Learning disabilities can show up in various ways
We’re spending this month talking about some of the various types of disabilities. We’ll start with learning disabilities, then progress to mental illnesses, followed by hearing impairments and deafness, while progressing to visual impairments, and concluding with spinal cord injuries (SCI).
A learning disability affects the way a person is able to understand or use the spoken or written language. Learning disabilities can manifest in multiple ways, such as difficulty in listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, spelling, or doing math calculations. People with learning disabilities generally possess and are capable of the same level of intellectual
achievement as a person who does not have a learning disability.
The term learning disability is used to cover a broad range of situations.
Because there are so many different ways that a learning disability can impact someone, it is vital to develop strategies to maximize the successes that
individuals with learning disabilities achieve. There is a great deal of overlapping between areas of learning. Therefore, children with learning disabilities may show a combination of characteristics. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of the population has a learning disability. Learning disabilities are characterized by a significant difference in a
person’s achievement in some areas when compared to his or her overall intelligence.
A student with a learning disability may show one or more of the following characteristics:
Difficulty in an academic area (reading, writing, written expression, spelling, math calculations, or math reasoning).
Memory or perception problems.
Speech and language disorders.
Attention problems, such as difficulty staying on task and being easily distracted.
Hyperactivity – difficulty sitting still.
Impulsivity – acts without thinking, poor planning and organizational skills.
Adaptations or accommodations that can help a person with a learning disability to, hopefully, overcome that disability might include:
Make it a point to have the individual’s attention before speaking to him.
Explain directions carefully, simply, and slowly.
Repeat directions aloud to help the individual remember them. It also may be helpful to ask the person with a learning disability to repeat the directions back to you, thus reducing the possibility of miscommunication.
With a younger child, try various methods to see how the individual learns best; such as seeing, hearing, or reading aloud. With an older child or an
adult, ask how he learns best, and use that method.
Look for sparks of enthusiasm and encourage interest to grow.
Be patient. A person with a learning disability needs more time to think and to complete projects in the areas in which he has difficulty.
Provide security and structure. The breaking of any routine can produce great anxiety.
Be sure to look at the whole person, including his feelings, emotions, opinions, and problems. Words of encouragement and kindness will help counter
any feelings of inferiority or failure. Help the person with learning disabilities focus on and appreciate his unique strengths.
Your willingness, intelligent, and thoughtful work in using these and other ideas to help your child, or your other family members, to overcome their
learning disabilities will go a long way toward helping to have happy, successful, and productive lives. Teachers can use these same suggestions to
help better educate the children in their classrooms to overcome their learning disabilities, as well.
Paul Rendine is chairman of the Disability Advocates of Delmarva Inc. group. He can be reached at 800-759-2083 or at his e-mail address at: quoteman3@aol.com with any questions or comments.