible handwriting.

3. Dyspraxia- Language comprehension of a person with Dyspraxia does not match language production. She may mix up words and sentences while talking.

4. Dyslexia- An individual with Dyslexia may mix up letters within words and words within sentences while reading. He may also have difficulty spelling words correctly while writing; letter reversals are common.

DYSCALCULIA

Dyscalculia refers to a wide range of lifelong learning disabilities involving math. There is no single type of math disability. Dyscalculia can vary from person to person. And, it can affect people differently at different stages of life.

Two major areas of weakness can contribute to math learning disabilities:

 

Visual-spatial difficulties, which result in a person having trouble processing what the eye sees

Language processing difficulties, which result in a person having trouble processing and making sense of what the ear hears

*Using alternate learning methods, people with dyscalculia can achieve success.

What Are the Effects of Dyscalculia?When basic math facts are not mastered earlier, teens and adults with dyscalculia may have trouble moving on to more advanced math applications.

What Are the Warning Signs by age of Dyscalculia?

Young Children

Trouble With: Difficulty learning to count Trouble recognizing printed numbers Difficulty tying together the idea of a number (4)

and how it exists in the world (4 horses, 4 cars, 4 children)

Poor memory for numbers Trouble organizing things in a logical way -

putting round objects in one place and square ones in another

School-Aged ChildrenTrouble With: Trouble learning math facts (addition, subtraction,

multiplication, division) Difficulty developing math problem-solving skills Poor long term memory for math functions Not familiar with math vocabulary Difficulty measuring things Avoiding games that require strategy

Teenagers and Adults

Trouble With: Difficulty estimating costs like groceries bills Difficulty learning math concepts beyond the

basic math facts Poor ability to budget or balance a checkbook Trouble with concepts of time, such as sticking to

a schedule or approximating time Trouble with mental math Difficulty finding different approaches to one

problem

How Is Dyscalculia Identified?

When a teacher or trained professional evaluates a student for learning disabilities in math, the student is interviewed about a full range of math-related skills and behaviors. Pencil and paper math tests are often used, but an evaluation needs to accomplish more.

Below are some of the areas that may be addressed in identifying students with Dyscalculia:

Ability with basic math skills like counting, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing

Ability to predict appropriate procedures based on understanding patterns—knowing when to add, subtract, multiply, divide or do more advanced computations

Ability to organize objects in a logical way Ability to measure—telling time, using money Ability to estimate number quantities Ability to self-check work and find alternate ways to

solve problems. 

How Is Dyscalculia Treated?

Repeated reinforcement and specific practice of straightforward ideas can make understanding easier. Other strategies for inside and outside the classroom include: Use graph paper for students who have

difficulty organizing ideas on paper. Work on finding different ways to

approach math facts; i.e., instead of just memorizing the multiplication tables, explain that 8 x 2 = 16, so if 16 is doubled, 8 x 4 must = 32.

Practice estimating as a way to begin solving math problems.

Introduce new skills beginning with concrete examples and later moving to more abstract applications.

For language difficulties, explain ideas and problems clearly and encourage students to ask questions as they work.

Provide a place to work with few distractions and have pencils, erasers and other tools on hand as needed.

DYSGRAPHIA

Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects writing, which requires a complex set of motor and information processing skills. Dysgraphia makes the act of writing difficult. It can lead to problems with spelling, poor handwriting and putting thoughts on paper.

People with dysgraphia can have trouble organizing letters, numbers and words on a line or page. This can result partly from:

Visual-spatial difficulties: trouble processing what the eye seesLanguage processing difficulty: trouble processing and making sense of what the ear hears

What Are the Warning Signs of Dysgraphia?

Just having bad handwriting doesn’t mean a person has dysgraphia. Since dysgraphia is a processing disorder, difficulties can change throughout a lifetime. However since writing is a developmental process—children learn the motor skills needed to write.

Young Children

Trouble With: Tight, awkward pencil grip and body position Avoiding writing or drawing tasks Trouble forming letter shapes Inconsistent spacing between letters or words Poor understanding of uppercase and lowercase

letters Inability to write or draw in a line or within

margins Tiring quickly while writing

School-Age Children

Trouble With: Illegible handwriting Mixture of cursive and print writing Saying words out loud while writing Concentrating so hard on writing that

comprehension of what's written is missed Trouble thinking of words to write Omitting or not finishing words in sentences

Teenagers and Adults

Trouble With: Trouble organizing thoughts on paper Trouble keeping track of thoughts

already written down Difficulty with syntax structure and

grammar Large gap between written ideas and

understanding demonstrated through speech

What Strategies Can Help?

Generally strategies fall into three main categories:Accommodations: providing alternatives to written expressionModifications: changing expectations or tasks to minimize or avoid the area of weaknessRemediation: providing instruction for improving handwriting and writing skills

Here are examples of how to teach individuals with dysgraphia to overcome some of their difficulties with written expression.

Early Writers

Be patient and positive, encourage practice and praise effort. Becoming a good writer takes time and practice.

Use paper with raised lines for a sensory guide to staying within the lines.

Try different pens and pencils to find one that’s most comfortable.

Practice writing letters and numbers in the air with big arm movements to improve motor memory of these important shapes. Also practice letters and numbers with smaller hand or finger motions.

Encourage proper grip, posture and paper positioning for writing. It’s important to reinforce this early as it’s difficult for students to unlearn bad habits later on.

Use multi-sensory techniques for learning letters, shapes and numbers. For example, speaking through motor sequences, such as “b” is “big stick down, circle away from my body.”

Introduce a word processor on a computer early; however do not eliminate handwriting for the child. While typing can make it easier to write by alleviating the frustration of forming letters, handwriting is a vital part of a person's ability to function in the world.

Young Students Encourage practice through low-stress

opportunities for writing. This might include writing letters or in a diary, making household lists, or keeping track of sports teams.

Allow use of print or cursive—whichever is more comfortable.

Use large graph paper for math calculation to keep columns and rows organized.

Allow extra time for writing assignments. Begin writing assignments creatively with

drawing, or speaking ideas into a tape recorder.

Teenagers and Adults

Provide tape recorders to supplement note taking and to prepare for writing assignments.

Create a step-by-step plan that breaks writing assignments into small tasks (see below).

When organizing writing projects, create a list of keywords that will be useful.

Dyspraxia is a disorder that affects motor skill development. People with dyspraxia have trouble planning and completing fine motor tasks. This can vary from simple motor tasks such as waving goodbye to more complex tasks like brushing teeth.

It is estimated that dyspraxia affects at least two percent of the general population, and 70% of those affected are male. As many as six percent of all children show some signs of dyspraxia.A person with dyspraxia can learn to function independently. Special learning methods and repeated practice of basic tasks can help. Sometimes occupational, physical, or speech therapy is also needed.

What Are the Effects of Dyspraxia?

Dyspraxia is a lifelong disorder. Its severity and symptoms can vary from person to person. And, it can affect people differently at different stages of life. Dyspraxia can affect many basic functions required for daily living.

Categories of Dyspraxia

Ideomotor DyspraxiaCompleting single-step motor tasks such as combing hair and waving goodbye.

Ideational Dyspraxia Multi-step tasks like brushing teeth, making a bed, putting clothes on in order, as well as buttoning and buckling

Oromotor DyspraxiaCoordinating the muscle movements needed to pronounce words

Constructional DyspraxiaEstablishing spatial relationships, for instance, being able to accurately position or move objects from one place to another

Weaknesses in comprehension, information processing and listening can contribute to the troubles experienced by people with dyspraxia. They may also have low self-esteem, depression and other emotional and behavioral troubles.

What Are the Warning Signs of Dyspraxia?

Babies with dyspraxia may avoid crawling and rolling over and other tasks involving motor skills. As they become older, children with dyspraxia are prone to problems such as those listed below. Having these problems does not necessarily mean a person has dyspraxia. But if they continue over time, consider testing by trained professionals. You or your child may benefit from special help.

Young Children

Trouble With: Learning to walk, jump, hop, skip and throw or

catch a ball Pronouncing words and being understood Establishing left- or right- handedness Bumping into things Moving the eyes—instead, moving the whole

head Being sensitive to touch such as being irritated

by clothing on skin, hair brushing, nail-cutting, or teeth-brushing

School-Age ChildrenTrouble With: Poor pencil grip and letter formation and slow handwriting Doing activities that require fine motor skills, like holding a

pencil, buttoning, cutting with scissors Playing sports, riding a bike and other activities requiring

coordination Sensing direction Speaking at a normal rate or in way that can be easily

understood Making social connections due to speech challenges Phobias and obsessive behavior

Teens and AdultsTrouble With: Speech control—volume, pitch, articulation Writing and typing Over- or under- sensitivity to light, touch, space, taste, or

smells Personal grooming and other self-help activities Cooking or other household chores Driving Clumsiness

How Is Dyspraxia Identified and Treated? 

There is no cure for dyspraxia. However, early identification and intervention can greatly help. Depending upon the severity of the disability, work with occupational, speech and physical therapists can improve a person's ability to function and succeed independently.

Dyslexia is a lifelong challenge that people are born with. This language processing disorder can hinder reading, writing, spelling and sometimes even speaking. Dyslexia is not a sign of poor intelligence or laziness. It is also not the result of impaired vision. Children and adults with dyslexia simply have a neurological disorder that causes their brains to process and interpret information differently.

 Dyslexia occurs among people of all economic and ethnic backgrounds. Often more than one member of a family has dyslexia. According to the National Institute of Child and Human Development, as many as 15 percent of Americans have major troubles with reading.

Much of what happens in a classroom is based on reading and writing. So it's important to identify dyslexia as early as possible. Using alternate learning methods, people with dyslexia can achieve success.

What Are the Effects of Dyslexia?Dyslexia can affect people differently. This depends, in part, upon the severity of the learning disability and the success of alternate learning methods. Some with dyslexia can have trouble with reading and spelling, while others struggle to write, or to tell left from right. Some children show few signs of difficulty with early reading and writing. But later on, they may have trouble with complex language skills, such as grammar, reading comprehension and more in-depth writing.

Dyslexia can also make it difficult for people to express themselves clearly. It can be hard for them to use vocabulary and to structure their thoughts during conversation. Others struggle to understand when people speak to them. This isn't due to hearing problems. Instead, it's from trouble processing verbal information. It becomes even harder with abstract thoughts and non-literal language, such as jokes and proverbs.

What Are the Warning Signs of Dyslexia?

Young Children

Trouble With: Recognizing letters, matching letters to sounds

and blending sounds into speech Pronouncing words, for example saying “mawn

lower” instead of “lawn mower” Learning and correctly using new vocabulary

words Learning the alphabet, numbers, and days of the

week or similar common word sequences Rhyming

School-Age Children

Trouble With: Mastering the rules of spelling Remembering facts and numbers Handwriting or with gripping a pencil Learning and understanding new skills; instead,

relying heavily on memorization Reading and spelling, such as reversing letters (d,

b) or moving letters around (left, felt) Following a sequence of directions Trouble with word problems in math

Teenagers and Adults

Trouble With: Reading at the expected level Understanding non-literal language, such as

idioms, jokes, or proverbs Reading aloud Organizing and managing time Trouble summarizing a story Learning a foreign language Memorizing

How Is Dyslexia Identified?Trained professionals can identify dyslexia using a formal evaluation. This looks at a person's ability to understand and use spoken and written language. It looks at areas of strength and weakness in the skills that are needed for reading. It also takes into account many other factors. These include family history, intellect, educational background, and social environment.

How Is Dyslexia Treated?

It helps to identify dyslexia as early in life as possible. Adults with unidentified dyslexia often work in jobs below their intellectual capacity. But with help from a tutor, teacher, or other trained professional, almost all people with dyslexia can become good readers and writers.

Other Strategies for Students with Dyslexia

Expose your child to early oral reading, writing, drawing, and practice to encourage development of print knowledge, basic letter formation, recognition skills and linguistic awareness (the relationship between sound and meaning).

Have your child practice reading different kinds of texts. This includes books, magazines, ads and comics.

Include multi-sensory, structured language instruction. Practice using sight, sound and touch when introducing new ideas.

Seek modifications in the classroom. This might include extra time to complete assignments, help with note taking, oral testing and other means of assessment.

Use books on tape and assistive technology. Examples are screen readers and voice recognition computer software.

Get help with the emotional issues that arise from struggling to overcome academic difficulties.

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