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Learning Disabilities ="Learning disabilities (LD) are neurological disorders that can make it difficult to acquire certain academic and social skills. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or an adult with LD, learning about LD will help you support your child’s or your own success in learning and life."= Visit LD Basics for more information

="LD is more than a difference or difficulty with learning — it is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store, and respond to information."= Visit LD Explained for more information

What is a learning disability?
According to Helpguide.org, Learning disabilities, or learning disorders, are an umbrella term for a wide variety of learning problems. A learning disability is not a problem with intelligence or motivation. Kids with learning disabilities aren’t lazy or dumb. In fact, most are just as smart as everyone else. Their brains are simply wired differently. This difference affects how they receive and process information. Simply put, children and adults with learning disabilities see, hear, and understand things differently. This can lead to trouble with learning new information and skills, and putting them to use. The most common types of learning disabilities involve problems with reading, writing, math, reasoning, listening, and speaking.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, a ** learning disorder ** is (A) a group of disorders characterized by difficulties in learning basic academic skills (currently or by history), that are not consistent with the person's chronological age, educational opportunities, or intellectual abilities. Basic academic skills refer to accurate and fluent reading, writing, and arithmetic. Multiple sources of information are to be used to assess learning, one of which must be an individually administered, culturally appropriate, and psychometrically sound standardized measure of academic achievement. (B) Furthermore, the disturbance in criterion A, without accommodations, must interfere significantly with academic achievement or activities of daily living that require these academic skills to be considered a learning disability. @http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=429

Common Types of Learning Disabilities

 * **Dyslexia** || Difficulty reading || Problems reading, writing, spelling, speaking ||
 * **Dyscalculia** || Difficulty with math || Problems doing math problems, understanding time, using money ||
 * **Dysgraphia** || Difficulty with writing || Problems with handwriting, spelling, organizing ideas ||
 * **Dyspraxia (Sensory Integration Disorder)** || Difficulty with fine motor skills || Problems with hand–eye coordination, balance, manual dexterity ||
 * **Dysphasia/Aphasia** || Difficulty with language || Problems understanding spoken language, poor reading comprehension ||
 * **Auditory Processing Disorder** || Difficulty hearing differences between sounds || Problems with reading, comprehension, language ||
 * **Visual Processing Disorder** || Difficulty interpreting visual information || Problems with reading, math, maps, charts, symbols, pictures ||

How Can Learning Disabilities Impact Learning?
__Language and Math__ - Students may have difficulty with reading, writing, spelling, math, listening, or oral expression.

__Executive Functioning__ - Students may struggle with planning, organizing, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time and space.

__Social and Emotional Issues__ - Students may experience issues with self-esteem, social relationships, and overall emotional and psychological health.

__Interactive Learning Disability Checklist__ - An easy to use, ready to share checklist of behaviors and characteristics that commonly point to learning disabilities or early signs of risk for LD.

Strategies for Working With Students
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 * **Differentiating Instruction for Whole Class Instruction**
 * involve all students by encouraging students to think and share in pairs before responding to questions
 * ask students to provide a summary of directions given or the main points of a directed lesson so everyone can benefit from clarification and review.
 * **Grouping Practices for Reading Instruction** - From the article Instructional Grouping for Reading for Students with LD: Implications for Practice.
 * preserve quality instruction by implementing groups that are led by the teacher, while providing learning centers, project learning, or shared reading time for other groups.
 * allow for heterogeneous grouping to promote self-esteem, quality of instruction, and peer socialization and modeling.
 * allow for flexible grouping to address students' needs without the negative consequences of more permanent reading groups.
 * implement student-led groups using reciprocal teaching strategies where each student takes turns leading or facilitating group activity.


 * **Adapting Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science Materials for the Inclusive Classroom** - This article includes n ine steps for adapting materials and providing students with learning disabilities greater access to information that is taught in the classroom. Read the article>>


 * **Supporting Executive Functioning**
 * Maintain a highly structured classroom.
 * Use a written (visual) schedule to keep the student focused and “on task” so that he or she can complete tasks as independently as possible.
 * Give written directions whenever possible (dry erase boards, index cards, etc.) rather than auditory prompting.
 * Give fewer problems/questions on worksheets and/or creating boxes next to each question so the student can check it off as it is answered.
 * Make the classroom as distraction free as possible (away from windows, doors or favorite activity areas).
 * Keep assignment folders in specific and consistent places.
 * Use a visual calendar for both school and home to help the student anticipate events.
 * Use a visual timer to help the student understand time constraints.

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 * **Improving Memory**
 * Making it Stick: Memorable Strategies to Enhance Learning -Read this article to learn more about three key strategies that help with memory: repetition, imagery, and patterns.
 * Memory Tips for Students - Check out this simple list of memorization strategies for students to choose from based on their own learning styles.
 * **Assigning Homework**
 * The best use of homework is to build proficiency in recently acquired skills or to maintain skills previously mastered.
 * What Does Good Homework Look Like? - This is a blog posted on Reading Rocket's website which is dedicated to teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle. This post also contains a link to a PDF file titled "Effective Practices for Homework."

General Resources for Learning Disabilities

 * National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) - NCLD provides essential information to parents, professionals and individuals with learning disabilities, promotes research and programs to foster effective learning, and advocates for policies to protect and strengthen educational rights and opportunities.
 * National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities - Founded in 1975, the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) is a national committee of representatives of organizations committed to the education and welfare of individuals with learning disabilities.
 * Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children -The Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) is a international professional organization consisting of teachers, psychologists, clinicians, administrators, higher education professionals, parents, and others. The website provides information and resources for teaching students with learning disabilities.
 * Learning Disabilities Association of America - Since 1963, LDA has provided support to people with learning disabilities, their parents, teachers and other professionals. At the national, state and local levels, LDA provides cutting edge information on learning disabilities, practical solutions, and a comprehensive network of resources.

Resources for Educators

 * Primer for Educators on Learning Disabilities- Self-paced tutorial includes audio, transcript, and self-check components that can be personalized for a wide variety of professional development activities and settings.[[image:prim.gif width="117" height="187" align="right" link="http://www.hawthorne-ed.com/pages/pre-referral/pr1.html"]] Access to the online tutorial requires the creation of a free account with www.nixty.com.
 * Pre-Referral Intervention Manual (PRIM)- Third Edition - The PRIM contains over 4,000 intervention strategies for the 219 most common learning and behavior problems.

Resources for Parents

 * How Do You Know If Your Child Might Have a Learning Disability?
 * Checklists and Worksheets for Parents from ncld.org
 * Goal Setting for Children with Learning Disabilities: Your Role is Important
 * Parent Stories from ncld.org
 * Recommended Books from LDOnline.org
 * Commands Game by Daniel T. Moore, Ph. D. - This memory game can be used to increase your child's ability to remember instructions that are given to him/ her.