Learning Disabilities
There are many types of Learning Disabilities. Learning disabilities can affect a person's ability to think, learn, remember, and process information. There are 7 different Special Education Certifications for learning disabilities.
Other common areas that a child may exhibit characteristics of Learning Disabilities include:
Dyslexia (reading-based or print-based)
Dyslexia is a reading-based learning disability, which results in children having difficulty with word recognition and decoding print. They may have difficulty identifying and comprehending words from a book or with spelling. Because decoding printed words from a book becomes so much of a struggle, they often miss the meaning of what they have read.
Common signs include:
Dysgraphia (writing-based)
Dysgraphia is a writing disability, which means a child may not have the complex set of motor and information processing skills to be able to write his or her own thoughts down on a piece of paper. They struggle with writing complete and grammatically correct sentences, and often have poor handwriting.
Common signs include:
Dyscalculia (math-based)
Dyscalculia is a math-based learning disability, which results in your child having trouble recognizing numbers and symbols and understanding basic math concepts. For older students, they often have issues related to reasoning.
Common signs include:
Central Auditory Process Disorder (auditory-based)
Central Auditory Process Disorder (CAPD) is an auditory disability, which means a child has difficulty processing information he or she hears and interpreting speech. A child with CAPD does not necessarily suffer from hearing loss, instead he or she has a hearing problem where the brain does not interpret information heard.
Common signs include:
Nonverbal Learning Disorders
Nonverbal learning disorders can be very difficult to diagnose, as children who have it are often very articulate and do well academically. But, they lack motor coordination, common social skills and interpreting nonverbal communication.
Common signs include:
Visual Processing Disorder (visual-based)
Visual Processing Disorder occurs when a child cannot receive, process, sequence, recall or express information in an accurate and timely way. This does not mean the child has poor eyesight, but that his or her brain has trouble processing visual information. Common signs include:
If you are concerned that your child may have a learning disability, contact your child's teacher and get their perspective. Your child's teacher may refer your child to a child study team (at Huron Academy, it is called the Teacher Support Team). Your child may be referred for a comprehensive evaluation that may include the school psychologist, teacher consultant, speech and language pathologist, and school social worker. The team will meet with you to discuss the results of the tests that were conducted.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading Fluency
- Basic Reading Skills
- Math Calculation
- Math Reasoning
- Written Expression
- Oral Expression
- Listening Comprehension
Other common areas that a child may exhibit characteristics of Learning Disabilities include:
Dyslexia (reading-based or print-based)
Dyslexia is a reading-based learning disability, which results in children having difficulty with word recognition and decoding print. They may have difficulty identifying and comprehending words from a book or with spelling. Because decoding printed words from a book becomes so much of a struggle, they often miss the meaning of what they have read.
Common signs include:
- Reads painfully slow
- Difficulty with basic letter sounds
- Has trouble decoding, order of letters become mixed up
- Cannot recall known words
Dysgraphia (writing-based)
Dysgraphia is a writing disability, which means a child may not have the complex set of motor and information processing skills to be able to write his or her own thoughts down on a piece of paper. They struggle with writing complete and grammatically correct sentences, and often have poor handwriting.
Common signs include:
- Awkward pencil grip
- Illegible handwriting
- Frustration with writing thoughts on paper
- Can talk about an idea, but cannot write it down on paper
Dyscalculia (math-based)
Dyscalculia is a math-based learning disability, which results in your child having trouble recognizing numbers and symbols and understanding basic math concepts. For older students, they often have issues related to reasoning.
Common signs include:
- Difficulty recalling number sequences
- May mistake numbers that look similar in shape (i.e. 3 and 8)
- Cannot retain patterns when adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing
- Difficulty with handling money or estimating cost
Central Auditory Process Disorder (auditory-based)
Central Auditory Process Disorder (CAPD) is an auditory disability, which means a child has difficulty processing information he or she hears and interpreting speech. A child with CAPD does not necessarily suffer from hearing loss, instead he or she has a hearing problem where the brain does not interpret information heard.
Common signs include:
- Distracted by background noises
- Has difficulty following directions
- Misspells or mispronounces similar sounding words
- Has trouble following conversations
Nonverbal Learning Disorders
Nonverbal learning disorders can be very difficult to diagnose, as children who have it are often very articulate and do well academically. But, they lack motor coordination, common social skills and interpreting nonverbal communication.
Common signs include:
- Does not perceive nonverbal cues such as facial expressions
- Can be very disruptive in conversation; asking too many questions
- Poor fine and gross motor skills
- Has difficulty dealing with change
Visual Processing Disorder (visual-based)
Visual Processing Disorder occurs when a child cannot receive, process, sequence, recall or express information in an accurate and timely way. This does not mean the child has poor eyesight, but that his or her brain has trouble processing visual information. Common signs include:
- Often mistake letters and numbers that look similar in shape; misreads words
- Remembering the spelling of familiar words incorrectly
- Cannot copy words accurately; spacing letters or words poorly; writing outside lines, margins
- Loses place while reading; cannot find numbers or details on a page easily
If you are concerned that your child may have a learning disability, contact your child's teacher and get their perspective. Your child's teacher may refer your child to a child study team (at Huron Academy, it is called the Teacher Support Team). Your child may be referred for a comprehensive evaluation that may include the school psychologist, teacher consultant, speech and language pathologist, and school social worker. The team will meet with you to discuss the results of the tests that were conducted.