Learning disabilities is a general term to describe a group of learning problems. Students with LD are highly represented in general education classes. LD is the largest single disability area. The cause of learning disabilities remains unknown but are believed to have been associated with some kind of brain function. Organic, genetic, and environmental are three major factors that have been hypothesized as possible causes. Organic factors include indications of brain differences in size or functioning. Genetic factors include heredity, where a student with a reading/writing problem shares the same problem with another close family member. Environmental factor includes poor diet and nutrition as well as exposure to toxins such as alcohol smoke and drug use mostly before birth. Individuals with learning disabilities possess a variety of characteristics that distinguish them from other students. However, not all individuals with learning disabilities have all the characteristics described in this section. Characteristics of Learning disabilities can be found in 1). Language and literacy 2). Mathematics 3). Attention and memory 4). Thinking and Reasoning 5). Metacognitive Abilities 6). Social-Emotional Functioning and lastly 7). Generalization and application . Language and Literacy: Students will experience difficulty with both expressive and receptive language including includes discriminating between sounds, misunderstanding grammar, understanding subleties in
“Specific learning disability means 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 the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. Specific learning disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage” (Special Education Guide, 2017).
A learning disability is caused by the way the brain develops. There are many different types and most develop before a baby is born, during birth or because of a serious illness in early childhood. A learning disability is life long and usually has a significant impact on a person's life.
If parents, teachers, and other professionals discover a child's learning disability early and provide the right kind of help, it can give the child a chance to develop skills needed to lead a successful and productive life. The LD online website provides a long list of characteristics that might indicate a learning disability between the ages of Kindergarten and high school. Some common signs of a learning disability that as a teacher we can look for in the classroom would be, a student speaks later than most children, pronunciation problems, slow vocabulary growth, student is often unable to find the right word, difficulty rhyming words, trouble learning numbers, alphabet, colors, and shapes, extremely restless and easily distracted, trouble interacting with peers, difficulty following directions or routines, and lastly the fine motor skills are slow to develop. Once the teacher or parents can understand what type of learning disability a child has they can help them succeed academically by providing instruction better and understanding the person
There are many different types of learning disabilities; the most common ones are dyslexia and attention deficit disorder. (Jerome Rosner. –third ed. 1)
Disabilities; these may include a physical or learning disability. Children with a learning disability may not be capable of holding their attention for an extended period or pay close attention in class. A learning disability is not a problem with intelligence, disorders are caused by a difference in how information is received, processed and communicated in the brain.
In order for an individual to be recognised as having a learning disability, during their assessment three core criteria must be identified. The individual must present with; a significantly lower than average intellect, a reduced ability to function in, and adjust to, their environment, or the inability to interrelate with others. Whilst diagnosis can take place at any age, these difficulties must arise during childhood.
Learning disabilities are defined as the inability to process information and the inability to communicate effectively. This can cause problems during the child’s years in school. It is often characterized by as having a below average intellectual functioning level as well as below average adaptational skills.
These students have normal and sometimes above normal intelligence but they struggling with problems that hinder them from learning and progressing like other students. More recently it is thought that a student with learning disability could show one of more than 500,000 combinations of cognitive or socioemotional problems (Heward, 2010). Learning disabilities cause students to struggle with so many things in school such as academics, emotions, and socializing and learning disabilities also cause students to have problems away from school. Students with learning disabilities may experience problems with learning to read or comprehend what they read, learning to do math or develop mathematical reasoning, learning vocabulary, spelling or the written language, and learning to get along with others and exhibit appropriate social skills. They may also have problems with paying attention, hyperactivity, and sometimes behavior,
Different disabilities may affect development in different ways. However, with support from teachers and parents, these affects can be minimalised. A learning disability such as Dyslexia (a common type of learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling) could lead to a child becoming frustrated which could further lead to behavioural issues. Moreover, without assistance, Dyslexia will allow for the child to become unmotivated and prove to be a hindrance to them as they look to strive in later life. Physical disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy (a neurological condition that effects movement and coordination) will affect development as children will have difficulties communicating, eating and drinking and with their
Students with learning disabilities are a diverse group of individuals, exhibiting difficulties in many different areas. The areas most affected are reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning, and math; however, Learning Disabilities are specific to the individual. It is essential for educators to understand all of the possible characteristics that may be seen in children with LD. By knowing what to look for, educators may be able to help provide a meaningful educational experience. The most common types of Learning Disabilities are those that impact reading, writing, and math. According to “Specific Learning Disabilities,” there are five core concepts to consider when defining LD. First, Learning Disabilities are a heterogeneous group; LD comes in all shapes and sizes. Second, LD results in a significant difficulty to listen, speak, read, write, reason, and perform math. Third, Learning Disabilities are unique to the individual. LD is said to start in the central nervous system, and does not disappear over time, but can take on many different stages over a child’s life. Fourth, LD can occur simultaneously with other disabilities; that would not otherwise be classified as a disability. Some examples include ADHD, sensory aversions, or emotional disturbance. Lastly, LD is not caused by external influences. People from different cultural backgrounds may also have a Learning Disability (Kirkland, 2012). As an educator, I need to make sure I understand all of the possible characteristics that may be seen in children with LD. By knowing what to look for, I will be able to help provide a meaningful educational experience for my students with
While perceptions of learning disabilities (LD) may vary according to country, culture, and teachers, it is often necessary to diagnose students in order to receive funding for services. It can be helpful to recognize those learning disabilities that students may have in order to provide extra assistance when necessary. It would be advantageous, too, if wide recognition of LD could take away the stigma that is often present. However, since LD is a multi-faceted topic, labeling often carries a negative connotation and can lead to ostracizing of students. It is beneficial for a student if the classification of a student with LD results in an enhanced educational experience.
Individuals with Disability Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004 defines a disability as being “one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which the disorder may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to speak, listen, think, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations.” This is saying that if there is something mentally preventing someone from progressing in language learning within various subject matters they might qualify as having a learning disability if evidence supports these findings and none or limited progress is made over time. Disabilities that are caused or affected by motor disabilities, mental retardation, emotions, environment, economics, vision, or hearing do not fall under the IDEIA definition of a specific
A learning disability affects the way a person learns new things, how they understand information and how they communicate. This means they may have difficulty; being independent, learning new skills and understanding information. “It is thought that up to 350,000 people have severe learning disabilities. This figure is increasing.” (http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Childrenwithalearningdisability/Pages/Whatislearningdisability.aspx10). According to the Department of Health a learning disability is defined as a “significant reduced ability to understand
The LDA organization offers specific information on a number of disabilities that children are afflicted with, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, central auditory processing disorder, non-verbal learning disorders, language disorders and writing disorders (dysgraphia). The LDA site notes that "learning disabilities" is actually an "umbrella" term alluding to a number of disabilities.
that something could happen during the birth, for example, they could be starved of oxygen for a