Specific Learning Disabilities

GROUP ONE

The Facts of Specific Learning Disorders

Facts: Definitions IDEA Definition

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculation.

NJCLD Definition National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD)

Came up with their own definition because they perceived a lack in the IDEA definition.

Learning disabilities is a general term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities.

Facts: Prevalence

Currently 2.4 million students are diagnosed with SLD and receive special education services in our schools or 4-6% of all public school students.

IDEA Part B Child Count, 2010, Students ages 6-21. Available at www.IDEAdata.org

41% of all students receiving special education are SLD IDEA Part B Child Count, 2010, Students ages 6-21. Available at www.IDEAdata.org

The number of SLD students has been on a steady decline in the past 10 years.

IDEA Part B Child Counts, 2001-2010, Students ages 6-21. Available at www.IDEAdata.org

Boys outnumber girls three to one in prevalence of SLD http://www.education.com/reference/article/prevalence-learning-disabilities/

Facts: Language Disability Two types: Written Expression and Oral Expression

Written Expression: requires a complex set of motor and information processing skills.

Makes the act of writing difficult.

Can lead to problems with spelling, poor handwriting and putting thoughts on paper.

Can cause trouble with organizing letters, numbers and words on a line or page.

trouble processing and making sense of what the ear hears

Note-taking during a lecture is a problem

Visual-spatial difficulties: trouble processing what the eye sees

Note-taking from the board is a problem

Causes fatigue because the physical process of writing is so arduous

Oral Expression: express thoughts, and ideas using appropriate language structures

Is NOT reading aloud or reading fluently.

must adversely affect academic performance.

If a deficit does not affect academic performance the speech-language pathologist may better address the student’s needs.

http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/dysgraphia http://edie502.wikispaces.com/Oral+Expression+Disability

Facts: Reading Disability Two types: Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension

Also known as Dyslexia

Most prevalent type of learning disability

Characterized by difficulties with accurate word recognition, decoding and spelling.

May result in poor reading fluency and reading out loud.

Reads slowly and painfully

May cause problems with reading comprehension and slow down vocabulary growth

http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia

http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/

Facts: Math disability Two types: Math Calculation and Math Reasoning

Visual-spatial difficulties and language processing difficulties contribute to math disabilities.

Math Calculation: Difficulty in making arithmetical calculations Also known as Dyscalculia

Trouble learning math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)

Trouble with mental math

Difficulty learning math concepts beyond the basic math facts

Poor long term memory for math functions

Difficulty measuring things

Math Reasoning: Difficulty developing math problem-solving skills Difficulty finding different approaches to one problem

Not familiar with math vocabulary

Avoiding games that require strategy

Difficulty estimating costs like groceries bills

Poor ability to budget or balance a checkbook

Trouble with concepts of time, such as sticking to a schedule or approximating time

http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/dyscalculia/what-is-dyscalculia

Causes and Preventions of Specific Learning Disabilities

Causes of SpecificLearning Disabilities

Physiological: Brain injury – may occur prenatally if

exposed to toxins, during birth if deprived of oxygen, or postnatally from an accident or illness.

Heredity – if one or both parents have a learning disability, the chance of the child having one is 30-50%.

Chemical imbalance – biochemical disorder in the brain.

Causes (continued)

Curriculum and Environmental Contributors:

Poor nutrition Adverse emotional climate

Toxins in the environment - lead-based paint, cigarette smoke

Too little stimulation

Lack of educational materials

English as a second language

Children who live in poverty

Causes (continued)

Lack of medical care

Low parent education and less modeling

Few early learning experiences

In most cases, a single cause is not known, and it is very

unlikely that a primary cause is ever identified. However, a combination of one or more of these causes are most often considered. It is not uncommon for SLD to co-occur with social, emotional, or behavior problems.

Prevention of Specific Learning Disabilities

Primary Prevention Healthy start for newborns

Appropriate prenatal care

Early intervention for developmental delays

Reducing chances of brain injury

Education for parents

Improving teachers’ skills in instruction

Prevention of Specific Learning Disabilites (continued)

Secondary Prevention Remedial instruction

Working with children (RTI) because learning problems have been noticed

Tertiary Prevention Keeping the effects of the problem from spreading

into other areas of functioning

Avoiding problems in other subjects

Resources for Effected Students and Their Families

National Resources The National Center for Learning Disabilities

Established in 1977

Provides resources to promote awareness of learning disabilities as well as provides grants and other resources for research and implementation of innovative practices in the field of learning disabilities. The organization also acts as an advocacy group for students with SLDs and their families.

http://www.ncld.org/

The Learning Disabilities Association of America The LDA was established in 1963 by a group of concerned parents.

The LDA promotes prevention of learning disabilities, provides resources for learning disability research, promotes identification of those with learning disabilities, supports educational intervention, and advocates for people with learning disabilities and their families.

LDA Website

State Resources

Georgia Department of Education- The Divisions for Special Education Services and Supports This state service is provided through the State Department of Education.

This service provides resources and support to local school systems to provide special education services and supports to students who need them. These programs and services provide extra educational opportunities for students to boost their educational achievement and multiply these student’s opportunities upon their getting out of high school.

Website

Learning Disabilities Association of Georgia Provides resources and advocates for students with learning disabilities and

their families in the state of Georgia.

Website

Local Resources

Southeast GLRS GLRS is based in several locations across the state of Georgia. Its primary

focus is to provide professional learning for teachers who teach students with learning disabilities and to parents with children who have learning disabilities. The nearest location to me is Southeast GLRS in Claxton, Georgia. Each location serves as a source of local support for schools and families who are within its coverage area.

Website

Parent 2 Parent of Georgia Parent 2 Parent of Georgia is a support organization which allows parents

with children who have all types of disabilities, including specific learning disabilities, to get advice and support from other parents who are experts. The organization is located in Statesboro.

Website

Accommodations for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

Accommodations in the ClassroomAcademics and Organization

Present information visually and verbally

Use diagrams, graphics and pictures to support instruction.

Provide independent practice

Write legibly and print when possible

Use large print

Speak clearly and turn so students can see your face

Present learning tasks into small steps

Accommodations ( Cont.)Academics and Organization

Regularly check understanding

Provide timely feedback

Have student underline key words or directions on activity sheets

Teach memory strategies

Use graphic organizers to connect ideas

Accommodations ( Cont.)Reading

Highlight unfamiliar words, review them, and explore the meaning.

Teach the use of contextual clues for unfamiliar words

Build background for reading

Set a purpose for reading – to gain meaning from text

Have students use both visual and auditory senses when reading text

Present reading in small units

Peer read

Use graphic organizers to connect ideas.

Read and share stories with students.

Accommodations ( Cont.)Writing

Use oral exams in when possible.

Provide notes or outlines to reduce writing.

Provide a partially completed outline that allows student to fill in details under major headings.

Allow use of a laptop or other computer for writing assignments.

Accommodations ( Cont.)Math

Allow use of fingers and scratch paper.

Use diagrams and draw math concepts.

Present activities that involve all sensory modalities – auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic.

Arrange peer assistance and tutoring opportunities.

Have graph paper available so students can align numbers in math problems.

Use colored pencils to differentiate problems.

Offer manipulatives throughout instruction.

Teach students to draw pictures of word problems

Accommodations ( Cont.)Assistive Technology

Portable word processors

Proofreading programs

Speech-recognition programs

Speech synthesizers/screen readers

Talking calculators

Talking spell checkers and electronic dictionaries

Audio books and publications

Electronic math work sheets

Freeform database software

Graphic organizers and outlining

Any equipment or device that helps students compensate for their learning deficits

http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/assistive-technology/702-assistive-technology-for-kids-with-learning-disabilities-an-overview.gs

Journal Article One Journal: Exceptional Children. Fall, 2013, Vol. 80 Issue 1, p101,

20 p.; Council for Exceptional Children Language: English, Database: Academic OneFile

Article Title: Specific learning disability and response to intervention: state-level guidance

This article focuses on the importance of Response to Intervention (RTI) in assessing students to discover if the qualify for special education services for Specific Learning Disabilities. The article was written in 2013 and explores how different states have used RTI to evaluate the performance of students being considered for diagnosis of a Specific Learning Disability in schools. No uniform process has been devised to accomplish this task using information gained during administration of RTI. The procedures that are being used in different areas to accomplish this are discussed as well as possible changes in policy. The article also discusses research completed on the subject.

Link

Journal Article Two Journal: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

2011 Dec, Issue 16.

Article Title: Facts for Families: Children with Learning Disabilities

This article focuses on parent friendly information about how to identify if a child may need to be evaluated for a learning disability. The article is written in lay terms so that the content is accessible to all. The article includes characteristics of learning disabilities as well as steps to take if a parent suspects that their child may be struggling with a disability.

I will use this article in my classroom by sharing it with parents.

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED533387.pdf

Journal Article Three Journal: B. Butterworth, Y. Kovas. Understanding Neurocognitive

Developmental Disorders Can Improve Education for All. Science, 2013; 340 (6130): 300 DOI: 10.1126/science.1231022

Title: Understanding Neurocognitive Developmental Disorders Can Improve Education for All

According to this article, up to 10 percent of the population are affected by specific learning disabilities (SLDs), such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and autism, translating to 2 or 3 pupils in every classroom. The disability arises from atypical brain development complicated by genetic and environmental causes.

While these conditions in isolation already provide a challenge for educators, an added element is that specific learning disabilities also co-occur. For example, in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, 33 to 45 percent also suffer from dyslexia and 11 percent from dyscalculia.

Journal Article Three (cont.)

The article points out that we are beginning to find effective ways to help learners with one or more SLDs. Those with their unique combination of SLDs will need specialized support tailored to their needs.

Professor Butterworth states:“What the team hope is that by developing an understanding of how individual differences in brain development interact with formal education, and also adapting learning pathways to individual needs, those with specific learning disabilities will produce more tailored education for such learners.”

"Each child has a unique cognitive and genetic profile, and the educational system should be able to monitor and adapt to the learner's current repertoire of skills and knowledge.”

Journal Article Four

Journal Issue: Children with Disabilities Volume 22 Number 1 Spring 2012

Prevention of Disability in Children: Elevating the Role of Environment

Authors: Stephen A. Rauch Bruce P. Lanphear

This article addresses environmental factors that affect children with specific learning disabilities. Medical research focuses on eliminating risk factors to mitigate symptoms for individual children with disabilities. However, the studies inevitably fail to prevent disabilities. According to the authors, environmental factors put entire populations at risk.

Journal Article Four (continued)

Toxins in air, water, and soil, stressors of poverty, unhealthy marketing for tobacco products and junk food are all cited as areas that are affecting our population in adverse ways. Studies have been conducted on plastics that are commonly used that may be affecting child development. The authors in this article are asking for a shift in societal thinking and a long-term investment in how we see these things as the real key to preventing specific learning disabilities in the future. In the long-run these interventions by our society will prove more beneficial than any medical study.

Journal Article Five Journal: Whitby, P. S., Marx, T., McIntire, J., & Wienke, W. (2013). Teaching

Exceptional Children, 45(5), 32-39.

Article Title: Advocating for Students with Disabilities at the School Level.

The article discusses the special education teacher as an advocate for students with special needs. There are five professional standards that guide the special education teacher in her role and they are defined by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).The five guidelines require the teacher to work to improve services students receive, work with other professionals for the benefit of the student, to remain objective and document any issues in the special education services, make sure students are properly placed, and to follow the laws. The article discusses the issues special education teachers may face with the school administration. At times special educators are expected to do things that are not in the best interest of the special education student due to costs.

Journal Article Five (cont.)

Teachers have been faced with hardships and mistreatment in their role as advocates for special education students by administrators. Universities are not preparing teachers for the opposition they are facing. Special education teachers may also encounter hostility from the general education teachers regarding accommodations. The article shares some training that universities should incorporate to get special education teachers ready for the adversities they may experience. Special education teachers should also be very knowledgeable about the law and how it is implemented at the school and district level. The article suggests strategies that teachers can utilize to effectively advocate for special education students. Teachers have to build a positive relationship with the building staff and place the needs of the student first at all times. Special education teachers have to ensure the individual student is addressed rather than special education as a whole. Effective strategies and methods teachers can use to conduct a productive meeting with the parents and general education teachers are discussed. The article goes on to state that the special education teacher has to remember to use diplomacy. It will quell most negative situations and yield positive results.

Quiz Question

The National Center for Learning Disabilities was established in in 1963 by concerned parents.

True or False

Answer

False

The National Center for Learning Disabilities was Established in 1977.

Quiz Question #2

Which of the following is considered an environmental toxin?

a. cigarette smoke

b. traffic

c. noise pollution

d. fog

Quiz Question 2 Answer

Cigarette Smoke

Quiz Question

Another name for reading disability is:a. Dysgraphiab. Dyslexiac. Dyscalculiad. Dyspraxia

Answer

b. Dyslexia

Quiz Question 1

Small print is a good modification to use.

a. True

b. False

Quiz Question 1 Answer

False

Quiz Question #1

Specific Learning Disabilities have been known to co-occur with:

a. social skill problems

b. behavioral disorders

c. emotional problems

d. all of the above

Quiz Question 1 Answer

All of the above

Quiz Question

Both the National Center for Learning Disabilities and Learning Disabilities Association of America provide advocacy services for students and families.

True or False

Answer

True

Both organizations provide advocacy services to students and families.

Quiz Question

Another name for a learning disability in math calculation is:a. Dysgraphiab. Dyslexiac. Dyscalculiad. Dyspraxia

Answer

c. Dyscalculia

Quiz Question 2

What kind of pencils help differentiate written problems?

Quiz Question 2 Answer

Color pencils

Quiz Question

Another name for a learning disability in written expression:a. Dysgraphiab. Dyslexiac. Dyscalculiad. Dyspraxia

Answer

a. Dysgraphia

Quiz Question # 3

Specific learning disability and learning disability are interchangeable.

Quiz Question 3 Answer

True

Quiz Question

Which of the following is NOT accepted as a type of learning disability: a. Reading Fluency or Comprehension

b. Written or Oral Expression

c. Math Calculation or Reasoningd. Attention Deficit Disorder or Hyperactivity Disorder

Answer

d. Attention Deficit Disorder or Hyperactivity Disorder

While attention deficits do impede learning, they are not accepted as a learning disability as defined by IDEA and NJCLD.

Quiz Question # 3

Chemical imbalance can be a cause of Specific Learning Disabilites in children?

Quiz Question 3 Answer

True

Sources Learning Disabilities:

Foundations, Characteristics, and Effective Teaching, by D.P. Hallahan, J.W. Lloyd, J.M. Kauffman, M.P. Weiss, E.A. Martinez, 2005 edition.

Special Education: Contemporary Perspectives for School Professionals, by Marilyn Friend, 4th Edition.

www.education.com

www.naset.org