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According to federal law, a learning disability is “…a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write or to do mathematical calculations…”
Learning disabilities are frequently discovered before or during the school years but may remain throughout the life span. These disabilities, however, may change in intensity, importance, and manifestation and affect the individual’s functioning in different ways at different stages of life. Thus, while reading (decoding and/or comprehending) may be the primary area of difficulty for a learning disabled child in school, organizational problems may emerge in adulthood for this same person as the main concern—both at home and in the workplace.
There is no profile of a person with learning disabilities. Learning disabilities occur in different combinations for individuals with learning disabilities and are influenced by the time and place in which learning occurs. Thus, one child with learning disabilities related to reading will usually perform much better on an untimed than on a timed reading test; another child, also with a reading disability who is hyperactive, may not.
Nevertheless, it can be useful to categorize different learning disabilities by type:
1) Reading Problems (referred to technically as “dyslexia”). These problems may be basic, such as having difficulty decoding letter and words. They may also be complex and involve comprehension difficulties, despite the fact that decoding skills have been mastered. Difficulty in processing written words and sentences may result in slow reading, which can, in turn, create problems in understanding and completing reading tasks.
2) Writing Problems (also referred to as “dysgraphia”). Writing difficulties include a) problems in the physical act of writing, b) spelling difficulty (dysgraphics may spell phonetically), c) difficulty organizing and expressing ideas in writing, and d) difficulty generating ideas while writing.
3) Mathematical Problems. There are many different types of learning disabilities related to mathematics (the technical term generally is “dyscalcula”). An individual with this sort of problem may experience, with reference to aspects of mathematical calculation/problem-solving: a) visual/spatial trouble; b) difficulty processing and thus comprehending written problems; and c) problems with both retaining math terms and concepts and also keeping math procedures in proper order.
4) Communication and Social Skills Problems (both verbal and non-verbal).
Verbal: speech sound production may be impaired (e.g. errors in pronunciation, omission of words and sounds); inability to listen or respond appropriately when talking to someone; difficulty listening to a lecture and taking notes at the same time; difficulty initiating, sustaining and ending a conversation or of maintaining attention in conversation.
Non-Verbal: Since many communication skills are classified as “non-verbal,” a non-verbal learning disability is one that affects those aspects of communication. These disabilities affect individuals in one or more of the following different ways: i) interpreting social cues (body language, physical gestures); ii) reacting to emotional cues; or iii) comprehending humor, sarcasm, and metaphorical speech;
The learning disabled person often can be described as a “puzzlement” – someone who appears to be (and often is) highly capable in some activities but quite limited in others. For example, a learning disabled student is very capable of presenting his ideas in classroom discussion, but in his written work he gives the impression that he is low functioning–as evidenced by his poor spelling, disorganization in expressing his thoughts on paper, and in the simplicity of his sentences and ideas. Another person with learning disability may show marked variability in functioning. Thus, Jim, a school librarian, is organized, attentive and responsive to student needs much of the time; however, he also can be disorganized and unfocussed when working with students at other times.
Other examples of the characteristics of the learning disabled (which often are puzzling, as well as frustrating, to parents, teachers, friends, and the learning disabled person herself), are as follows:
May have difficulty following directions
May have difficulty understanding abstract concepts but be competent understanding and recalling details, or vice versa
May be able to add and multiply but not subtract or divide
May have difficulty multi-tasking
May be poorly coordinated in some activities but adept in others
May be able to learn information presented in one way but not in another
May be a child who can do math in her head but not subtract or divide
May sound jumbled when speaking, stop and start in the middle of a sentence or idea, choose immature/inappropriate subject matter to talk about
May have difficulty telling or understanding jokes
May have difficulty picking up and/or interpreting social cues
May have difficulty in making transitions from one activity to another
Persons with learning disabilities, given their various challenges and the failures that frequently occur in their lives, often suffer from low self-esteem, loneliness and the experience of learned helplessness.
Attention-Deficit /Hyperactivity Disorder
A significant number of persons with learning disabilities also suffer from AD/HD, a condition that makes it difficult for individuals to concentrate, control behavior, and sit still. Signs of AD/HD include problems with paying attention, controlling activity, and/or being impulsive. Adults and children with Attention Deficit Disorder do not worry about details, are unable to focus on play or school, do not complete assignments or chores, are easily distracted, and have a tendency to lose things such as books and toys. Children with Hyperactivity may squirm and fidget excessively, run around when they are meant to be sitting in class, talk an excessive amount, play noisily, and interrupt others while they are still talking |
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