Teaching Children with Learning Disabilities

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Teaching Children with Learning Disabilities

• NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

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LEARNING DISABILITIES

• Examples
• I. Introduction and Definition under IDEA
• A. Information Processing Disorder
• B. Difficulties in Learning
• C. Exclusionary Rule
• D. Discrepancy Controversy
• II. Prevalence
• III. Characteristics of Students with LD
• IV. Teaching Strategies for Students with LD

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I. Introduction to LD

• The term learning disabilities was only founded
  in 1963 by Samuel Kirk. At that time, children
  with LD were referred to by such terms as
• perceptually handicapped,
• brain-injured, and
• neurologically impaired
• were served in classrooms for students with MR or
  in most cases, were not receiving any specialized
  services in the public schools.

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Definition of a Learning Disability under IDEA

• LEARNING DISABILITY
• (1) a disorder in the processing of
  information
• involved in understanding and using
  language (spoken or written)
• (2) Difficulties in learning, particularly
  reading, writing, mathematics, and/or
  spelling
• (3) The problem is not primarily due to other
  causes
• (4) Special educational services needed to
  succeed in school
• Severe discrepancy between potential and
  achievement

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1. Disorder in the Processing of Information

• First, having a learning disability means that
  the brain "processes" information differently
  than most other students.
• Simply stated, certain kinds of information get
  stuck or lost while traveling through the brain
  of the student with LD.

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1. Disorder in the Processing of Information

• Information processing refers to how your
  brain
• Takes in information,
• Uses information,
• Stores the information in memory,
• Retrieves the information from memory,
• and Expresses the information

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1. Disorder in the Processing of Information

• Students with LD struggle with certain kinds of
  learning because their brains have difficulty
  "processing" certain kinds of information.
• It is like when you go on a car trip and get
  stuck in road construction and need to take a
  detour. It takes you a lot longer to get where
  you are going. Its the same with information
  going through the brain of a student with LD.

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1. Disorder in the Processing of Information

• Different kinds of information travel through
  different parts of the brain. That's why some
  information is learned quickly and easily while
  other information is much more difficult.

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1. Visual Processing

• Visual Processing involves how well a student can
  use visual information. When he sees something,
  especially something complex,
• e.g., does he understand it quickly and easily?
  Can he "visualize" things (like pictures, shapes,
  words, etc.) in his head? Can he remember
  information that he sees?
•  

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Read this Story

• Mhat I bib last snwwer
• Wy frieub Roddie donght a bop frow the det shod
  for 148. His darents pave hiw the wouey pnt
  saip that he wonlp have to day half to thew over
  the snwwer dy poinp sbecial chores aronud the
  yarp. He fipnreb he conlp rebay his dareuts L4
  bollars.
• Later that pay, I cawe over to share sih
  exciteweut. With the bops pip ears aup mappinb
  tail, we blayeb all bay. Roddie chose a dlne
  collar for hiw. The E of ns bassep onr snwwer
  pays dike ripinp, hikiup, and blayinp pall.

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Answer these Questions

• Mhat bib Roddie duy frow the det shod?
• Mhat color bib Roddie choose for the bops
  collar?
• Hom wnch wouey bib Roddie fipnre he conlp rebay
  his dareuts?

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What I did last summer

• My friend Robbie bought a dog from the pet shop
  for 148.
• His parents gave him the money but said that he
  would have to pay half to them over the summer by
  doing special chores around the yard.
• He figured he could repay his parents 74 dollars.
• Later that day, I came over to share his
  excitement.
• With the dogs big ears and wagging tail, we
  played all day.
• Robbie chose a blue collar for him.
• The 3 of us passed our summer days bike riding,
  hiking, and playing ball.

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Answers to What I Did Last Summer

• What did Robbie buy from the pet shop? A dog
• What color did Robbie choose for the dogs
  collar? Blue
• How much money did Robbie figure he could repay
  his parents? 74 dollars

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1. Auditory Processing

• Auditory Processing- involves how well a
  student can use auditory information.
• When he hears something, especially something
  detailed, does he understand it quickly and
  easily? Can he hear" things (like sounds,
  numbers, words, etc.) in his head? Can he
  remember information that he hears?

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1. Processing Speed

• Processing Speed refers to how fast information
  travels through the brain.
• All LD students experience some processing speed
  difficulty when required to process information
  through their weakest processing "channel" or
  "modality".
• It is like having the brain work at 30 miles per
  hour when the rest of the world (and all the
  information) is going 55 miles per hour. Such
  students just can't keep up.

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1. Processing Speed

• Who was the first President of the United States?
• Who a question
• Was Past tense
• First 1
• President of United States-Leader of Nation

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2. Difficulties in Learning

• Dyslexia-Severe difficulty learning to read
• Dysgraphia- Severe difficulty learning to write
• Dyscalculia- Severe difficulty learning to do
  mathematical concepts and computation
• Dysorthographia- Severe difficulty learning to
  spell

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Object Orientation and Object Identification

• p
• d

• b
• q

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Object Orientation and Object Identification

• M
• W

• E
• 3

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Famous People with LD

• Whoopi Goldberg
• Tom Cruise
• Henry Winkler
• George Patton
• Winston Churchill
• Bruce Jenner
• Nelson Rockefeller

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3. Problem is NOT Primarily Due to Other Causes

• Visual Disability
• Hearing Disability
• Motor Disability

• Mental Retardation
• Emotional Disturbance
• Emotional, Cultural or Economic Disadvantage

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4. Special Educational Services Needed to
Succeed in School

• It is possible for a student to
  "technically" have a disability but not to
  "qualify" for special education services.
• This happens when a student demonstrates the
  information processing difficulties associated
  with a LD but his or her academic skills are not
  found to be "severely discrepant" from their
  ability. This may indicate that the student has
  learned how to "cope" with his/her learning
  difficulties at least to some extent.

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Severe Discrepancy Between Potential and
Achievement

• Look for a discrepancy between potential and
  achievement ( Not mandated under
  reauthorization of IDEA but can still be used)
• There is no one sign that shows a person has a
  learning disability.

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II. Prevalence

• Almost 3 million children (ages 6 through 21)
  have some form of a learning disability and
  receive special education in school.
• LD form the largest category in special
  education.

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II. Prevalence

• In fact, approximately 50 of all children who
  receive special education have a learning
  disability
• 31 ratio males to females

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III. Characteristics

• may have trouble learning the alphabet, or
  connecting letters to their sounds
• may make many mistakes when reading aloud, and
  repeat and pause often

• may not understand what he or she reads
• may have real trouble with spelling
• may confuse math symbols and misread numbers

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III. Characteristics

• may have very messy handwriting or hold a pencil
  awkwardly
• may struggle to express ideas in writing

• may learn language late and have a limited
  vocabulary
• may not follow the social rules of conversation,
  such as taking turns, and may stand too close to
  the listener

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III. Characteristics

• may have trouble remembering the sounds that
  letters make or hearing slight differences
  between words
• may have trouble following directions
• may not be able to retell a story in order (what
  happened first, second, third)

• may mispronounce words or use a wrong word that
  sounds similar
• may have trouble organizing what he or she wants
  to say or not be able to think of the word he or
  she needs for writing or conversation

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• Provide high structure and clear expectations.
  Children who are LD tend to have difficulty
  focusing, getting started and setting priorities.
  Creating a clear structured program allows the
  student to be exposed to fewer distractions and
  possible avoidance and allow for greater focus on
  work related tasks.

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• Allow flexibility in classroom procedures (e.g.,
  allowing the use of tape recorders for note
  taking and test-taking when students have trouble
  with written language). Keep in mind that the
  greater the number of options in responding to a
  task, the greater chance that a particular
  students learning style will be useful and
  successful.

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• Learning materials should easily accessible, well
  organized and stored in the same place each day.
  The less the LD student has to worry about,
  comprehend or remember, the greater chance for
  success. Too many details can easily overwhelm
  this type of student.

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• All assignments should be presented on the
  blackboard as well as orally presented. This
  multilevel sensory approach will only enhance the
  chances of the child being able to bring home the
  correct assignment. This will also cut down on
  parent child frustration which often occurs when
  the child with learning disabilities brings home
  part of the assignment or and assumption of what
  needs to be done due to a lack of ability in
  copying quickly.

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• Make sure that the child's desk is free from all
  unnecessary materials. Children with learning
  disabilities tend to have organizational problems
  as well. The less chaos, the better the focus.
  Use small binders that hold fewer papers. Keep
  the desk free of most materials. Otherwise he may
  be embarrassed to get up to go to the pail and
  stuff it in his desk.

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• Correct the student's work as soon as possible to
  allow for immediate gratification and feedback.
  Students with learning disabilities do not often
  have foundations of success when it comes to
  schoolwork. Therefore, when they hand in work
  they begin to worry about how they did. If they
  do not receive it back quickly, some children may
  use a great deal of energy worrying about the
  reactions of others if they did not do well.

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• Try to separate him from students who may be
  distracting. Some children with learning
  disabilities are very distractible, while others
  may use any external situation to avoid a
  potential failure situation. Sitting a child with
  learning disabilities next to students who are
  self-motivated and internally controlled will
  provide extra structure and controls.

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• Use multi-sensory teaching methods whenever
  possible. This is a common sense issue since all
  the research indicates that the greater number of
  sense utilized to learn something, the greater
  chance for the information to be understood and
  retained. Using visual, auditory, kinesthetic or
  tactile input together is highly recommended for
  children with learning disabilities.

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• Respond to the childs comments praising whenever
  possible. Many children with learning
  disabilities tend to have secondary emotional
  issues as a result of frustration and lower sense
  of self worth due to academic failure and stress.
  Consequently, when he responds or initiates
  conversation, praise for the initiation of
  communication should be praised.

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IV. Teaching Strategies

• Give constant feedback. Many children with
  learning disabilities tend to write negative
  scripts about their ability and their
  performance. Feedback in any form reduces this
  negative energy pattern and offers reality, the
  only thing that breaks down fear.