What is a What is a Learning Disorder?Learning Disorder?

Admissions Training Admissions Training by Maggi Sandersonby Maggi Sanderson

December 14, 2010December 14, 2010

DefinitionDefinition• A neurological disorder A neurological disorder

often defined as often defined as “inefficient processing “inefficient processing of information from the of information from the sensory input source to sensory input source to the brain and back out.” the brain and back out.”

•   Individuals have Individuals have difficulty learning when difficulty learning when presented with presented with traditional and traditional and conventional teaching conventional teaching approaches.approaches.

• The factors that cause The factors that cause learning disabilities learning disabilities affect the brain’s ability affect the brain’s ability to receive, process, and to receive, process, and store information. store information.

• A learning disorder A learning disorder is not indicative of a is not indicative of a person’s intelligence person’s intelligence level and cannot be level and cannot be cured or fixed cured or fixed

• Attention disorders Attention disorders and learning and learning disorders often disorders often occur at the same occur at the same time.time.

What causes a Learning What causes a Learning Disorder? Disorder?

• Learning Disorders often run in familiesLearning Disorders often run in families

• Neurological impairments are often caused by Neurological impairments are often caused by problems during pregnancy and birth and can result problems during pregnancy and birth and can result from:from:

– Anomalies in the developing brainAnomalies in the developing brain– Illness or injuryIllness or injury– Fetal exposure to drugs or alcohol Fetal exposure to drugs or alcohol – low birth weight low birth weight – oxygen deprivation, or premature or prolonged laboroxygen deprivation, or premature or prolonged labor

• By accidents after birth, particularly caused byBy accidents after birth, particularly caused by– Head injuriesHead injuries– MalnutritionMalnutrition– Toxic exposureToxic exposure– As a result of povertyAs a result of poverty

The Four Stages of The Four Stages of Information Information

Processing Used in Processing Used in Learning Learning

InputInput

• Information perceived Information perceived through sensory through sensory meansmeans

• Difficulties with visual Difficulties with visual perception perception

• Problems with Problems with sequencingsequencing

• Difficulties with Difficulties with auditory perception auditory perception

• Some individuals Some individuals seem unable to seem unable to process tactile inputprocess tactile input

IntegrationIntegration

• Perceived input is Perceived input is interpreted, categorized, interpreted, categorized, placed in sequence, or placed in sequence, or related to previous related to previous learning learning

• Difficulties telling a story Difficulties telling a story in the correct sequence in the correct sequence

• May be unable to May be unable to memorize sequences of memorize sequences of information information

• Be able to learn facts but Be able to learn facts but be unable to put the facts be unable to put the facts together together

• Poor vocabulary can Poor vocabulary can contribute to problems contribute to problems with comprehensionwith comprehension

StorageStorage

• Problems with memory Problems with memory can occur with short-can occur with short-term memory or working term memory or working memory, or with long-memory, or with long-term memoryterm memory

• Most memory difficulties Most memory difficulties occur with short-term occur with short-term memory which can make memory which can make it difficult to learn new it difficult to learn new material without many material without many more repetitions than is more repetitions than is usual usual

• Difficulties with visual Difficulties with visual memory can impede memory can impede learning to spelllearning to spell

OutputOutput

• Language output Language output difficulties can create difficulties can create problems with spoken problems with spoken language language

• Written language or Written language or expression can be difficultexpression can be difficult

• Difficulties with motor Difficulties with motor abilities can cause abilities can cause problems with gross and problems with gross and fine motor skills fine motor skills

• People with fine motor People with fine motor difficulties may difficulties may experience problems experience problems buttoning shirts, tying buttoning shirts, tying shoelaces, or with shoelaces, or with handwritinghandwriting

Common Signs of Common Signs of Learning DisordersLearning Disorders

In preschool, a child In preschool, a child may:may:

• Speak later than most other childrenSpeak later than most other children• Have problems pronouncing wordsHave problems pronouncing words• Demonstrate slow growth in vocabulary or often Demonstrate slow growth in vocabulary or often

have trouble finding the right wordhave trouble finding the right word• Have difficulty rhyming wordsHave difficulty rhyming words• Have trouble learning numbers, the alphabet, Have trouble learning numbers, the alphabet,

days of the week, colors, and shapesdays of the week, colors, and shapes• Be extremely restless and easily distractedBe extremely restless and easily distracted• Have trouble interacting with their peersHave trouble interacting with their peers• Have difficulty following directions or routinesHave difficulty following directions or routines• Demonstrate a slow development of Demonstrate a slow development of

fine motor skillsfine motor skills

In Kindergarten through In Kindergarten through Grade 4, Grade 4,

a child may:a child may:• Be slow to learn the connection between letters and soundsBe slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds• Confuse basic words like run, eat, or wantConfuse basic words like run, eat, or want• Make consistent reading and spelling errors including letter Make consistent reading and spelling errors including letter

reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w), transpositions (felt/left), and reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w), transpositions (felt/left), and substitutions (house/home)substitutions (house/home)

• Transpose number sequences and confuse arithmetic signs (+, Transpose number sequences and confuse arithmetic signs (+, -, /, =, x, ….)-, /, =, x, ….)

• Be slow to remember factsBe slow to remember facts• Be slow to learn new skills and rely heavily on memorizationBe slow to learn new skills and rely heavily on memorization• Be impulsive and have difficulty planningBe impulsive and have difficulty planning• Demonstrate an unstable pencil gripDemonstrate an unstable pencil grip• Have trouble learning about timeHave trouble learning about time• Demonstrate poor coordination and be unaware of physical Demonstrate poor coordination and be unaware of physical

surroundingssurroundings• Be accident proneBe accident prone

In Grades 5 – 8, a child In Grades 5 – 8, a child may:may:

• Reverse letter sequences (soiled/solid)Reverse letter sequences (soiled/solid)• Be slow to learn prefixes, suffixes, root words and Be slow to learn prefixes, suffixes, root words and

other spelling strategiesother spelling strategies• Avoid reading aloudAvoid reading aloud• Have trouble with word problemsHave trouble with word problems• Demonstrate difficulty with handwritingDemonstrate difficulty with handwriting• Demonstrate an awkward, fist-like, or tight pencil grip Demonstrate an awkward, fist-like, or tight pencil grip • Avoid writing assignmentsAvoid writing assignments• Demonstrate a slow or poor recall of factsDemonstrate a slow or poor recall of facts• Have difficulty making friendsHave difficulty making friends• Have trouble reading body language and facial Have trouble reading body language and facial

expressionsexpressions

High School Students High School Students and Adults may:and Adults may:

• Continue to spell incorrectlyContinue to spell incorrectly• Frequently spell the same word differently in a Frequently spell the same word differently in a

single piece of writingsingle piece of writing• Avoid reading and writing tasksAvoid reading and writing tasks• Have trouble summarizingHave trouble summarizing• Have trouble with open-ended questions on testsHave trouble with open-ended questions on tests• Demonstrate weak memory skillsDemonstrate weak memory skills• Have difficulty adjusting to new settingsHave difficulty adjusting to new settings• Work slowlyWork slowly• Demonstrate a poor grasp of abstract conceptsDemonstrate a poor grasp of abstract concepts• Either pay too little attention to details or hyper-Either pay too little attention to details or hyper-

focus on themfocus on them• Misread informationMisread information

Types of Learning Types of Learning DisordersDisorders

Reading DisordersReading Disorders

• The most common type The most common type of learning disabilityof learning disability

• Can affect any part of Can affect any part of the reading process, the reading process, including difficulty including difficulty with accurate or fluent with accurate or fluent word recognition, word word recognition, word decoding, reading rate, decoding, reading rate, prosody, and reading prosody, and reading comprehensioncomprehension

• There are several There are several different types of different types of Reading Disorders, Reading Disorders, including Dyslexiaincluding Dyslexia

Auditory Auditory Processing Processing DisorderDisorder

• Have difficulty Have difficulty processing auditory processing auditory information information

• Has trouble Has trouble comprehending more comprehending more than one task at a time than one task at a time (or switching between (or switching between tasks) tasks)

• They have a relatively They have a relatively stronger ability to stronger ability to learn visuallylearn visually

Writing DisorderWriting Disorder

• DysgraphiaDysgraphia• May include May include

impairment to impairment to handwriting, handwriting, spelling, spelling, organization of organization of ideas and ideas and compositioncomposition

Math DisorderMath Disorder

• Dyscalculia Dyscalculia • Can cause Can cause

difficulties in difficulties in learning math learning math concepts, concepts, memorizing math memorizing math facts, organizing facts, organizing numbers, and numbers, and understanding how understanding how problems are problems are organized on a pageorganized on a page

DyspraxiaDyspraxia

• Difficulty planning and Difficulty planning and completing fine motor taskscompleting fine motor tasks

• Difficulties stemming from Difficulties stemming from dyspraxia can bedyspraxia can be– Delays in spoken Delays in spoken

language and speech that language and speech that is difficult to understandis difficult to understand

– Problems with tying, Problems with tying, buttoning or handwriting buttoning or handwriting

– Poor sense of directionPoor sense of direction– Sensitivity to touch Sensitivity to touch – Problems with Problems with

coordination including coordination including difficulty driving difficulty driving

– Over- or under-sensitivity Over- or under-sensitivity to stimuli, lack of speech to stimuli, lack of speech control, and manual control, and manual dexteritydexterity

Nonverbal Learning Nonverbal Learning DisabilityDisability

• Individuals have specific Individuals have specific strengths in verbal domains strengths in verbal domains

• Those diagnosed with NLD Those diagnosed with NLD are often very bright, and are often very bright, and may be identified as gifted may be identified as gifted students students

• Difficulties due to NLD are:Difficulties due to NLD are:– Motor clumsinessMotor clumsiness– Poor visual-spatial skillsPoor visual-spatial skills– Problems in social Problems in social

relationshipsrelationships– Difficulty with mathDifficulty with math– Poor organizational Poor organizational

skillsskills

DyslexiaDyslexia• Is a lifelong language processing disorder that Is a lifelong language processing disorder that

hinders the development of oral and written hinders the development of oral and written language skills language skills

• Those affected often have problems with Those affected often have problems with reading, writing, spelling & expressing reading, writing, spelling & expressing themselves in conversation (verbal themselves in conversation (verbal communication vs. written)communication vs. written)

• Often have trouble with abstract thoughts such Often have trouble with abstract thoughts such as idiomatic expressions, jokes & proverbsas idiomatic expressions, jokes & proverbs

Compounding the Compounding the ChallengeChallenge

Difficulties that often co-occur with Difficulties that often co-occur with learning disabilities include learning disabilities include

difficulties with memory, social skills difficulties with memory, social skills and executive functions and executive functions

Executive Functioning Executive Functioning Disorder Disorder

• Individuals with executive functioning Individuals with executive functioning problems may have the following difficulties:problems may have the following difficulties:– Planning a project and comprehending how long a Planning a project and comprehending how long a

project will take to completeproject will take to complete– Have trouble communicating details in an Have trouble communicating details in an

organized, sequential mannerorganized, sequential manner– Struggle to tell a story verbally or in writingStruggle to tell a story verbally or in writing– Have difficulty with mental strategies involved with Have difficulty with mental strategies involved with

memorization and retrieving information from memorization and retrieving information from memorymemory

– Have trouble initiating activities or tasks Have trouble initiating activities or tasks – Struggle with generating ideas independently Struggle with generating ideas independently – Have difficulty retaining information while doing Have difficulty retaining information while doing

something with it (like remembering a phone something with it (like remembering a phone number while dialing)number while dialing)

ADHD/ADDADHD/ADD• 3-5% of children in the U.S. population 3-5% of children in the U.S. population

have ADHD have ADHD • Individuals with ADHD exhibit symptoms Individuals with ADHD exhibit symptoms

of:of:• ImpulsivenessImpulsiveness• HyperactivityHyperactivity• Inattention Inattention • Restlessness Restlessness • Fidgetiness Fidgetiness • Acting without thinkingActing without thinking• Poor concentration Poor concentration • DistractibilityDistractibility• Daydreaming Daydreaming

The Three Patterns of The Three Patterns of ADHD BehaviorADHD Behavior

(1)(1)Consistent inattentivenessConsistent inattentiveness

(2)(2)Hyperactivity and impulsiveness Hyperactivity and impulsiveness beyond that of others the same agebeyond that of others the same age

(3)(3)Combined behaviors of Combined behaviors of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness impulsiveness

ADHD is also often accompanied by ADHD is also often accompanied by anxiety and/or depression, as well as the anxiety and/or depression, as well as the

following disorders:following disorders:Tourette’s SyndromeTourette’s Syndrome

A neurological disorder A neurological disorder that results in nervous that results in nervous tics and repetitive tics and repetitive mannerisms, oftenmannerisms, oftentriggered by anxiety. triggered by anxiety.

– Eye blinkingEye blinking– Facial twitchesFacial twitches– GrimacingGrimacing– Clearing of the throat Clearing of the throat

frequentlyfrequently– SnortingSnorting– SniffingSniffing– Barking out wordsBarking out words

Oppositional Defiant Oppositional Defiant DisorderDisorder

1/3 to 1/2 of all children 1/3 to 1/2 of all children

diagnosed with ADHD- diagnosed with ADHD-

mostly boys -- are alsomostly boys -- are also

diagnosed with ODDdiagnosed with ODD..– Defiant Defiant – StubbornStubborn– Non-compliant with Non-compliant with

authority figures authority figures – Have outbursts of Have outbursts of

tempertemper– Belligerent Belligerent

Conduct DisorderConduct DisorderConduct Disorder is a Conduct Disorder is a

moremoreserious pattern of serious pattern of

antisocialantisocialbehavior. 20-40% ofbehavior. 20-40% ofstudents diagnosed withstudents diagnosed withADHD are diagnosed withADHD are diagnosed withConduct Disorder. These Conduct Disorder. These individuals often:individuals often:

– Lie or stealLie or steal– Fight or bullyFight or bully– Ignore the rights of Ignore the rights of

othersothers– Are aggressiveAre aggressive– Can destroy propertyCan destroy property– Carry or use weaponsCarry or use weapons– Are at a greater risk for Are at a greater risk for

substance abuse.substance abuse.

Bipolar DisorderBipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder in Bipolar disorder in

children,children,is characterized by is characterized by

chronicchronicmood dysregulation with mood dysregulation with

aamixture of elation,mixture of elation,depression and depression and

irritability. irritability. – Intense mood swingsIntense mood swings– Poor self esteem Poor self esteem

regulationsregulations– Low threshold for Low threshold for

anxietyanxiety

Other Chronic Problems and Other Chronic Problems and Emotional Baggage for Individuals Emotional Baggage for Individuals

with LDwith LD• Lack of self-esteem Lack of self-esteem • Loss of interest in Loss of interest in

learning learning • Lack of motivation Lack of motivation • Anxiety and Anxiety and

depressiondepression• Somatic complaints Somatic complaints • ““Learned Learned

helplessness” helplessness” • May assume a very May assume a very

passive role in their passive role in their situation over time situation over time

• Are vulnerable to Are vulnerable to behavioral behavioral challengeschallenges

• May routinely cut May routinely cut classes to avoid what classes to avoid what precipitates anxiety precipitates anxiety in them in them

• May gravitate toward May gravitate toward a negative peer groupa negative peer group

• May blame others for May blame others for their problemstheir problems

• Make excuses for bad Make excuses for bad behaviorbehavior

• Exhibit a poor Exhibit a poor attitude attitude

• Refuse to Refuse to communicatecommunicate

• May have difficulties May have difficulties in social situationsin social situations