learning diFferences
Changing the term 'disability' to 'difference'
Learning disabilities, or learning disorders, is actually a term for a wide variety of learning challenges that could have an impact on a child's success with learning new materials and mastering new skills. A learning disability is NOT a problem with intelligence or motivation. Instead of using the term 'diability' or 'disorder', we have decided to use the term 'difference' instead since the word 'disability' or 'disorder' can negatively impact those given this label. Kids with learning differences are NOT lazy or dumb. In fact, most are just as smart as everyone else, their brains are just wired in an individual way. Famous people like Walt Disney and Winston Churchill also had learning differences. This difference in brain wiring affects how they receive and process the information passed on to them daily either in school or at home.
Children and adults with learning differences see, hear, and understand things in a different way from others. Unfortunately, this can lead to challenges when it comes to learning and mastering new skills. Some of the most common types of learning differences include challenges with reading, writing, math, listening, speaking and using reasoning skills.
Possible Warning Signs
If you think your child or a student in your class has a learning difficulty, don't wait to have it looked into. Refer them to one of the many professionals who can help identify that child's learning challenges. Once everyone involved in a child's learning knows what is going on, the 'easier' it will be to focus on how to move forward with success. Though each learning difference has a name, it manifests differently in every child. No one wears their difference the same. This is another reason that knowing a child's learning style is so important.
Because learning differences manifest uniquely in each child, identifying someone's challenge with learning is not an exact science. There is no single symptom or profile that you can look to as proof of a problem, but there are some warning signs.
Below you will find a list of POSSIBLE warning signs to that your pre-teen MAY have an identifiable learning difference.
Some common identified learning differences include:
*Dyslexia
*Dyscalculia
*Dysgraphia
*Dyspraxia
*Dysphasia
*Auditory Processing Disorder
*Visual Processing Disorder
*ADHD/ADD
*Autism Spectrum Disorders
*Oppositional Defiance Disorder
*Giftedness
Learning disabilities, or learning disorders, is actually a term for a wide variety of learning challenges that could have an impact on a child's success with learning new materials and mastering new skills. A learning disability is NOT a problem with intelligence or motivation. Instead of using the term 'diability' or 'disorder', we have decided to use the term 'difference' instead since the word 'disability' or 'disorder' can negatively impact those given this label. Kids with learning differences are NOT lazy or dumb. In fact, most are just as smart as everyone else, their brains are just wired in an individual way. Famous people like Walt Disney and Winston Churchill also had learning differences. This difference in brain wiring affects how they receive and process the information passed on to them daily either in school or at home.
Children and adults with learning differences see, hear, and understand things in a different way from others. Unfortunately, this can lead to challenges when it comes to learning and mastering new skills. Some of the most common types of learning differences include challenges with reading, writing, math, listening, speaking and using reasoning skills.
Possible Warning Signs
If you think your child or a student in your class has a learning difficulty, don't wait to have it looked into. Refer them to one of the many professionals who can help identify that child's learning challenges. Once everyone involved in a child's learning knows what is going on, the 'easier' it will be to focus on how to move forward with success. Though each learning difference has a name, it manifests differently in every child. No one wears their difference the same. This is another reason that knowing a child's learning style is so important.
Because learning differences manifest uniquely in each child, identifying someone's challenge with learning is not an exact science. There is no single symptom or profile that you can look to as proof of a problem, but there are some warning signs.
Below you will find a list of POSSIBLE warning signs to that your pre-teen MAY have an identifiable learning difference.
- Challenges with reading comprehension
- Challenges with math skills, especially retaining facts and procedures
- Trouble with open-ended test questions
- Challenges with word problems
- Often dislikes reading and writing and avoids reading aloud
- Spells the same word in a single document differently more than once
- Organization is a challenge (bedroom, homework, locker)
- Challenged to follow discussion in the classroom.
- Has difficulty expressing thoughts
- Poor handwriting
Some common identified learning differences include:
*Dyslexia
*Dyscalculia
*Dysgraphia
*Dyspraxia
*Dysphasia
*Auditory Processing Disorder
*Visual Processing Disorder
*ADHD/ADD
*Autism Spectrum Disorders
*Oppositional Defiance Disorder
*Giftedness