What are Learning Disabilities?
Students with learning disabilities are those which are unable to learn in a "typical" manner, significantly affecting their learning ability in a regular classroom. According to Success for All Learners, "students who have been diagnosed as learning disabled may have neurological differences that lead to difficulties in processing the information they read, hear, or view." This can range from mild to severe, and is often demonstrated through the ways in which students concentrate, reason, plan, problem solve and pay attention.
Types of Learning Disabilities - From LDAC
Types of LDs
Dyslexia
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyspraxia
Auditory Processing Disorder
Visual Processing Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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Areas of Difficulty
Processing language
Math skills/concepts
Written expression
Fine motor skills
Interpreting auditory information
Interpreting visual information
Concentration and focus
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Symptoms
Reading, writing, spelling
computation, concepts of time, money
handwriting, spelling
Coordination, manual dexterity
Language Development, reading
Reading, writing and math
Over-activity, distractibility and/or impulsivity
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Example
Letters/words may be written/pronounced inaccurately
Difficulty learning to count by 2s, 3s, etc
illegible handwriting, difficulty organizing ideas
Trouble with scissors, buttons, drawing, writing
Difficulty anticipating how a speaker will end a sentence
Difficulty distinguishing letters like “h” and “n”
Can’t sit still, loses interest quickly, is easily distracted, may daydream
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