The document discusses learning disabilities and dysgraphia. It defines learning disabilities as neurological disorders that affect how the brain processes, stores, and communicates information. Having a learning disability does not mean lower intellect, but can hinder academic success. Dysgraphia is specifically defined as a learning disability that affects written expression through issues with handwriting, spelling, and getting thoughts onto paper. The document provides strategies for teachers, such as using visual aids, differentiated instruction, and giving students choices, to help students with dysgraphia and learning disabilities be successful.
The document discusses learning disabilities and dysgraphia. It defines learning disabilities as neurological disorders that affect how the brain processes, stores, and communicates information. Having a learning disability does not mean lower intellect, but can hinder academic success. Dysgraphia is specifically defined as a learning disability that affects written expression through issues with handwriting, spelling, and getting thoughts onto paper. The document provides strategies for teachers, such as using visual aids, differentiated instruction, and giving students choices, to help students with dysgraphia and learning disabilities be successful.
The document discusses learning disabilities and dysgraphia. It defines learning disabilities as neurological disorders that affect how the brain processes, stores, and communicates information. Having a learning disability does not mean lower intellect, but can hinder academic success. Dysgraphia is specifically defined as a learning disability that affects written expression through issues with handwriting, spelling, and getting thoughts onto paper. The document provides strategies for teachers, such as using visual aids, differentiated instruction, and giving students choices, to help students with dysgraphia and learning disabilities be successful.
The document discusses learning disabilities and dysgraphia. It defines learning disabilities as neurological disorders that affect how the brain processes, stores, and communicates information. Having a learning disability does not mean lower intellect, but can hinder academic success. Dysgraphia is specifically defined as a learning disability that affects written expression through issues with handwriting, spelling, and getting thoughts onto paper. The document provides strategies for teachers, such as using visual aids, differentiated instruction, and giving students choices, to help students with dysgraphia and learning disabilities be successful.
Diagnosed Disabilities: Dysgraphia WHAT IS A LEARNING DISABILITY? One definition of learning disabilities describes it as a specific neurological disorder that affects the
brains ability to store, process, retrieve, or communicate information. Having a learning disability does not
mean an individual has a lower intellect rather, their learning disability hinders their ability to achieve
academic success. There is usually a discrepancy between a student’s cognitive ability and their
academic grades. Each individual is incredibly unique and their learning disabilities will affect their
performance areas in various ways. However, all individuals with a learning disability have the
commonality that they have difficulty in dealing with information; specifically, language based
information.
Learning disabilities not only affect an individual’s academic ability but also affects their socio- emotional skills and behavior. They often co-exist with other conditions including: attentional, behavioural, emotional disorders, sensory impairments, and other medical conditions.
HOW ARE LEARNING DISABILITIES
IDENTIFIED?
A learning disability is identified through teamwork. Educators, parents, and
sometimes professionals all work together using observation, curriculum based
assessment, informal tests, and sometimes standardized formal tests. There is no
one solid test to identify an individual with a learning disability rather; there are a
variety of factors that are involved while assessing the child.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARNING DISABILITIES
Characteristics of a learning disability may include:
Difficulty processing language. A student may have trouble
comprehending what is verbally expressed to them, or with reading
written language. They may also struggle with communicating their
thoughts verbally, or in written form.
A student may also have an issue with receiving new knowledge and
assimilating it with their prior knowledge. Some students with learning
disabilities struggle with all three of these components of language,
while others might only struggle with one or two.
Poor memory for learning and receiving new information is another
characteristic of learning disabilities. A student with a learning
disability might have no issues with learning and understanding a new
idea or memorizing it at the same pace as their peers. However, the
next day they will have difficulty recalling the information they
previously learned.
Some children with learning disabilities have trouble with socializing
due to their poor memory. They often mistakenly forget previous
social mishaps, and continue to repeat them.
Students with learning disabilities have trouble monitoring their own
performance, and understanding their thoughts. They struggle with
studying, remembering class requirements such as homework, and
working on a project till it is complete.
WHAT IS ?
Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects a student’s written expression. A student
with dysgraphia might have trouble handwriting, spelling, or expressing their
thoughts/ideas on paper. Students with dysgraphia can struggle with their fine motor
skills, as they have trouble holding a pencil, and organizing letters on a line. Other writing
tasks such as organizing their thoughts into written work can be very difficult for them.
Normally, the brain will take in information, comprehend the knowledge and store it for
later. When a person begins to write their brain recalls the information from their
memory, organizes their thoughts and writes. A person with dysgraphia has difficulty
organizing the information that is stored in their memory and struggles with getting their
words onto paper by writing or typing. The result will be written work that is not legible,
filled with errors, and a product that does not convey the message the child intended. STRATEGIES FOR A CLASSROOM TEACHER
Universal Design: The term “universal design” implies a concept for designing learning
environments and materials that are accessible to a broad range of
students.
Teachers should aim to provide learners with various forms of
representation, action and expression and engagement.
Differentiated Instruction: Students with learning disabilities may particularly benefit from
assessment and instruction that are differentiated to take into
consideration their strengths, interests, learning styles, and readiness to
learn.
Any of the following elements can be differentiated:
The content of learning (what students are going to learn, and when)
The process of learning (the types of tasks and activities)
The products of learning (the ways in which students demonstrate
learning)
The effect/environment of learning (the context and environment in
which students learn and demonstrate learning).
Positive and Frequent Feedback:
Prompt feedback should be given to students to ensure they are ready to
reflect on their learning.
Feedback helps students to stay on task and reinforces their confidence
to achieve academic success.
Consistent and Systematic Approach:
Consistency in instruction helps students to understand the expectations
that are needed to successfully complete their work.
Self-management may be difficult for some students, thus a consistent
and systematic approach facilitates such students to stay on task.
Graphic and Visual Support:
Assistive technologies are highly recommended and effective in
accommodating the different learning styles of students with learning
disabilities because they provide adaptations and applications for
previously inaccessible learning opportunities for children with special
needs.
As visual supports such as the use of chalkboards, whiteboards,
overhead projections, pictures and maps are often more effective for
students with LDs, such supports are highly encouraged to facilitate
better understanding of the learning material.
It is beneficial to provide students with LDs the ability to choose and
decide on how to format an assignment or structure their learning.
STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS WITH DYSGRAPHIA
Tackling handwriting: Handwriting practice should start with single letters but progress quickly to copying and dictating
words and sentences that students think are fun.
Doing five to eight practices with one letter and then moving onto the next letter helps prevent
fatigue and boredom.
Engaging in multiple short writing sessions that use a consistent approach are better for
developing motor memory than fewer long sessions.
Direct instruction that focuses on penmanship rather than the pressure of worrying about the
writing content is more effective.Having students track their own growth and analyzing their
own data and portfolios has a positive effect on student progress and motivation.
Improving spelling: Starting with spelling phonetically as best the writes can works well for beginner writes because
it minimizes interruptions to the flow of ideas. However, editing for final drafts must always be
made to avoid the “it’s close enough for me” attitude from developing.
Teachers should use the exploratory approach to spelling for student because it encourages
students to identify patterns in words (phonetic, word families, syllables, and affixes).
Instruction should quickly shift the focus from spelling words in isolation to applying correct
spelling in the student’s own writing.
Access to word walls allow students to refer to while spelling.
Students should keep a log of frequently misspelled words and error patterns to help them set
goals and track their personal progress on these words.
Giving students choice
Teachers should give students a choice of topics or approaches to use in their assignments.
Offering choices increases the likelihood that the students will see the assignment as relevant.
It is important to make certain the criteria for quality are clear and fit the student choices.
Practicing sentence structure: three main strategies
Sentence combining, or saying the same thing in fewer words.
Identifying run-on sentences to break down into shorter, clearer sentences.
Sentence editing to replace or add words and check for the correct use of writing conventions
(spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation).
Making the criteria clear:
Before students can be expected to edit their own work, they need to be able to see what great
work looks like and internalize what constitutes quality.
Rubrics are one of the most effective tools for sharing criteria for written work with students. ASSITIVE TECHNOLOGY
Voice to Text Software:
Students can say their ideas into the microphone and the words are converted via word processing software
into text. This can be directly installed into the computer or iPad so the student can use the resource at any
time.
A student may also use a voice recorder (i.e. on their phone) to record her response instead of writing it. She
may share her recorded response with her teacher at a later time. WordQ is word prediction software that
allows for inventive spelling. It lets students modify word prediction to use specific vocabulary or topics.
WordQ also offers a list of words with similar meaning to add variety to writing and uses clear text-to-voice
feedback.
The focus of WordQ is on providing the proper spelling words by allowing students to hover over words in the
ORAL QUALITATIVE ABM MAHOGANY A Fuel To A Learners Mind Motivational Characteristics of Teachers From The Views of Accountancy Business and Management Learners of Luis Y. Ferrer Jr. Senior High School
