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Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities. Deborah Carlberg Cassie Doyle Kristi Petzke Darci Waltrip. What is a learning disability?. Having trouble: Processing information Organizing information Applying information. Dyslexia A language and reading disability

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Learning Disabilities

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  1. Learning Disabilities Deborah Carlberg Cassie Doyle Kristi Petzke Darci Waltrip

  2. What is a learning disability? Having trouble: • Processing information • Organizing information • Applying information

  3. DyslexiaA language and reading disability DyscalculiaProblems with arithmetic and math concepts DysgraphiaA writing disorder resulting in illegibility Dyspraxia (Sensory Integration Disorder)Problems with motor coordination Central Auditory Processing DisorderDifficulty processing and remembering language-related tasks Non-Verbal Learning DisordersTrouble with nonverbal cues, e.g., body language; poor coordination, clumsy Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor DeficitReverses letters; cannot copy accurately; Language Disorders (Aphasia/Dysphasia)Trouble understanding spoken language; poor reading comprehension Types of Learning Disabilities

  4. Causes or Presumed causes of Learning Disabilities • NO real causes • Might be caused by: • Hereditary • Teratogenic • Medical • Environmental

  5. Incident Rates • Estimated 15 % of the U.S. population • 6 % to 8 % of school age population

  6. Hyperactive Impulsive Fidgety Inattentive Disorganized Unreasonable emotional negativity Emotional outbursts Frustration over minor issues Bedwetting (All characteristics may vary with age) Does my student have ADD or ADHD?

  7. Approaches to diagnose ADD and ADHD • Evaluate student’s behavior • Continuous performance test (CPT) • Diagnosis should be based on multiple pieces of information and observations

  8. Approaches used to diagnose dyslexia • Today, only after a student has reading difficulties can dyslexia be diagnosed • Dyslexia may have “biological roots” • Psychological testing can determine if a child has dyslexia

  9. Characteristics of Learning Disabilities How will I know if my student has a LD? • Most students exhibit uneven areas of ability • Student is physically “normal” • Average or above average intelligence • Commonly found in gen ed classes: dyslexia and ADD/ADHD • Many LDs need to be medically diagnosed

  10. Does my student have dyslexia? • Reading characteristics • Writing characteristics • Numbers/Sequencing

  11. Tom Cruise Walt Disney Henry “The Fonz” Winkler Magic Johnson Celebrities with dyslexia

  12. Ty Pennington Ellen Degeneres Robin Williams Tracy Gold Celebrities with ADD/ADHD

  13. INSTRUCTIONAL IDEAS: ASSISTANCE WITH AUDIO AND VISUAL ASPECTS OF LEARNING Teachers may find the following helpful: • Repeat and summarize oral lecture notes and give students written versions of key points. • Verbalize what is being written on the chalkboard and read aloud material contained in handouts. • Send students a copy of booklist for upcoming semester/school year so that students can “get a jump on” the reading assignments.

  14. ASSISTANCE DURING ASSESSMENTS: The teacher may wish to: • Choose an alternate exam site away from the general education classroom. Ensure that this alternate locale is free from auditory and visual distracters. • Avoid confusing or complicated language and/or consider a substitute exam/assessment. • Allow student extra time to complete exams/assignments, especially if there are unique demands regarding reading and writing skills.

  15. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL IDEAS Teachers should: • Supporting learning with visuals • Stressing step-by-step instructions For students with ADHD, teachers should: • Give only one assignment at a time.

  16. TECHNOLOGY USED COMPUTERS: • For writing assignments, students with LD should be allowed to use a computer (if available) so that they can get spelling support through the spell check program. • Students with dyslexia may find that writing assignments are more easily completed on a computer. • Consider trying computer software, like Kurzweil 3000, which reads textbooks and other materials to students.

  17. OTHER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY Teachers may: • Allow students to use calculators during Math, when the goal is concept attainment (and not automaticity of math facts) • Allow students to tape record lectures and/or tape notes for students. • Allow students who cannot speak clearly to use a speech synthesizer Assessment: • Allow for alternate forms of assessment by allowing students to demonstrate learning through such things as portfolios, slide presentations, photographic essays, or taped interviews.

  18. INTERESTING TIDBITS POTPOURRI • Because many people with dyslexia are right-brained thinkers, they may be more artistic and creative, becoming poets, actors, inventors, and artists. • Children with dyslexia use “almost five times as much brain area as other children while doing a simple language task” (Silverstein et al., 2001, p. 22). • “In the past, doctors…tried to prevent [children with disabilities] from being born; they…also…tried to stop some [people with disabilities] from having children of their own” (Flynn, 1998, p. 11).

  19. INTERESTING TIDBITS EMOTIONAL ISSUES • Students with learning disabilities may suffer from emotional problems/depression, and/or low self-esteem. This may cause students to withdraw from social interaction. • These same students may turn to drugs or alcohol for relief from feelings of low self-worth. • As many as 35% of students with learning disorders, drop out of High School (Girod, 2001, p. 31). • “Teenagers with dyslexia …[are] more likely to…think about and to attempt suicide than other young people their age” (Landau, 2004, pp. 48-9).

  20. Additional Resources • Learning Disabilities Association of America4156 Library RoadPittsburgh, PA 15234(412) 341-1515 • President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities1331 F Street, N.W.Washington, DC 20004(202) 376-6200 • National Center for Law and Learning DisabilitiesP.O. Box 368Cabin John, MD 20818(301) 469-8308 • http://www.ldonline.org/ • http://www.iser.com/index.shtml • http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/learning_disabilities.shtml • http://www.starbeacon.com/index.asp?MC=NEXT&NID=4&AID=3767

  21. Resources http://www.odc.state.or.us/tadoc/ada40.htm http://65.54.187.250/cgibin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=d0b0b9bbf10d4f4426ce5e44a90e1454&lat=1084629747&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fericec%2eorg%2ffact%2ffamous%2ehtml http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread/t-4159.html Flynn, M. & Flynn, P. (1998). Thinking about having a learning disability. London: Belitha Press.  Girod, C. M. (2001). Diseases and disorders: Learning disabilities. San Diego: Lucent Books.  Landau, E. (2004). Dyslexia. New York: Franklin Watts.  Silverstein, A., Silverstein V., & Silverstein Nunn, L. (2001). Dyslexia. New York: Franklin Watts. "How Not to Diagnose ADHD" Contemporary Pediatrics Archive, Nov. 1996 by Martin Baren MD, James Swanson, PhD "The Clinical Characteristics of Behaviors of ADD/ADHD People Vary with Age" ADD Medical Treatment Center of Santa Clara valley The Gardner School online site. www.gardnerschool.org "Georgetown researchers to present evidence of biological cause of dyslexia" Press release Feb 14, 2001. Georgetown University Medical Center Learning Disabilities Association of America www.ldanatl.org The International Dyslexia Society, www.interdys.org

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