Characteristics of Children with Learning Disabilities
After learning some of the basic information about learning disabiliteis, we need to discuss some of the effects this disability may have on the children you will be serving. As you learned in the last activity, no two children with learning disabilities will show the same set of characteristics. Nor will children with similar characteristics show these effects to the same degree, in the same situations, or in the same
way. As we learn about some of the typical characteristics that children with learning disabilities, please keep these lessons in mind.
Specific Characteristics
In this online lesson we will cover some of the general characteristics you may see in the children you serve. These include:
- academic learning problems
- language disorders
- perceptual disorders
- metacognitive deficits
- socio-emotional
difficulties
- problems with memory
- motor difficulties
- attention and impulse control deficiencies
Academic Learning Problems
Probably the hallmark, indeed the single characteristic that is present in all cases of learning disabilities, is an academic learning difficulty. Although disorders can occur in any portion of the idea definition [basic reading skills, reading comprehension, written expression, mathematics
calculation, or mathematical reasoning], reading is the most common deficit area. Research indicates, however, that a child with a learning disability may have problems with:
- acquiring phonological skills that are necessary for word recognition
- oral reading skills necessary to decode and comprehend text
- difficulty with mechanical or thinking skills which will effect the child's ability to translate thoughts to writing,
spelling errors, punctuation difficulties, and cohesion of thoughts.
- mathematics difficulties that stem from:
- slowness in performing operations [addition, subtraction, etc.]
- memory deficiencies
- language difficulties that disrupt problem solving or following directions
- lack of thinking and reasoning skills
- poor generalization of learned concepts, and
- procedural errors that compromise the accuracy of the child's work
Beyond the academic difficulties I have cited above, children [and adults] with a learning disability may show profiles with a variety of other effects - or characteristics. Perhaps the best way to learn about these is to meet two children with learning disabilities. Click on the links below to read a basic description of some other effects [characteristics] of a learning disability.
Academic Problems and Learning Disabilities
As previously stated, the most consistent characteristic of a child with a learning disability is their difficulty with academic tasks. Because academic abilities and skills are the core element of the child's school program, we need to spend some time examining the effects of a learning disability in reading, writing,
and math, the core academic areas.
Once you have finished you should:
Go on to Effects of an LD
or
Go back to Learning Disabilities
E-mail Larry Gallagher at
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Specific Learning Disability [SLD]
Characteristics
A learning disability is a processing disorder which affects the ability to understand or use language, and may result in difficulties in listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, spelling, and mathematics. Students with learning disabilities usually have average or above average intelligence. There seems to be a gap between the student’s ability and actual achievement.
Students with learning disabilities display one or more of the following primary characteristics: Reading problems [decoding and / or comprehension], difficulties in written language, and underachievement in math. Secondary characteristics might include poor social skills, inattention, hyperactivity, and behavioral problems. A student can be found eligible for special education services as a student with a specific learning disability in one or more of the primary
areas, if the student’s education is adversely affected.
| Reading
|
- Difficulties learning to read by the first grade
- Inability to accurately and fluently decode single words
- Difficulties understanding structure of words
- May have difficulties in visual naming speed [the ability to quickly name items]
- Difficulties with reading comprehension [phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and stories]
- May struggle to accurately summarize or
paraphrase what they just read
- May have trouble learning the alphabet or connecting letters to sounds
- May make many mistakes when reading aloud, and repeat and pause often
- May have trouble remembering the sounds that letters make
- May have trouble hearing slight differences between words
- May have trouble understanding jokes, comic strips, and sarcasm
- May mispronounce words or use a wrong word that sounds similar
- May not be able to retell a
story in order
- May be slow to learn rhymes, numbers, letters, colors, and/or shapes
- Pronunciation and/or vocabulary issues
- Inability to discriminate between/among letters, numerals, or sounds
- May have dyslexia, a specific learning disability [difficulties with word recognition, poor spelling, and decoding abilities]
|
| Written Language
|
- Performs poorly across most writing tasks, especially vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
- May use minimal planning, effort, and strategies when writing
- May use an approach when writing in which they write down whatever they remember with no planning or organization
- Reverses letters
- Produces poorly organized writing products
- May have very messy handwriting
or hold a pencil awkwardly
- May have a limited vocabulary and struggle with language
- Eye-hand coordination problems
- Poor overall coordination
- Difficulties with fine motor skills
- Cannot copy accurately, eyes hurt and itch
- May have trouble organizing thoughts when speaking, or not be able to think of a word for writing or conversation
- May have dysgraphia, a writing disorder
|
| Mathematics
|
- Difficulty with number concepts
- Difficulties in memorizing number facts and solving word problems
- Doesn't make connections, such as 5+3=8 and 3+5=8
- Has difficulty comparing things, or classifying and sorting items
- Difficulty with time concepts [before, after, tomorrow, last week]
- May confuse math symbols and misread numbers
- May struggle to solve multi-step
problems
- May struggle to extract and manipulate important information from word problems
- May have dyscalculia [ problems with arithmetic and math concepts]
|
| Socialization
|
- May struggle to accurately interpret non-verbal cues [e.g. gestures, facial expressions]
- May have low social status, few positive interactions at school, difficulty making friends, and seem lonely
- May not display appropriate verbal and non-verbal cues in conversations
- Might misunderstand jokes, puns, idioms, sarcasm, etc.
- May not follow the social rules of conversation,
such as taking turns
- May stand too close to a listener
- May have a non-verbal learning disability [difficulties recognizing and translating nonverbal cues into meaningful information]
|
| Attention & Behavior
|
- May have difficulty attending to a task
- High rates of movement [hyperactivity]
- Short attention span
- Poor memory
- Difficulty following directions
- May display behavioral problems in the classroom
- Difficulty following multi-step instructions
- Often seems slow to respond
- Comments may seem off topic
- Often requires a great deal one to
one support for understanding
- May be diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder [ADD]
|
Strategies for Specific Learning Disability
What are three characteristics of learning disabilities?
Common signs that a person may have learning disabilities include the following:.
Problems reading and/or writing..
Problems with math..
Poor memory..
Problems paying attention..
Trouble following directions..
Clumsiness..
Trouble telling time..
Problems staying organized..
What is the most common characteristic among students with learning disabilities?
Reading difficulties are observed among students with learning disabilities more than any other problem area of academic performance. It is the most prevalent type of academic difficulty for students with learning disabilities.
Which of these characteristics of a child with learning disability?
language difficulties that disrupt problem solving or following directions. lack of thinking and reasoning skills. poor generalization of learned concepts, and. procedural errors that compromise the accuracy of the child's work.
What are the causes and characteristics of learning disabilities?
In many cases, there may be a genetic predisposition to the development of learning disabilities. They can also be caused by changes in the brain from social or environmental deprivations, deafness, poor vision, birth trauma, or neurologic injury in utero.