Learning Disabilities within the Classroom

1. Learning Disabilities within the Classroom If you give a starving man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if teach a man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. If you teach a student with learning disabilities a fact, you help the student for the moment. But if you teach that student how to learn, you help the student for a lifetime. Donald Deshler

2. Language is a wondrous thing – it has been said that language is what makes human beings Human….A language disorder is a nonvisible entity. It cannot be seen in the same manner that a crippling defect of the boy can be seen. Yet its effects are more pervasive and insidious than other physical impairments. Hal McGrady This is very true for most learning issues. Most learning issues are “invisible” as they fall outside of the “norm” for learning.

3. What is a Learning Disability?? Refers to a neurobiological disorder in which one or more of the basic processes involved in understanding spoken or written language. It may influence the ability to speak, listen read, write, spell, reason organize information, understand consequences of actions, or do mathematical calculations. There is a discrepancy between how smart the student is (the potential of the student) and how well they are doing in class (the achievement).

4. Often frustrated, seen as lazy and as not trying

5. With understanding and effort remediation can help to change the course of a child’s lifebut requirespatienceconsistency – home and schoolunderstandingknowledge

6. What are the types of issues • Dyslexia Aphasia • Dysgraphia Central Auditory Processing Disorder • Dyscaculia Visual Processing Disorder • ADHD,AD/HD,ADHD • Dyspraxia Non-verbal Learning Disorder • Dysphasia Executive Functioning

7. Will it go away……………… Some times it is outgrown as the child matures, the neurobiology may correct itself However…. Most likely the child learns compensatory skills …..if they are gifted, they teach themselves Most often, they need specialized assistance from a teacher or trained professional Early intervention is essential and works best as much is dependent on repetition and the creation of correct habits PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT not Practice makes perfect

8. Is testing needed??? Professional testing can assist you to more accurately assess the problems a student is facing It helps to understand why the child feels frustrated and to help them cope An Ex: The knight road out into the night And turned to the right to attend the rite That he thought was his right Where he learned to write With the wheelwrights What is frustrating about this ????

9. What can the classroom teacher do to help Taken from Math Intervention and the Promise of Adaptive Learning Not all student learn at the same rate Not all students learn the same way visual learners kinesthetic verbal auditory Examples from history: Cher Albert Einstein Thomas Edison Beethoven

10. Intervention is proactive ……….not reactive Parents know their children and teachers know their students Trust the instincts Talented students need intervention opportunities to be accelerated beyond the curriculum and to move at a pace that challenges their abilities – these are often the neglected ones because they learn easily and keep up but boredom can be an issue – can look like ADD/ADHD Intervention is about teaching and providing opportunities to learn – it should ever be deficit model Intervention can provide opportunities for remediation and skill building and strengths can be identified and enhanced Intervention discovers what works best for the individual student. Alternatives can be tried until the one that works is discovered And sometimes a nap works best…………….

11. Strong curriculum and a strong educational philosophy that is child-centered ensures the desired learning outcomes are achieved The teaching of compensatory skills works for all students not just those experiencing learning differences Build a foundation of understanding and skills; immersing them in lessons building understanding and knowledge lesson designs need to build accuracy, efficiency and understanding lessons need to provide regular practice leading to automaticity of response as confidence grows empower the student to make self-directed choices BEWARE LEARNED HELPLESSNESS An effective curriculum is aligned to standards and benchmarks also needs to have a research based understanding of how the progression and comprehension of learning occurs students who struggle often need more time. Flexible, dynamic lessons paths need to be adapted to fit individual needs. Learning needs to be FUNdamental as boring leads to increased acting out

12. Make connections explicit. Wherever possible provide multi-modal lessons that combine a variety of ways of learning (eg. Kinesthetic and visual). In the beginning, the more concrete the lesson, the better. Abstract connections come later Provide a wide variety of ways of learning (eg., making models, reading, dictating stories) These need to be adapted to the student’s individual needs Build on prior knowledge. Instruction should always connect new knowledge to old and build on what a child already knows. Standard is 75% review and 25% new for each lesson with the beginning of each lesson being a review of what was known already. We learn best when we build on what we already know Build a vocabulary for every subject so the student has a context for understanding. Every subject has unique vocabulary – we cannot make assumptions of understanding Integrate instruction and assessment in order to quickly identify learning gaps and to determine where the lesson plans need to be changed to accommodate student learning continual assessment allows the student to focus on what s/he needs to learn allows a better understanding of how a student approaches learning and how to adjust for strengths an weaknesses MISTAKES ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING – SEE THEM AS SUCH

13. KNOW YOUR STUDENTS KNOW THEIR STRENGTHS KNOWAREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT TEACHERS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

14. REFERENCES: Lerner, Janet and Johns, Beverly: Learning Disabilities and Related Mild Disabilities www.friends of quinn.com http://Idanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/strategies.asp http://www.as.wv.edu/-scidis/learning.html http://www.ldinfo.com/executive_functioning.htm Move to Learn LD Profile Test by Barbara Pheloung (2006) Learning Disabilities Association of America http://www.ldanatl.org National Association of School Psychologists