Learning Disabilities Flashcards
Overview
Chronic disorders that affect development will into adulthood
they perform poorly in school relative to their age and level of intelligence
At higher risk of developing ADHD, and other psychological problems such as low self-esteem
Specific Learning Disorder: various types of learning disorders/disabilities involving significant deficits in skills involved in reading, writing, arithmetic and math, and executive functions.
Problems With Reading: Dyslexia
4% of school kids, more common in boys usually by 7
Difficulty understanding/recognizing basic words/what was read
Trouble decoding & translating letters/letter combinations into appropriate sounds
Prone to low self worth, depression, ADHD
Problems With Writing
Errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation.
Illegible writing, and composing clear organized sentences & paragraphs.
Severe: Age 7 Mild: 10 or later
Arithmetic and Mathematic Reading Skills
-Problem with basics: addition, subtraction, multiplication tables, math reasoning problems
apparent as early as 1st grade, not generally recognized till 2nd or 3rd grade
Problems With Executive Functions
Executive Functions: higher mental abilities involved in organizing, planning, coordinating tasks needed to manage one’s task or assignments
marked and sustained difficulties organizing & coordinating school related activities
Frequently fall behind in school, fail to keep track of homework, assignments, fail to plan ahead in order to complete tasks.
Understanding Learning Disorders
Most research done on dyslexia
brain abnormalities affect visual and auditory information is processed
Genetically Influenced: defects in the neural circuitry in brain that readers use to process speech sounds - kids rely on other brain capabilities, continue to read slowly
Environmentally Influenced: Neural circuitry intact but kids rely on more on memory than decoding strategies to understand written words. More prevalent in disadvantaged educational backgrounds.
Treating Learning Disorders
Therapeutic strategies need to be tailored to each child’s particular disability and needs
Other approaches evaluate kid’s learning competencies and designing strategies to help them acquire skills needed.
language specialists help dyslexic children grasp the structure & use of words
