History and Research of LD: Learning through vision and language

Jessie Johncock Nov. 26, 2012 Mod. 1 Assignment SPE557

Student, Curriculum and Environmental Factors that Can Facilitate or Constrain Learning

Learning Disabilities (LD)

Learning disabilities is a general term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, are presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction, and may occur across the life span. Problems in self-regulatory behaviors, social perception, and social interaction may exist with learning disabilities but do not by themselves constitute a learning disability (National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, 1997, p. 29).

Specific Learning Disorders

SLDs
Oral expression Listening comprehension Written expression Basic reading skill Reading comprehension Mathematics calculation Mathematics reasoning

NOT SLD
NOT considered SLD if the sever discrepancy between ability and achievement is primarily the result of: A visual, hearing, or motor impairment Cognitive Impairment Emotional disturbance Environmental/cultural/economic disadvantage

Learning through Vision and Language

Vision
75-90% of learning in a classroom occurs through the visual system. If the visual system is not working properly, this can seriously hinder a child trying to perform up to their potential (Smith, 2004).

Language
Children who struggles to understand what they hear are most likely to have difficulty understanding what they read, because written words are simply oral language translated into a visual symbol system (Smith, 2004).

Can you read these two paragraphs? Does reading these paragraphs make you frustrated? This may be what some LD students see when they try to read.

Research on Learning Through Vision

Early research on LD started with a study of brain-injured adults.

Visual and motor difficulties of brain-injured people adversely affect their behavior and achievement.

Research on Learning Through Vision: Frustration with Processing Visual Information

Perseveration: Continuously distracted by the same stimuli, subjects repeated behaviors they had just engaged in over and over again. Hyperactivity: They showed extreme purposeless activity. Catastrophic reaction: Subjects broke down emotionally when they couldnt control their bizarre perceptions and behavior. Meticulousness: Subjects became overly rigid in arranging their personal possession and time schedules. Forced responsive to stimuli: Subject distracted by objects and people around the, the slightest noise or movement, or even a fleeting thought. Figure-ground confusion: Subjects had trouble sorting out what was importance (someone speaking to them) and what was not (the humming of the lights).

Research on Learning Through Vision

Marianne Frostig researched the connection between vision and learning. Frostig developed an gross motor and workbook assessment program to help develop childrens visual and motor skills so that they would be more efficient and supportive of learning. Frostig emphasized that appropriate programming for students with learning disabilities must take into consideration factors such as past education, social environment, interests, attitudes, temperament, abilities and disabilities.

Research on Learning Through Language

Language weaknesses and the inability to differentiate the order of sounds heard in words are directly connected to reading, writing and comprehension difficulties. By the mid-1970s it was recognized that language and attention delays have more serious consequences for learning than visual or motor delays.

Discrepancies that Could Cause Misidentification

Discrepancies: A lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts. Misidentification: Professionals may be too quick to blame a childs cultural and economic background, low intelligence, physical or emotional difficulties for underachievement, rather than determining whether a learning disability actually exists.

It is upsetting that, under the current discrepancy model, too many children with disabilities have to wait to fail before getting identified for early interventions that could have jump started their learning progress and perhaps even prevented a major disability from developing (Smith, 2004).

Strategies to Prevent Misdiagnosis

Elementary Levels
By age 9, the roots of a developmental delay and the gap between achievement and intellectual ability become more distinct. So, during this age students would may show signs of LD should be evaluated more intensely.

Secondary Levels
Harriss (1962) formula is the most frequently used and simplest method of quantifying a severe discrepancy: RE = MA 5 RE = reading expectancy grade level MA = mental age (mental age = chronological age IQ/100) 5 = 5 years old at school entry

Academic Readiness Indicators

Strategies parents and educators can use to determine childs abilities at an Elementary level.

Strategies to Prevent Misdiagnosis

Elementary Level
The level of confidence for predicting a learning disability rises as: The severity of the delays in language, attention, visualperception or motor abilities increases The child nears kindergarten age and the assessment criteria become similar to what and how children are expected to learn in school Environmental circumstances, such as economic disadvantages or parental encouragement, that can cause or overcome developmental delays are taken into consideration.

Strategies to Prevent Misdiagnosis: Special Attention on Boys

Boys experience one-andone-half to three times greater numbers of head injuries than girls. Impulsivity and certain types of information-processing disorders have been found to be male-linked genetically.

Strategies to Prevent Misdiagnosis

1. Describing a whole population as learning disabled mistakenly implies that they all have the same causes of learning disorders, the same characteristics and the same educational needs. 2. The LD definition ignores associated problems such as poor social skills, planning ability, organization, and problem-solving strategies. 3. The LD definition does not include the adult who requires vocational, psychological, and independent living interventions because of persistent learning disabilities. 4. The LD definition implies that the problem is entirely within the student and that it must be cured, leaving the schools off the hook for addressing curriculum and learning environment factors that contribute to underachievement. 5. An LD label should be applied only when there is an extreme unevenness in abilities that requires intense, out-of-the-ordinary intervention. Uneven development is, by itself, quite normal, as any bright child who earns As in everything except art will attest. Alexanders story on page 38 is one such example. 6. The LD definition may lead people to believe that the solution is simple, when, in fact, the learning disabled have very complex service needs.

Strategies and Resources to Working with Learning Disabilities

For both home and school

Strategies and Resources for Working with LD Children

The use of all senses to learn was emphasized. Specialized programming efforts expanded beyond reading instruction to include writing, arithmetic, comprehension, and content area learning (History and Biology, for example).

Strategies and Resources for Working with Learning Disabilities

Keep things in perspective. A learning disability isnt insurmountable. Remind yourself that everyone faces obstacles. Its up to you as a parent to teach your child how to deal with those obstacles without becoming discouraged or overwhelmed. Dont let the tests, school bureaucracy, and endless paperwork distract you from whats really importantgiving your child plenty of emotional and moral support. Become your own expert. Do your own research and keep abreast of new developments in learning disability programs, therapies, and educational techniques. You may be tempted to look to othersteachers, therapists, doctorsfor solutions, especially at first. But youre the foremost expert on your child, so take charge when it comes to finding the tools he or she needs in order to learn. Be an advocate for your child. You may have to speak up time and time again to get special help for your child. Embrace your role as a proactive parent and work on your communication skills. It may be frustrating at times, but by remaining calm and reasonable, yet firm, you can make a huge difference for your child. Remember that your influence outweighs all others. Your child will follow your lead. If you approach learning challenges with optimism, hard work, and a sense of humor, your child is likely to embrace your perspectiveor at least see the challenges as a speed bump, rather than a roadblock. Focus your energy on learning what works for your child and implementing it the best you can.

Resources
Holland, K. Retrieved on Nov. 20 from http://www.keithholland.co.uk/Can%20your%20child%2 0really%20see%20to%20learn.pdf National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, 1997 Smith, C. R., 2004. Learning Disabilities: The Interaction of Students and their Environments, Fifth Edition.. Published by Allyn and Bacon. Copyright 2004 by Pearson Education, Inc.