Learning Disabilities

1. Learning Disabilities TLSE 240

2. What do all these people have in common? • Cher • Jay Leno • Whoopi Goldberg • Charles Schwab • Greg Louganis • Bruce Jenner • Nelson Rockefeller

3. They all have or had a LEARNING DISABILITY….

4. IDEA Definition • “ a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language… (Psychological processes are memory, perception, attention, etc.)

5. continued • that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do math calculations…”

6. Includes conditions such as: • Perceptual disabilities • Brain injury • Minimal brain dysfunction • Dyslexia • Developmental aphasia

7. Does not include • Problems primarily resulting from • Sensory or motor disabilities • Mental retardation • Emotional disturbance • Environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage

8. Learning Disabilities (LD) • Most common disability among students who receive special education (50.8% of all disabilities) • Several kinds of specific learning disabilities exist (i.e., reading, math, writing, etc.) • Difficulty in learning, especially in speaking, listening, writing, reading, and mathematics

9. LD continued • Presumed cause is central nervous system dysfunction • Unexpected under achievement is a common characteristic • Average or above average IQ • Discrepancy between potential to learn and level of achievement

10. Discrepancy • Compare IQ level on IQ test with achievement test scores • Not a perfect way to assess • Issues with discrepancy approach/formula

11. Some Characteristics • Difficulty in understanding and following directions • Short attention span • Difficulty with handwriting and fine motor skills • Visual or auditory memory • Memorizing words or basic math facts • Difficulty allocating time and organizing work

12. Characteristics continued • Segmenting words into sounds and blending sounds • May confuse letters and words (b, d) (was, saw) • Poor phonics/decoding/phonological awareness • Rapid naming • Inefficient learning strategies

13. Terms • Dyslexia – severe disability in learning to read, especially as related to decoding and spelling • Dysgraphia – severe disability in learning to write, including handwriting

14. continued • Dyscalculia – severe disability in learning math concepts and computations

15. LD History • Coined by Sam Kirk in 1963 in Chicago • Previous terms • Fast growing category • Controversy • Invisible disability

16. History continued • Kirk • Orton • Process/product debate

17. Assumed Causes • Neurological based • Part of brain responsible for sounds and symbols • May be genetic link • Lead paint injection • FAS

18. Teaching Ideas • Direct instruction • Memory/learning strategies • Self-management • Multi-sensory learning • Organized learning

19. Teaching Ideas continued • Task analysis • Accommodations • Projects • Technologies • Other

20. Other Facts - LD • Learning disabilities often run in families • Learning disabilities is a life long disability • About 35% of students with LD drop out of school

21. Other Facts continued • Learning disabilities can be a serious obstacle to gainful employment • 50% of young criminals were determined to have learning disabilities • 85% of Americans often confuse learning disabilities with mental retardation • Early and appropriate interventions are essential