MODULE - Learners with Additional Needs

Learners with Difficulty Remembering and Focusing.

(Learners with Learning Disability and AD/HD)

INTRODUCTION

A number of students in regular classes have mental

ability within the average range or may even have above
average level that do not learn the skills in the basic
education curriculum who are suitable to their chronological
ages and age levels. These students receive need special
education services. The department of education reported
the poor performance of elementary and high school
students in the National Achievement Tests. Filipino students learn only half or even
less of the skills and competencies in the basic education curriculum that their
teachers teach them. While there are many causative factors in the field of
learning disabilities, the poor performance of students in National Achievement
Tests is a significant indicator that learning difficulties do exist in the classroom.
There are other conditions that are related to learning disabilities Attention Deficit
Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADD and ADHD) respectively
like inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After working through this Module you should be able to :

a. define the term learning disabilities

b. define Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder;
c. explain the causes or etiology of learning disabilities;
d. discuss the assessment procedures in identifying students with learning
disabilities and AD/HD
e. enumerate the learning characteristics of learners with LD and AD/HD
f. enumerate and describe the accommodation and modification of class for
learners with LD and AD,HD

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 ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

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 A. Abstraction

Learning Disabilities

The generic term that refers to a

heterogeneous group of disorders
manifest by significant difficulties in the
acquisition and use of listening,
speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or
mathematical abilities.

These disorders are intrinsic to the

individual and presumed to be due to
central nervous system dysfunction.

Learning disabilities may occur within the life span. The symptoms and
characteristics can be manifested immediately after birth, during infancy,
through the school years, and adulthood.

Three Criteria in Determining the Presence of Learning Disabilities

The following Criteria must be present when assessing children to have learning
disabilities:

1. Severe discrepancy between the child’s potential and actual achievement

Learning disabilities is present when mental ability test and standardized

achievement test results show discrepancy between general mental ability and
achievement in school.

2. Exclusion or absence of mental retardation, sensory impairment and other

disabilities

The exclusion criterion means that the child has significant problems that cannot
be explained by mental retardation, sensory impairment like low vision, blindness,
hearing impairment, emotional disturbance or lack of opportunity to learn.

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3. Need for special education services

Teaching the child with learning disabilities involves strategies that are unique,
uncommon and of unusual quality. The strategies supplement the organizational
and instructional procedures used with majority of the children in regular schools.
This criterion is meant to keep children who have not had the opportunity to learn
from being classified as learning disabled.

Learning and Behavior Characteristics of Children with Learning Disabilities

Results of studies (1999) show that there are at least ninety-nine separate
characteristics of children with learning disabilities. More than half a million
combinations of cognitive or socio-emotional problems associated with the
condition are possible. The large number of learning characteristics makes it
difficult to interpret research findings that can provide the basis for
recommending effective teaching strategies. Learning disabilities may occur
within the life-span. The symptoms and characteristics can be manifested
immediately after birth, during infancy, through the school years, and
adulthood.
1. Reading poses the most difficult among all the subjects in the curriculum.
It may be recalled that the facets of communication are listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. Thus, reading problems are ushered in by deficiencies in
language skills especially the
phonological skills. These skills
develop the ability to understand
the rules of how various sounds go
with certain letters to make up
words called grapheme-phoneme
correspondence. The difficulty in
breaking words into their
component sounds results to
difficulties in reading and spelling.
Dyslexia refers to a disturbance in
the ability to learn in general and
the ability to learn to read in
particular.

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 2. Written Language poses severe problems in one or more of the
following areas:
handwriting, spelling,
composition and
writing which is illegible
and slow. Studies show
that these children are
not aware of the basic
purpose of writing as
an act of
communication. They
approach writing as a
test taking task. Their writing lacks fluency. They write shorter sentences and
stories. They do not use writing strategies spontaneously. Their written work show
lack of planning, organizing, drafting and editing.

Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that affects a person’s handwriting

ability and fine motor skills.
3. Spoken language poses problems on the mechanical uses of language
in syntax or grammar, semantics or word meanings and phonology or the
breakdown of words into their component sounds and blending individual
sounds to compose words.

Developmental Aphasia is a condition characterized by loss of speech

functions, often, but not always due to brain injury.

4. Pragmatics or social uses of language poses problems on the ability to

carry on a conversation. Conversations are marked by long sentences and
inability to respond to the other person’s statement or questions. They tend to
answer their own questions before the other person has the chance to respond.
They also tend to make irrelevant comments that make the other person
uncomfortable.
(Language-based learning disorder (LBLD) refers to a spectrum of difficulties
related to the understanding and use of spoken and written language. LBLD
can affect a wide variety of communication and academic skills. These include
listening, speaking, reading, writing and doing math calculations. Some children
with LBLD can’t learn the alphabet in the correct order or can’t “sound out” a
spelling word. They may be able to read through a story but can’t tell you what

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it was about. Children with LBLD find it hard to express ideas well even though
most kids with this diagnosis have average to superior intelligence.)
5. Mathematics problems are recognized as second to deficiencies in
reading, language and spelling.

Dyscalculia a specific learning disability that affects a person’s ability to

understand numbers and learn math facts.

6. Dyspraxia has problems with motor tasks, such as hand-eye

coordination that can interfere with their learning.

7. These children tend to fail and be retained in a grade level. The level of
academic achievement tends to decrease progressively as the grade level
increases.
8. Behavior problems remain consistent across grade levels both in school,
in the community and at home. The common behavior problems are
inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.
9. In general, social acceptance is low, but some can be popular.

Perceptual, Perceptual-Motor, and General Coordination Problems

1. Children with learning disabilities exhibit visual and /or auditory perceptual
disabilities. The problem is not lack of acuity or sharpness in vision or audition in
responding to visual and auditory perceptual stimulation. The disturbance is in
organizing and interpreting visual and auditory stimuli. Thus, they have problems
in seeing and remembering visual shapes that lead to reversals of b and d.
2. They have difficulty with physical activities that involve gross and fine motor
skills. Thus, they tend to drop things, as though they are “all thumbs” or have two
left feet.
3. They have problems with attention and hyperactivity.
Etiology of Learning Disability

There are likely to be different causes but in most cases, the cause of
child’s learning disability is unknown.

Four suspected causal factor are: brain damage, hereditary, biochemical

imbalance, and environmental causes.

Assessment of Children with Learning Disability

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 Learning disabilities is a complex condition. Therefore, a battery of three to
five tests are used to identify students who may have learning disabilities. These
are norm-referenced tests, process tests, informal reading inventories, criterion-
referenced tests, and direct daily measurement of learning.
The National Achievement Test, the Regional Assessment Test and the School-
based Achievement Test are examples of norm-referenced tests. The assessment
tests are all designed to measure how many of the skills in each learning area –
English, Filipino, Mathematics, Science and Makabayan – have been learned or
mastered.
One area of difficulty that students with learning disabilities experience is in
processing information. The specific perceptual problems are in visual perception,
auditory perception and visual-motor coordination. Two widely used tests are the
Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA, Kirk, McCarthy and Kirk, 1968) and the
Marianne Frostig Developmental Test of Visual Perception (Frostig,Lefever, &
Whittlesey, 1964).
Criterion referenced tests in specific subjects such as Reading, Language
and Mathematics are used to determine the mastery level of a predetermined
criterion that the student should be capable of achieving.
Specialists recommend that children in regular classes who have learning
disabilities be identified as early as possible through appropriate assessment
procedures. Then, an individualized educational plan or IEP can be prepared
based on the learning and behavior characteristics found in the assessment
results. A special education teacher should assist the regular teacher in teaching
children with learning disabilities. Studies show that many of their learning
problems can be lessened through direct and systematic instruction. Behavior
modification techniques can decrease their undesirable behavior of inattention,
impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
In the absence of qualified school psychologists or guidance counsellors,
the school principal can initiate a screening program to locate these children in
the regular classes. Inquiries on assessment and early intervention can be
addressed to the Department of Education Bureau of Elementary Education,
Special Education Division. Early location, assessment and identification
of these children has the potential to prevent or reduce the occurrence of future
learning problems.
Taken from the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Text Revised (DSM-IV-TR) published by the American
Psychiatric Association (APA) in 2000

What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

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 Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
is one of the most common mental disorders
affecting children. ADHD also affects many
adults. Symptoms of ADHD include inattention
(not being able to keep focus), hyperactivity
(excess movement that is not fitting to the
setting) and impulsivity (hasty acts that occur in
the moment without thought).

Affected children commonly experience

academic underachievement, problems with
interpersonal relationships with family members
and peers, and low self-esteem.

ADHD often co-occurs with other emotional,

behavioral, language, and learning disorders.

• The diagnosis of ADD/ADHD normally

comes after age six, or after formal schooling has begun. This occurs for a
number of reasons:
• The diagnostic criteria for ADD/ADHD indicate that behaviors/symptoms
must be present in at least two environments.
• Young children are often excitable and can become agitated when
routines are disrupted. Overly active children do not necessarily have
ADD/ADHD.
• Children reach milestones at different ages making it difficult to measure
development delays.
• The “terrible twos” can greatly resemble ADHD.

There are three groups of symptoms:

1. Inattention 2.Hyperactivity 3.Impulsivity

Get the facts on all of them, and learn examples of behaviors that can come
with each.

Inattention
You might not notice it until a child goes to school. In adults, it may be easier to
notice at work or in social situations.
The person might procrastinate, not complete tasks like homework or chores, or
frequently move from one uncompleted activity to another.
They might also:
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 • Be disorganized
• Lack focus
• Have a hard time paying attention to details and a tendency to make
careless mistakes. Their work might be messy and seem careless.
• Have trouble staying on topic while talking, not listening to others, and not
following social rules
• Be forgetful about daily activities (for example, missing appointments,
forgetting to bring lunch)
• Be easily distracted by things like trivial noises or events that are usually
ignored by others.

Hyperactivity
It may vary with age. You might be able to notice it in preschoolers. ADHD
symptoms nearly always show up before middle school.
Kids with hyperactivity may:

• Fidget and squirm when seated.

• Get up frequently to walk or run around.
• Run or climb a lot when it's not appropriate. (In teens this may seem like
restlessness.)
• Have trouble playing quietly or doing quiet hobbies
• Always be "on the go"
• Talk excessively

Impulsivity

Symptoms of this include:

• Impatience
• Having a hard time waiting to talk or react

The person might:

• Have a hard time waiting for their turn.

• Blurt out answers before someone finishes asking them a question.
• Frequently interrupt or intrude on others. This often happens so much that it
causes problems in social or work settings.
• Start conversations at inappropriate times.

Impulsivity can lead to accidents, like knocking over objects or banging into
people. Children with ADHD may also do risky things without stopping to think
about the consequences. For instance, they may climb and put themselves in
danger.

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Many of these symptoms happen from time to time in all youngsters. But in
children with the disorder they happen a lot -- at home and school, or when
visiting with friends. They also mess with the child's ability to function like other
children who are the same age or developmental level.

ASSESSMENT

• No simple test such as a blood test exists to determine if a child has this
disorder
• Diagnosing AD/HD is complicated-like putting together a puzzle
• Assessment should be conducted by a well-trained professional-
developmental pediatrician, psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist, SPED
diagnostician) who knows about AD/HD and all other symptoms similar to
those of AD/HD
• Diagnosis is based on observable behavior symptoms in multiple settings

An assessment must include the following:

• Thorough medical and family history

• Physical examination
• Interviews with parents, the child and the child’s teacher(s)
• Behavior rating scales completed by parents and teacher(s)
• Observation of the child
• A variety of psychological tests to measure IQ and social and emotional
adjustment as well as to indicate presence of specific learning disabilities

Accommodating and modification of class for children with learning disabilities

and AD/HD

Once a child has been formally tested and diagnosed with a learning disability, it
is imperative for the parent to request accommodations for that child’s specific
needs within the classroom. Appropriate accommodations should be written into
a student’s IEP. Listed below are some suggested ways to aid students with
learning disabilities.

Testing

1. Conduct a class review session before the test – Teachers can provide the
student with a study guide with key terms and concepts as well as model the
answers for the student.

2. Oral testing: Tests can be read out loud to the student or provided pre-
recorded on audio version. The student can also be allowed to give the
answers orally.
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3. Read the instructions for the test out loud: Before beginning the exam it would
be beneficial to make sure that the student understands what to do on each
part of the exam.

4. Unlimited time: Students with learning disabilities may need extra time
completing tasks The student can come in before class, return after school or
use study periods to finish a test.

5. Fill in the blank test questions: Students with learning disabilities may have a
difficult time remembering new words and may be nervous about spelling these
words correctly. The vocabulary words can be listed at the top of the exam or a
list of possible answers can be printed on the test.

6. Multiple choice questions: The volume of reading required for a multiple

choice question test is overwhelming for a student with learning disabilities. If
possible this type of testing should be avoided.

7. Essay Questions: The teacher can let the student know the main idea of the
question the day before the test. This gives the student an opportunity to begin
organizing information for the question at home. The essay portion can be
corrected on content and content alone. Spelling errors, grammatical errors
and writing mechanics can be ignored.

8. Test Booklets – Students may be permitted to record answers directly into the
test booklet instead of recording answers on a separate sheet.

9. Grade on Content – Teachers can ignore spelling mistakes on all types of

testing and grade on content only, not mechanics.

The BEST type of testing for a student with a learning disability is to draw a line
from the question to the answer.

Weekly Spelling Tests

For those students struggling with spelling, these tests should not be graded. The
student can complete their spelling homework and take the test along with the
rest of the class but the teacher might want to put either a smiley face or a
stamp on the test and leave it ungraded.

Oral ReadingFor students struggling with reading, they should not be forced to
read out loud in front of the class. This will cause extreme embarrassment for the

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student. If the student raises their hand and wants to read – then of course the
student can be given that opportunity.

For students who read below expected levels, audio books, talking books,
educational videos and films can help provide the general information that the
student is unable to acquire from the textbook.

Homework: Teachers can accept dictated homework. On assignments that

require a lot of writing (summaries, book reports, essays, projects, etc.) students
can dictate and the parents can act as a scribe.

Note taking: For Students with memory problems or difficulty taking notes, a
fellow student might share notes; the student might tape the lesson; or the
teacher might provide a copy of the lesson outline.

Technology: The student should be allowed to use any technology tools that
the parent is willing to buy to work around their challenge areas.

For students with short-term memory problems (e.g., the student understands
math processes, but has short term memory problems that interfere with
remembering math facts) a table of facts or a calculator could be provided.

For students whose handwriting is slow, illegible and includes many reversals an
audio recorder or a computer with word processing software could be used for
written work.

Seating:

Place the student close to the teacher, whiteboard, or work area and away
from distracting sounds, materials, or objects.

CORRECTING LETTER REVERSALS

The following techniques are suggested for “letter reversals” through

writing instruction.

1. Thumbs Up. When a learner makes a b/d reversal, ask the learner to
put up his/her thumbs. Balling the fingers together with the thumbs extending
upward does this. The two hands are pushed together with the “balls” touching
and the thumbs on each end. The visual of the bed made by putting the
thumbs up helps to show the shape of the letters b and d. In addition, for
learners who have the auditory discrimination skills to hear the sounds, the b is
first, the d last, corresponding to the initial and final consonant sounds of b and

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d in the word bed. Thumbs down can assist with distinguishing the p form the q
(visual only, not auditory).

2. Clay Tray. Use children’s clay to line a shallow rectangular shaped

box. The size of the box depends on whether you are working on single letters,
words, or sentences. The learner uses a broken pencil or item of similar size and
strength to drag the letters through the clay. The kinesthetic feedback coupled
with auditory guidance from the teacher adds an additional modality.
Encourage the learner to verbalize the steps for forming the letter.

3. Tactile Impressions. Tactile impressions of troublesome letters can be

made quickly and cheaply. Obtain medium grade sandpaper or screening.
Tape the sandpaper/screening to heavy cardboard. Lay a piece of writing
paper on the sand paper/screen. Using a waxy crayon, draw the letter(s). The
learner then has a model to trace for tactile input. The rough side of masonite
board also provides a good surface for making tactile letters. Whole
troublesome words may also traced (e.g., was, saw, dog).

4. Chalkboard Exercises. Writing on the chalkboard is helpful because

it involves large arm movements and work can easily be erased. Be sure to
include verbal prompts as letters are formed. For instance, in making the letter
b, you might say, “First the bat, then the ball on the right. “ A small group of
learners can work in pairs, with the one who does not reverse guiding the one
who does

Teaching strategies for teaching children with Learning Disabilities

Research continues to confirm that we can teach students with learning

disabilities to “learn how to learn”. We can put them into a position to complete
and hold their own

Teachers may introduce various techniques, such as the following to help the
students succeed:

1. During a test, allow students to block distractions with earplugs.

2. Use a large-print version of a test or novel.
3. Make use of assistive technology.
4. Use graphic organizers to present information.
5. Repeat written instructions aloud.
6. Allow students to take parts of a test separately.
7. Break down parts of a project into smaller assignments.
8. Use teacher notes and outlines of lectures, sequential information, visuals,
and alternative exam formats.

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 Teaching Methods and Strategies for Children with AD/HD

• Provide an advance organizer.

• Review previous lessons.
• Set learning expectations.
• Set behavioral expectations.
• State needed materials.
• Explain additional resources.
• Simplify instructions, choices, and scheduling.

REFERENCES

K.Eileen Allen and Ilene S. Schawrtz, The Exceptional Child. Inclusion in Early Childhood
Education.

Booth, T. and Ainscow, M.(2013). Inclusion: developing learning and participation in

schools.

Inciong, T., Quijano, Y., Capulong, Y. & Gregorio, J. (2007). Introduction to Special
Education. Quezon City: Rex Printing Press Company, Inc.

Handbook on Inclusive Education,SPED

Division:https://pridelearningcenter.com/2010/11/06/classroom-accommodations-for-
students-with-learning-disabilities/
https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-
disorder-adhd

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