TEACHERS’ REFRESHERS

COURSE

IDENTIFYING LEARNING
DISABILITIES IN LEARNERS

MARY PEACEFUL
Monday, May 09, 2022
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Explain learning disabilities.

State some of the common learning disability.

Suggest strategies to help learners with learning disability.

Relate TRC content to problem / solution of learning disability.

Suggest solutions for possible challenges in implementing action

plan.
 Melvin hated Math. He thought he
was inadequate. Everyone wanted to
help him succeed – his mom, his
teachers and friends. The only person
left was Melvin. He had to see
dyscalculia for what it was –
something that made him different but
not dumb. Math was hard for him but
not impossible. There was nothing
wrong with getting help for his
challenges.
INTRODUCTION
► An individual is said to have a learning disability if he or she has written or spoken
language in a way that is inconsistent with overall intelligence quotient (IQ). A child can
be born with learning disability if the mother has an accident or illness while she’s
pregnant or if the unborn baby develops certain genes.

► A learning disability affects the way a person learns new things throughout their life.

► People with learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need support to
develop new skills, understand complicated information and interact with other people.

► Learning disability may be mild or severe, so the level of support someone needs
depends on the individual. It occurs when the brain is still developing (before, during or
soon after birth).
What is Learning Disability?

Learning disability is a neurological condition which affects ability to send, receive and
process information. A child with learning disability may have difficulties in reading, writing,
speaking, listening, understanding mathematical concept and with general comprehension.

TYPES OF LEARNING DISABILITY

• AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDER (ADP) : This is a sensory disability in which a person
has difficulty understanding language despite normal hearing and vision.
• DYSCALCULIA : Learners with dyscalculia have difficulty understanding numbers and learning
Math skills. They have poor number sense and reasoning.
• DYSGRAPHIA : This is a language-based learning difference that affects a learner’s ability to
produce written language. Dysgraphia is a writing disability.
• DYSLEXIA : Dyslexia is a learning disability that involves difficulty in reading due to problems
of identifying speech sound and learning how they relate to letters and words. Learners with
dyslexia have trouble reading at a good pace and without mistakes.
 SOLUTIONS TO LEARNING DISABILTY

AUDITORY
PROCESSING DYSCALCULIA DYSGRAPHIA DYSLEXIA
DISORDER
• Learner should be • Use real-life cues • Lesson notes • Read in a quiet
seated closest to the and physical provided as print place with no
teacher. objects. outs. distraction.
• Pre-teaching new or • Break tasks down • Listen to audio-
unfamiliar words. into subset.
• Oral exams and visual books and
• Visual aids should • Give extra time and assignments read along with
be used while review often. instead of written. recording.
teaching. • Explaining math • Use of audio • Offer learners
• Lessons can also be terms and concept recorder choices on how they
recorded for later clearly. engage with tasks to
review. make learning more
meaningful and
inclusive.
REVIEW OF TRC CONTENT (LEARNING STYLES)

Learning style is an individual’s

natural, habitual and preferred
way of comprehending,
processing and retaining new
information and skills.

■ Visual
■ Auditory
■ Verbal
Types of learning ■ Kinesthetic
styles include; ■ Logical/mathematical
■ Social
■ Solitary.
Possible challenges Suggested solutions
POSSIBLE CHALLENGES AND SUGGESTED
A learner with APD can be distracted by The child should not be seated close to
noiseSOLUTIONS
coming from outside the the window
classroom.
A learner with dyscalculia can be impeded Counselling, praises and incentives for
by his/her mindset. Most children already every little step attained and for every
have the notion that math is too hard and task/challenge won.
that they can excel in other subjects except
math.
Most class tasks and assignments Lines can be drawn on the board as it is
involve writing in one form or the other. on the learners notebook, teacher
should use clear handwriting and
ensures the learner follows accurately.
Assessing learners with dyslexia with no Allowing extra time and multiple strategies
expectation to lower your standard. in assessment.
 Conclusion
Learning disabilities are surprisingly common and do not indicate intelligence.
Rather, learning differences result from the way a person’s brain is wired to
process information and make connections.
An estimated one in five students experience difficulty in learning or paying
attention in class, according to a 2017 report by the National Center for Learning
Disabilities. Individual Education Program (IEP) has been mapped out to support
individuals with learning disability.
Individuals with learning disabilities can succeed with targeted, adaptive help and
support from parents, teachers and professionals
Accepting that you learn differently is not the biggest challenge – it’s having
confidence in how you learn differently.
REFERENCES
► kidshealth.org
► www.edutopia.org
► Scholar.google.com
► www.readandspell.com
► www.webmd.com
► www.whiteswanfoundation.org