Learning Disabilities

 There are many different kinds of learning disabilities (LD) but some general facts remain true for all students with an LD.  An LD is a neurological condition, but does not imply the child is slow or has any intelligence issues. (Hiekkila) LD's present as perception problems, with a significant discrepancy between aptitude and achievement. (Hiekkila) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines learning disabilities as: "a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write spell, or to do mathematical calculations. Disorders Included: The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia." (text)  For another definition of learning disabilities please see the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada's website. 

Types:

*There are five different types of LD's: Identification; Discrimination; Sequencing; Figure Ground; Closure. Below is a brief summary of some of the difficulties that each type of learning disability presents for students.

1. Identification: The ability to recognize (name/sort) sensory information. A student with identification problems would look like they had very unique problems; the student would have difficulties putting word to picture. 
2. Discrimination: The ability to notice increasingly subtle likenesses and differences between items. The brain has to really pay attention to notice these differences, called dyslexia. A helpful hint for teachers: it is easier to decipher text for these students if the black text is presented on a pale yellow, pink, or blue background rather than white. 
3. Sequencing: The ability to recognize meaningful order and position of items. These students have difficulty remembering the order of things. 
4. Figure-Ground: The ability to prioritize items; to focus on the relevant and ignore the irrelevant. These students get distracted very easily (soothing music may be of help). Also it may be useful to keep one wall of your classroom white or have a white sheet to cover the wall this will help the student focus as a blank white wall is not very distracting. This LD should not be confused with ADHD. A child with ADHD is not paying attention to anything, while a child with an LD is paying attention to everything.  
5. Closure: The ability to activate prior learning to form a "gestalt" or meaningful whole. This student has trouble filling in the gaps, they need every instruction spelled out for them.  This student may also have trouble reading between the lines, may have trouble picking up on humour and sarcasm. (Hiekkila)