Learning Disabilities
What is LD?
Common Signs of Learning Disabilities
- Difficulty or failure in reading, writing, spelling or arithmetic
- Verbal skills much better developed than writing skills
- Restlessness, short attention span
- Poor coordination and spatial disorientation
- Frequent anxiety, frustration or anger, because of an inability to achieve
- Trouble on auditory and/or visual memory
- Difficulty in keeping a job
- Lack of organization
- A person of whom it is often said "he could do better if only he tried harder"
National Definition of Learning Disabilities
This new definition of Learning Disabilities was adopted on January 30, 2002.
"Learning Disabilities" refer to a number of disorders which may affect the acquisition, organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal or nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning. As such, learning disabilities are distinct from global intellectual deficiency.
Learning disabilities result from impairments in one or more processes related to perceiving, thinking, remembering or learning. These include, but are not limited to: language processing; phonological processing; visual spatial processing; processing speed; memory and attention; and executive functions (e.g. planning and decision-making).
Learning disabilities range in severity and may interfere with the acquisition and use of one or more of the following:
- oral language (e.g. listening, speaking, understanding);
- reading (e.g. decoding, phonetic knowledge, word recognition, comprehension);
- written language (e.g. spelling and written expression); and
- mathematics (e.g. computation, problem solving).
Learning disabilities may also involve difficulties with organizational skills, social perception, social interaction and perspective taking.
Learning disabilities are lifelong. The way in which they are expressed may vary over an individual's lifetime, depending on the interaction between the demands of the environment and the individual's strengths and needs. Learning disabilities are suggested by unexpected academic under-achievement or achievement which is maintained only by unusually high levels of effort and support.
Learning disabilities are due to genetic and/or neurobiological factors or injury that alters brain functioning in a manner which affects one or more processes related to learning. These disorders are not due primarily to hearing and/or vision problems, socio-economic factors, cultural or linguistic differences, lack of motivation or ineffective teaching, although these factors may further complicate the challenges faced by individuals with learning disabilities. Learning disabilities may co-exist with various conditions including attentional, behavioural and emotional disorders, sensory impairments or other medical conditions.
For success, individuals with learning disabilities require early identification and timely specialized assessments and interventions involving home, school, community and workplace settings. The interventions need to be appropriate for each individual's learning disability subtype and, at a minimum, include the provision of:
- specific skill instruction;
- accommodations;
- compensatory strategies; and
- self-advocacy skills.
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Glossary of Terms
No information available at this time.
Help for LD
Professionals Who Can Help
PEDIATRICIAN - provides medical services to infants, children, and adolescents, trained in overall growth and development including motor, sensory, and behavioral development (medical doctor).
FAMILY PHYSICIAN - provides general medical services to individuals of all ages. (medical doctor)
AUDIOLOGIST - measures hearing ability and provides services for auditory training; offers advice on hearing aids.
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST /PATHOLOGIST - helps children with speech and language delays.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST - helps improve fine motor skills. (cutting, holding pencils, etc.)
PHYSICAL THERAPIST - helps improve motor and sensory functions to increase the ability to perform daily tasks (walking, coordination, etc.)
NEUROLOGIST - looks for possible damage to brain functions (medical doctor).
EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT - gives education evaluations, familiar with school curriculum but may have a background in special education issues.
EDUCATIONAL THERAPIST - develops and runs programs for learning and behavior problems.
LEARNING DISABILITIES SPECIALIST - a teacher with specific training and credentials to provide educational services to students with learning disabilities and their teachers.
PSYCHIATRIST - diagnoses and treats severe behavioral and emotional problems and may prescribe medications (medical doctor).
PSYCHOLOGIST (CLINICAL) - provides psychological and intellectual assessment and treatment for mental and emotional health.
SCHOOL/EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST - gives and interprets psychological and educational tests; assists with behaviour management, provides counseling; consults with parents, staff, and community agencies about educational issues.
WHEN SHOULD PARENTS SEEK PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATION
As a parent, if you have concerns about your child's development you should seek help. You should collect information about your child's performance and meet with the child's day-care providers, nannies, and baby-sitters to discuss these concerns. Ask them to observe your child's ability and development in those areas of concern. Gather the information and contact your family physician or pediatrician.
The pediatrician is usually the first person to consult about a young child. Because developing a standard of what is normal and what is not takes experience with many babies and children, parents of young children are wise to have a pediatrician, or family doctor whom they can turn to. Such health-care professionals recognize normal development, and they are experienced in suggesting management at different stages of growth.
Learning Disabilities Association of Canada
323 Chapel Street, Suite 200 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 7Z2
Phone: (613) 238-5721 Fax: (613) 235-5391
email: information@ldac-taac.ca
web site: www.ldac-taac.ca
FACT SHEET Professionals Who Can Help
March 2000
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How to Get Help For Students with Learning Disabilities
When a parent/guardian or teacher of a student recognizes that a student is not progressing and typically has a strong disparity between strengths and weaknesses of academic skills, the following steps or actions should be taken (see also Dept of Ed web site Guidelines and Standards for Educational Planning for Students with Exceptionalities):
- Basic achievement assessment by school resource teacher.
- Results discussed by the school's School Based Student Services Team (teacher, resource teacher, principal). School based implementation of appropriate suggested strategies, i.e. program modifications, a 4-6 week block or remediation by resource teacher and parent; perhaps para professional time, if available in the school, volunteer helper etc.
- If teacher, School Based Student Services Team, parent/guardian (student) are not satisfied that the student is achieving improved progress, a referral to the District Student Services Team is made. The principal, teacher, resource teacher, and parent/guardian submit this referral by completing the appropriate forms.
- Referral forms are reviewed by the District Student Services Team and may then be referred to one or more of the following specialists, depending upon the individual student needs:
- Speech and Language Pathologists (Extra Mural Services)
- Education Psychologists
- Behavioral Psychologists
- Support Services to Education, Dept. of Health and Community Services
- Other (1) Mental Health (2) Family Enrichment.
Typically, if a student is identified with difficulties after the first report card in November and all five intervention steps are followed, it may take 6 months or more in all to complete an assistance path for a student.
If a student has mild or moderate learning disabilities, short term remediation may be all that is required.
For a student with severe learning disabilities, it is more likely that the student shall require a special education plan for all of their school years.
The cooperation of parents/guardians, teachers, resource teachers, principals, and district specialists can create a viable solution for a student who is not achieving his/her potential due to learning disabilities. The path is available to all students and we would encourage you to pursue this course if you feel there is a student in need of help.
Mary Ann Stevens, Past President
Learning Disabilities Association of NB
