Learning Disabilities

The term Learning Disability/Disorder means that a student is not academically working up to his or her full intellectual potential, with grades or test scores in certain academic areas (e.g., reading, math, spelling, or writing) falling lower than expected, considering the individual's level of intelligence.

Learning disabilites can also relate to the way a student may encode, process, retain, retrieve, and/or express facts and concepts, with difficulties in areas such as auditory or visual processing, working memory, or processing speed. As a result, some children may have difficulty in a variety of subjects. Although many children show some signs of a learning disability in early childhood, in some cases, the symptoms may not appear until middle grades or even high school.

Learning Disabilities/Disorders are actually quite common. The 24th Annual Report to the Congress states that, currently, almost 3 million children are receiving some form of special service in public schools alone. That does not take into account all the children in private or home school settings. It is a good idea for parents to be aware of their child's skill development at the following stages:

Preschool:

• Your child begins speaking at a later age than most of the other children
• Your child has difficulty "coming up with" the right words when telling a story
• Learning to rhyme is a difficult task
• Difficulty remembering letters, numbers, or colors
• Extremely overactive and/or distracted
• Has difficulty following simple directions or following through with routines

Early Grades (K-5)

• Has difficulty learning to blend letter sounds in order to form words
• Makes frequent reading and spelling errors
• Often spells the same word differently several times in the same assignment
• Shows signs of frustration when learning to tell time
• Has difficulty remembering basic math facts such as simple addition or the times tables
• Has an easier time with verbal expression than written expression (speaks in lengthy sentences but writes short ones)
• Struggles with basic writing mechanics such as capitalization and punctuation

Grades 6 through 12:

• Works very slowly
• Avoids reading
• Difficulty with word problems
• Frequently misreads directions
• Seems to forget with he/she has just learned
• Difficulty making generalizations

Fortunately, with support and intervention, Learning Disabilities can be treated. The first step is to have your child diagnosed by a trained professional. Then recommendations can be made for educational interventions that are specific to your child's learning needs. It is important to remember that individuals learn and process information differently. Your child simply needs to "learn how to learn" in his or her own unique way.