ABCs of LD

By: LD OnLine (2003)

What is a learning disability?

Children with learning disabilities are smart. They can do well. Unfortunately one or more of their information processing systems does not work efficiently. This makes it more difficult to acquire academic skills. Let's look at what that means.

Many children with LD struggle with reading. They know the words when they are spoken to them. They can recognize pictures of the word, for example a picture of a dog, if it is matched with the spoken word. Yet when they are asked to match the letter representations that make up the word to the sound combination or the picture of the word they have difficulty. In the case of reading this may be because the auditory processing system, from the ear to the brain and back out again, is inefficient. It does not work in the same way that it does for most children. This means the child who really wants to do well in school struggles because so much of the school work is based on the ability to read the written word. Even math, art and music classes often require reading.

When teachers find different ways for the child to encode or store information in memory, the child is able to show what he or she knows. If the teacher does not adjust the teaching style school can be a very frustrating and emotionally troubling experience for a child.

Here is an example of how a learning disability might feel. Count from 1-20 out loud. You know that you know the numbers. You know that you have the ability to use the numbers. Now write the numbers in order from 1-20 with the hand you normally do not use for writing. Even though you know the numbers you struggle to get them down on paper. Imagine that you were judged on your ability to write the numbers rather than say them.

For children with learning disabilities the picture is somewhat more complex than the example given above. They must struggle every day with difficulties acquiring and presenting information needed in school and other life-learning tasks. They know they are bright and have the needed information. They also know too often they cannot complete the work as well as other children in their classes. This means they will often fall behind academically. It also often means they have a label at school and are in a special education program at school based on that label for children with learning disabilities.

Labels such as LD, or special education, often make a child feel different. The child can become isolated from peers or feel that others think there is something really wrong. Other children, too, often pick up on the differences. They can make fun of a child who seems different.

For many children with learning disabilities, then, the most rewarding part of the week may be the time they spend away from school. In their scout, sports, or weekly religious activities they can enjoy activities that do not result in school grades.

Many coaches, scout leaders, religious teachers or other volunteers who work with children in after-school programs have little training about the learning needs of children with learning disabilities. Nonetheless, with sensitivity and some understanding of the different types of learning disabilities and strategies, or accommodations that work, the after-school activity can be a rewarding experience for all.

What are the types of learning disabilities?

LD is a broad term. There are many different kinds of learning disabilities. Most often they fall into three broad categories that affect academic skill acquisition. The general categories include: reading disabilities (often also referred to as dyslexia); written language disabilities (also often referred to as dysgraphia); and math disabilities (often called dyscalculia). Other related categories include disabilities that affect memory, social skills, and executive functions such as deciding to begin a task.

Here is information on the more common forms of LD.

Reading disorder

This type of disorder, also known as dyslexia, is quite widespread. In fact, reading disabilities affect 2 to 8 percent of elementary school children. When you think of what is involved in the "three Rs" -reading, -riting, and -rithmetic- it's astounding that most of us do learn them. Consider that to read, you must simultaneously:

Focus attention on the printed marks and control eye movements across the page
Recognize the sounds associated with letters
Understand words and grammar
Build ideas and images
Compare new ideas to what you already know
Store ideas in memory

A person can have problems in any of the tasks involved in reading. However, scientists found that a significant number of people with dyslexia share an inability to distinguish or separate the sounds in spoken words. Some children have problems sounding out words, while others have trouble with rhyming games, such as rhyming "cat" with "bat." Yet, scientists have found these skills fundamental to learning to read. Fortunately, remedial reading specialists have developed techniques that can help many children with dyslexia acquire these skills. However, these is more to reading than recognizing words. If the brain is unable to form images or relate new ideas to those stored in memory, the reader cannot understand or remember the new concepts. So other types of reading disabilities can appear in the upper grades when the focus of reading shifts from word identification to comprehension.

Here is an article on reading, or dyslexia:

Activities for struggling readers.

Writing disorder

Writing too, involves several brain areas and functions. The brain networks for vocabulary, grammar, hand movement, and memory must all be in good working order. So, a developmental writing disorder may result from problems in any of these areas. For example, a child with a writing disability, particularly and expressive language disorder, might be unable to compose complete, and grammatically correct sentences.

Here are three helpful articles on dysgraphia, or writing disorders:

Arithmetic disorder

Arithmetic involves recognizing numbers and symbols, memorizing facts, aligning numbers, and understanding abstract concepts like place value and fractions. Any of these may be difficult for children with developmental arithmetic disorders, also called dyscalculia. Problems with number or basic concepts are likely to show up early. Disabilities that appear in the later grades are more often tied to problems in reasoning.

Here is a reference that explains more about dyscalculia:

Dyscalculia

Overlapping disabilities

Many aspects of speaking, listening, reading, writing, and arithmetic overlap and build on the same brain capabilities. So, it is not surprising that people can be diagnosed as having more than one area of learning disability. For example, the ability to understand language underlies learning to speak. Therefore, any disorder that hinders the ability to understand language will also interfere with the development of speech, which in turn hinders learning to read and write. A single gap in the brain's operation can disrupt many types of activity.

What causes learning disabilities?

No one knows what causes learning disabilities as of now. There are too many possibilities to pin down the cause of the disability with certainty. A leading theory among scientists is that learning disabilities stem from subtle disturbances in the brain structures and functions.