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LEARNING CHALLENGES
- Learning disabilities or
"Challenges" is a general term that
refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders
manifested by significant difficulties in the
use of listening, speaking, reading, writing,
reasoning or mathematics skills.
Learning disabilities may occur concomitantly
with other difficulties, or with extrinsic
influences (cultural difference, inadequate
instruction), but they are not the result of
these conditions or influences. The terms
Learning Disabilities/ Challenges are used
interchangeably.
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In order to understand
these, it is necessary to exclude certain
factors as primary causation: psychological
disturbances, mental retardation, inadequate
educational experiences, environmental
deprivation, and sensory or neurological
disease.
- A marked discrepancy between ability and
achievement must also be established. A
person does not outgrow learning disabilities.
Learning challenges span all levels of
intelligence, from average to gifted and above.
Yet, since there is no outward manifestations of
disability, LD students may experience
credibility problems when they ask for
assistance. The fact is that learning
disabilities are as real as visible physical
disabilities and may be incapacitating when
performance in severe deficit areas is
required.Though learning disabilities make
academic achievement difficult, the studet's
capacity for learning is intact. It is the means by which information is
processed in which the difference is
manifested.
- Having a learning disability does not mean
being unable to learn. It does,
however, mean that the person may have to use
adaptive methods to process information so that
learnin can be accomplished. A learning
disability exists whin information is absorbed
through the senses, but inaccurately transmitted
to the brain or inappropriately expressed. LD
students must recieve and transmit information
in forms that work best for them.
- Many LD Students develop unconventional
methods of learning out of necessity, because
traditional methods may not work effectively for
them. Tutoring in spelling and math is
usually required. Atudents with learning
disabilities can generally learn better when as
many senses as possible are used in the teaching
and learniing process: visual, auditory,
kinesthetic, and tactile.
Information processing
deficits are found in the following areas:
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auditory
processing
visual
processing
informaion processing speed
Reasoning
memory
(long-term, short-term, visual, auditory)
and
written language skills
reading
skills
sequencing skills
mathematical skills
motor
skills, hand/eye coordination
executive functioning
(planning)
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