Concept of Learning Disability – 22nd July 2024

Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) refers to a type of neurological disorder in one or more of
the basic processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, that
impedes the ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or perform mathematical
calculations which are the foundation for other academic learning.
Common signs of students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) include:
▪ Have trouble learning the alphabet, rhyming words, or connecting letters to their
sounds;
▪ Make many mistakes when reading aloud, repeat and pause often;
▪ Not understand what she reads
▪ Have real trouble with spelling;
▪ Have very messy handwriting or hold a pencil awkwardly;
▪ Struggle to express ideas in writing;
▪ Have trouble remembering the sounds that letters make or hearing slight differences
between words;
▪ Not know left from right;
▪ Have trouble understanding jokes or sarcasm;
▪ Have difficulty following directions;
▪ Not follow the social rules of conversation, such as taking turns, and may stand too
close;
▪ Confuse math symbols and misread numbers;
▪ Not be able to retell a story in order (what happened first, second, third); or
▪ Not knowing where to begin a task or how to go from there.

I] Dyslexia

▪ Dyslexia affects the way the child’s brain processes language-based information.
▪ Have average to above-average intelligence
▪ Exhibit learning gaps
▪ In reading and other language-related subjects, the functional level of a child with
dyslexia is usually below the grade level of his peers.
▪ Difficulties in accurate and fluent word recognition
▪ Poor decoding (Children have difficulty in learning to match letters with their sounds)
▪ Inadequate spelling ability
▪ Difficulties in reading due to a difficulty in identifying speech sounds or phonics
▪ They struggle to learn phonics, i.e. difficulty in recognizing and breaking down letters
or segmenting words into smaller syllables e.g. reading the word ‘doctor’ as ‘do-ctor’
instead of ‘doc-tor’
▪ They face difficulties in rhyming words and struggle with simple sight words

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 ▪ Processing and remembering information they see and hear can affect learning and the
acquisition of literary skills
▪ Reading, writing, spelling, and word recognition – hence it is a language-based
disability

II] Dyscalculia

▪ Sometimes referred to as ‘math dyslexia’ or ‘number dyslexia’

▪ Characterised by difficulties in processing numerical information, learning arithmetic
facts, and performing accurate and fluent calculations.
▪ Affects a person at multiple levels - do not understand simple mathematical concepts
such as greater than / less than, addition, subtraction, etc.
▪ Learning more abstract concepts like algebra - almost impossible - making school hard
for them.
▪ Dyscalculia makes carrying out everyday tasks difficult such as cooking, being on time,
shopping, playing with friends, etc.
▪ Difficulty in sorting objects by shape, size, or colour and numbers in ascending and
descending order
▪ Forgetting essential facts due to poor memory when it comes to numbers
▪ Trouble learning and remembering mathematical facts, like 2+3 is the same as 3+2
▪ Trouble with counting and mental math
▪ Difficulty in understanding and often confusing symbols like + and x
▪ Difficulty comprehending word problems
▪ Struggling to tell time and read analog clocks
▪ Avoiding games that involve math or strategies
▪ Getting anxious or freezing with questions that are related to doing math

III] Dysgraphia
▪ Have trouble with consistency in spacing and difficulty staying within the margins
▪ Have trouble with spelling and capitalization, mixes cursive and print letters, hence
handwriting looks clumsy or untidy
▪ Trouble with following sentence structure and rules of grammar when writing but not
when speaking
▪ Usually have difficulty maintaining grip on a pencil, awkward grip resulting in hand
pain
▪ Sometimes, mix upper and lower case while writing
▪ Avoid using complicated sentences and write in simple sentences, yet their writing will
have more grammatical errors than their peers.

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Special Educator
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Extra Knowledge
A] Dyspraxia
▪ Called Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) or Specific Developmental
Disorder of Motor Function (SDDMF).
▪ Neurological disorder primarily affects physical coordination - the ability to plan and
process motor tasks. It impacts all writing skills like handwriting, spacing, and
legibility.
▪ Struggle with organization and controlling of movements - appear to move clumsily.
▪ ‘Clumsiness’ stems from their brain processing information in a way that causes
transmission of nerve impulses to be incomplete or improper.
▪ Impacts planning and execution of child’s daily life tasks - they do not exactly match
up to the level appropriate to their age.
▪ Impairs fine motor skills needed for writing.
▪ Trouble learning to ride a bicycle or tricycle even with training wheels
▪ Difficulty eating food with cutlery
▪ Trouble in sitting still or showing unusual body posture
▪ Underdeveloped left- or right-hand dominance exhibited in using one hand for most
activities
▪ Awkward and slow movements, avoids physical education classes in school
▪ Fumbling with objects like scissors and struggling to cut out shapes
▪ Poor understanding of spacing between letters and words
▪ Struggling with visual and spatial demanding tasks like moving pieces on a game board,
geometry
▪ Poor eye-hand coordination

B] Nonverbal Learning Disability

▪ Not an official diagnosis - A set of challenges that together make up a learning disorder
▪ Challenges are real and can impact on learning and working
▪ Strong verbal and reading skills
▪ Difficulty with math especially geometry, identifying patterns
▪ Difficulty with fine motor skills, motor planning
▪ Struggles with executive functioning skills like time management, organization, and
memory
▪ Thinks literally, challenges with understanding sarcasm
▪ Misses social cues and misreads situations

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SLD Diagnosis
▪ Discuss the child’s difficulties with the school counselor
▪ Meet a qualified professional – psychologist / neurologist / psychiatrist for a formal
diagnosis. The investigation may include -
▪ Parent observations
▪ Family history
▪ Child’s developmental history at school and home
▪ Child’s performance at school
▪ Ask your child to take part in a series of tests that examine your child's cognitive
abilities, reading, writing, math, and language abilities.
▪ After test completion, a formal report discussion outlining the child’s strengths and
weaknesses.

How to manage SLD

▪ SLD is a lifelong disorder with no definitive medical treatment.
▪ Seek early intervention by involving a special education therapist or remedial
educator.
▪ Emotional support by a counselor may also be a significant part of managing your
child’s challenges (overcoming feelings of frustration, loneliness, anger, and other
issues) they are facing at school, at home, and at social gatherings.
▪ Occupational therapy - involving sensory integration therapy
▪ All adults must work in tandem with each other so that the child gets the maximum help
they need.

Some helpful tips:

▪ Help your child develop a constant routine - A routine can help them stay organised
and on track.
▪ Help your child set goals and track progress - When you start setting goals, the first step
is to celebrate every success. Little steps make big differences!
▪ Help your child find a good study strategy - Children with SLD often need help with
studying. Different study strategies can work well for them.
▪ Get involved in your child’s education - You can help them succeed by talking to them
about school and sharing your interests and activities with them.
▪ Celebrate your child’s accomplishments - No matter how small your child’s
accomplishments seem, celebrate them! Acknowledging their success will help your
child feel good about themselves and encourage them to keep working hard.
▪ Making time for their preferred activity.
▪ Help them express negative emotions safely.
▪ Inquire if they need help with their daily activities.

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Special Educator
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 ▪ Teach your child how to solve problems and cope with setbacks - A child with SLD
often has trouble solving problems. Teaching them how to solve problems can help
them become more independent and successful in school.
▪ Help them refocus when doing their homework by giving them short breaks.
▪ Teach children self-advocacy skills - build and maintain self-confidence so that the
child does not lose faith in themselves.

Classroom accommodations to address the student’s needs could include:

▪ Breaking tasks into smaller steps, and giving directions verbally and in writing
▪ Giving the student more time to finish schoolwork or take tests
▪ Letting the student with reading problems use instructional materials that are accessible
to those with print disabilities
▪ Letting the student borrow notes from a classmate
▪ Provide visuals for emphasizing important points; use colour coding or highlighting
▪ Use a multi-sensory approach
▪ Teach in logical format and use concrete methods

NOTE: This is just an overview. You will learn in much more detail.
Videos:
▪ See Dyslexia Differently
▪ What is Dyscalculia?
▪ Dysgraphia - What is it?
▪ Dyspraxia
▪ What is Nonverbal Learning Disorder?
Podcast link: Inclusion with Mansi

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Mansi Chandorkar
Special Educator
[email protected]