 Tools
for Parents of Children with Disabilities and
Special Needs
LEARNING DISABILITIES
Prepared by Constance Messina, Ph.D.
Content:
INTRODUCTION
The term "learning disabilities" describes a neurobiological disorder that affects people's
ability to either interpret
- what they see and hear or
- to link information from different parts of the brain.
These limitations can show up in many ways - as specific difficulties with:
- spoken language
- written language
- coordination
- organization
- socialization
- self-control and/or
- attention.
Such difficulties extend to school work and can impede learning to read or write, or to do
math.
A learning disability is a lifelong issue. With the right support and intervention, however,
children with learning disabilities can succeed in school and go on to successful, often
distinguished careers later in life. Parents can help children with learning disabilities
achieve such success by:
- encouraging their strengths
- knowing their weaknesses
- understanding the educational system
- working with professionals and
- learning about strategies for dealing with specific difficulties.
FACTS ABOUT LEARNING DISABILITIES
- Fifteen percent of the US population, or one in seven Americans, has some type of
learning disability, according to the National Institutes of Health.
- Difficulty with basic reading and language skills are the most common learning
disabilities. As many as 80% of students with learning disabilities have reading
problems.
- Learning disabilities often run in families.
- Learning disabilities should not be confused with other disabilities such as mental
retardation, deafness, blindness and behavioral disorders. None of these
conditions are learning disabilities. In addition, they should not be confused with
lack of educational opportunities like frequent changes of school or attendance
problems. Also, children who are learning English do not necessarily have a
learning disability.
- Attention disorders, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD) and
learning disabilities often occur together and display similar characteristics.
COMMON LEARNING DISABILITIES
Dyslexia - a language-based disability in which a person has trouble understanding words,
sentences, or paragraphs.
Dyscalcula - a mathematical disability in which a person has a difficult time solving
arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.
Dysgraphia - a writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form letters or write within
a defined space.
Auditory and Visual Processing Disabilities - Processing/sensory disabilities in which
a person has difficulty understanding language despite normal hearing and vision.
COMMON SIGNS OF LEARNING DISABILITIES
The good news about learning disabilities is that scientists are learning more every day.
Their research provides hope and direction. If parents, teachers and other professionals
discover child's learning disability early and provide the right kind of help, it can give the
child a chance to develop skills needed to lead a successful and productive life. A recent
National Institutes of Health study showed that 67% of young students who were at risk for
reading difficulties became average or above average readers after receiving help in the
early grades. Parents are most often the first to notice that "something doesn't seem right."
If you are aware of the common signs of learning disabilities, you will be able to recognize
potential problems early. The following is a checklist of characteristics that may point to
a Learning Disability. Most people will, from time to time, see one or more of these
warning signs in their children. This is normal. If, however, you see several of these
characteristics over a long period of time, consider the possibility of a learning disability.
PRESCHOOL
- Speaks later than most children
- Pronunciation problems
- Slow vocabulary growth, often unable to find the right word
- Lack of interest in story telling
- Difficulty rhyming words
- Trouble learning numbers, alphabet, days of the week, colors, shapes
- Poor memory for routines
- Extremely restless and easily distracted
- Difficulty sitting still
- Lack of persistence at tasks
- Trouble interacting with peers
- Difficulty following directions or routines
- Fine motor skills slow to develop
- Trouble learning self-help skills (tying shoelaces)
- Clumsiness
- Reluctance to draw or trace
- Trouble learning left from right
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GRADES K-4
- Slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds
- Confuses basic words (run eat, want, was)
- Makes consistent reading and spelling errors including letter reversals (b/d),
inversions(m/w), transpositions(felt/left) and substitutions(house/home)
- Transposes number sequences and confuses arithmetic signs
- Trouble following directions
- Slow to remember number facts
- Slow to learn new skills, relies heavily on memorization
- Impulsive, difficulty planning
- Careless errors
- Distractibility
- Organizational problems
- Unstable pencil grip
- Trouble with letter formation
- Trouble learning about time and other math concepts
- Poor coordination, unaware of physical surroundings, prone to accidents
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GRADES 5-8
- Reverses letter sequences (soiled/solid, left/felt)
- Slow to learn prefixes, suffixes, root words, and other spelling strategies
- Avoids reading aloud
- Poor reading comprehension
- Lack of verbal participation in class.
- Trouble with word problems
- Difficulty with handwriting
- Awkward, fist-like or tight pencil grip
- Avoids writing compositions
- Slow or poor recall of number facts
- Failure of automatic memory
- Inconsistency
- Poor self-monitoring
- Poor ability to discern relevant detail
- Poor learning strategies
- Disorganization in time or space
- Peer rejection
- Difficulty making and keeping friends
- Trouble understanding body language and facial expressions
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HIGH SCHOOL AND ADULTHOOD
- Continues to spell incorrectly, frequently spells the same word differently in a single
piece of writing
- Avoids reading and writing tasks
- Trouble summarizing
- Trouble with open-ended questions on tests
- Weak grasp of information
- Foreign language problems
- Poor written expression
- Mental fatigue
- Weak memory skills
- Difficulty adjusting to new settings
- Works slowly
- Poor grasp of abstract concepts
- Either pays too little attention to details or focuses on them too much
- Misreads information
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WHAT TO DO NEXT - 10 STEPS PARENTS TO TAKE
1. Know your child's strengths
Children with learning disabilities are often highly intelligent, possess leadership skills, or
are superior in music, arts, sports, or other creative areas. Rather than focusing solely on
your child's deficiencies, emphasize and reward your child's strengths. Encourage your
child in areas of interest outside the classroom.
2. Collect information about your child's performance
Meet with your child's teachers, tutors and school support personnel to understand
performance levels and attitude toward school. Observe your child's ability to study,
complete homework, and finish tasks that you assign at home.
3. Have your child evaluated
Ask school authorities to provide a comprehensive educational evaluation including
assessment tests. Tests for learning disabilities are referred to as assessment tests
because they evaluate and measure areas of strength and weakness. A comprehensive
evaluation, however, includes a variety of procedures in addition to the assessment tests,
such as interviews, direct observation, reviews of your child's educational and medical
history and conferences with professionals who work with your child. Either you or the
school can request this evaluation, but it is given only with your written permission. Since
you are one of the best observers of your child's development, it is important that you be
an active participant in the evaluation process. If you don't understand the test results, ask
questions!
4. Work as a team to help your child
If the evaluation shows that your child has a learning disability, your child is eligible for
special education services. If eligible, you will work with a team of professionals, including
your child's teacher to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is a
written document summarizing your child's current educational performance; annual goals
and short term objectives; nature and projected duration of your child's special services;
and methods for evaluating progress. For students 14 years and older, an IEP must
include a transition plan to move the student into the "real world."
5. Talk to your child about learning disabilities
Children with learning disabilities must be assured that they are not dumb or lazy. They
are intelligent people who have trouble learning because their minds process words or
information differently. It is important to be honest and optimistic - explain to your child that
they struggle with learning, but that they can learn. Focus on your child's talents and
strengths.
6. Ask for classroom accommodations
Teachers can change classroom routines to help children with learning disabilities. Meet
with your child's teacher about these possibilities: reading written information aloud,
allowing extra time on tests, taping lessons, and using technology.
7. Monitor your child's progress
Watch your child's progress to be sure that your child's needs are being met. Keep your
child's education folder up to date, adding new sam0ples of schoolwork and test results.
If your child is not making progress, discuss your observations with school personnel and
work together to make changes.
8. Know your legal rights
Learn about your special education rights and responsibilities by requesting s summary of
legal rights in your native language form your child's school. The Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says that your child has the right to a "free and
appropriate public education."
9. Organize information about your child
- Start a folder of all letters and materials related to your child's education
- Add copies of school files and names and dates of all tests and results, including
medical exams and information from other professionals
- Collect samples of schoolwork that demonstrate your child's difficulties as well as
strengths
- Keep a contact log of discussions with professionals
- Keep a log of your own observations
10. Work with your child at home
Parents are a child's first and best teachers. Show your child that reading can be fun.
Read to your child every day. Visit the library frequently. Point out words on billboards and
traffic signs as you drive, on food labels at the grocery store, on packages, mail and letters.
Play word games. Set an example by giving your child a chance to see you reading and
writing at home. Show an interest in your child's homework. Inquire about the subjects
and the work to be done. Ask questions that require answers longer that one or two words.
Help your child organize homework materials before beginning. Establish a regular time
with your child to do homework. Find a specific place for your child to do homework that
has logs of light, quiet, and plenty of work space. Encourage your child to ask questions
and search for answers, taking the time to figure out correct answers. Make sure your
child backs up answers with facts and evidence. Practice school taught skills at home.
Relate homework to your child's everyday life. Praise your child for both the small steps
and the big leaps in the right direction.
PARENT STRATEGIES
ATTENTION
The following activities may help easily distracted children learn to focus their attention.
- Set a timer for five or ten minutes and ask your child to "fasten his seat belt." Until
the bell rings, he must sit and focus his attention on playing a game or reading a
story. The time limit can be gradually increased as his attention span improves.
- Play, Concentration (a card game that relies on visual memory) or Simon(the
electronic sound and lights game) to stretch visual attention.
- To improve auditory memory, read your child a story and ask him to clap when he
hears a certain word or the name of a given character.
- When giving your child instructions, sit or stand near by. Ask the teacher to seat
your child up front so that he can see and hear what's going on more clearly.
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ORGANIZATION
To reduce confusion and keep your child's day on something of a steady course, parents
can do the following.
- Keep a special box for boots, gloves and school supplies near the front door. This
will reduce off-to-school hassles and give the child a more orderly start to the day.
- If your child is constantly forgetting books, consider buying or borrowing extra
copies of textbooks to keep at home.
- Post your child's appointments and long term school assignments on a special
bulletin board. For daily assignments, ask the teacher to write them herself in a
notebook that you can check when the child gets home.
- Store your child's clothes, toys and other belongings on open shelves rather than
in closets or cabinets. He'll make more of an effort to keep things in order if he can't
close a door and forget the mess.
- Set a good example. Even if it is hard for you, as a parent, make an effort to be on
time, to keep a calendar, to maintain a shopping list and so on, so your child can
learn by imitation.
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MEMORY
There are several kinds of memory deficits. The following activities may help with auditory
and visual memory problems.
- The "trip" game is a means to enhance auditory memory. You start off by saying,
"I'm going on a trip and I'm going to take..." Then you name an item that you
would take. The child repeats your sentence, then adds another item. Keep taking
turns until one of you loses track. Then start over.
- Ask your child to name as many colors(fruits, toys, car names, etc.) As she can in
30 seconds.
- If your child has good visual memory but poor retention of what you tell him, try to
make concepts concrete. Assemble 25 pennies and place them beside a quarter.
- If memorizing facts is a problem, give your child extra drills. Mnemonic devices may
help.
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HANDWRITING
There are several reasons for handwriting problems - poor eye-hand coordination,
perceptual deficits, physical clumsiness or a combination of these difficulties. Whatever
the source, bad handwriting can have a devastating effect on school performance. The
following activities may help your child with his handwriting difficulties.
- Give your child thick pencils and wide-ruled paper. These make the physical task
of writing easier.
- Let your child practice anyway he finds enjoyable. Some children like to write with
a stick in the dirt or write with a finder in shaving cream. Any kind of practice is
good and should be encouraged.
- Once the teacher is aware of the problem, school assignments can be modified so
the child isn't penalized for his writing difficulties.
- Teach your child to use a typewriter or a computer to complete written assignments.
- Some teachers are even willing to let kids take tests orally and dictate their
assignments into a tape recorder.
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SPELLING
The following procedures may help your child deal with the spelling problems he
encounters.
- Typewriter and computer programs with built-in "spell checkers" are a help to
children and adults with spelling problems.
- Spelling deficits shouldn't be permitted to damage your child's performance in other
academic areas.
- Don't ask your child to look up words he can't spell. If he can't spell the word, he
probably can't find it in the dictionary. It's better to tell him the correct spelling, or
write it down and let him practice it.
- For many children, spelling problems are the result of handwriting difficulties. The
physical act of writing is so demanding that they forget to include letters, or they
write them so badly, no one can read them. Let your child try spelling with magnetic
letters or Scrabble tiles.
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MATHEMATICS
For many children, math is simply a foreign language. They have no number sense or
grasp of the abstract concepts. The following activities may help with these difficulties.
- Teach your child how to use a calculator. This will help him learn and keep him
from being hindered by his disability.
- Give him practical experience with numbers. Focus on "survival" skills: telling time,
counting money. Play store or take him shopping and let him make purchases.
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SOCIALIZATION
Social rejection is often a problem for learning disabled children. They have trouble
interpreting other people's body language and facial expressions, so they can't tell when
their classmates are angry or kidding, playing or serious. As a result they often give
inappropriate responses that irritate their peers.
- Encourage your child to spend time with peers in controlled situations such as
scouting and camps that stress cooperation, not competition.
- Arrange social situations for your youngster. Observe your child with others. Later,
use role-playing to teach your child correct behaviors.
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CLASSROOM STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING COMPREHENSION
1. Make sure that the student's vision has recently been checked.
2. Make certain the student is reading material on his/her level. If not, modify or adjust the
reading material to the student's ability level.
3. Make sure the reader knows the purpose for the reading. If they are reading for
enjoyment only, they will read differently than if they are being asked to look for specific
information.
4. When the student has comprehension questions to answer, have them look over the
questions before they begin to read so that they will be prepared when they come to that
information. Have them keep the questions and a pencil next to them as they read, so that
they can write down the answer or the page on which it can be found.
5. Teach the student to use context clues to identify the meaning of words and phrases not
known.
6. Prerecord the student's reading material and have him/her listen to the recording while
simultaneously reading the material.
7. Have the student read ahead on a subject to be discussed in class so that he/she is
familiar with the new vocabulary and concepts that will be used during instructional time.
8. Outline reading material for the student using words and phrases on his/her reading
level.
9. Arrange a peer who demonstrates good comprehension skills to read with the student
and help him/her with the meanings of words not understood, comprehension strategies
and ways to locate answers to comprehension questions.
10. Have the student take notes while reading in order to increase comprehension.
11. Teach the student to draw from personal learning experiences to enhance
comprehension of reading material. Provide a variety of learning experiences at school in
order to expand the student's background of knowledge.
12. Maintain mobility in the classroom in order to frequently be near the student to provide
reading assistance.
13. Have the student verbally paraphrase material just read.
14. Teach the student to identify main points in materials read.
15. Underline or highlight important points before the student reads the material silently.
16. Have the student outline, underline or highlight important points in reading material.
17. Have the student read progressively longer segments of reading material in order to
build comprehension skills.
18. Reduce the emphasis on competition. Competitive activities may make it difficult for
the student to comprehend what he/she reads.
19. Use a sight vocabulary approach in order to teach the student key words and phrases
when reading directions and instructions.
20. Have the student list new or difficult words in categories.
21. Have the student maintain a vocabulary notebook with definitions of words whose
meaning are not known.
22. When the student encounters a new word or one whose meaning is not understood,
have the student practice making up sentences in which the word can be used in correct
context.
23. Make certain the student learns dictionary skills in order to find the meanings of words
independently.
24. Introduce new words and their meanings to the student before reading new material.
25. Make certain the student learns the meanings of all commonly used prefixes and
suffixes.
26. Write notes and letters to the student to provide reading material which he/she will want
to read for comprehension.
27. Give the student time to read a selection more than once, emphasizing accuracy not
speed.
28. Determine whether or not the student can make inferences, predictions, determine
cause-effect, etc., in every day experiences. Teach these skills in contexts that are
meaningful to the student in order to enhance the ability to employ these concepts when
reading.
29. Have the student prepare "test" questions based on information that has been read in
order to enhance the ability to focus on key elements of the reading material.
30. Include frequent written assignments on topics which are of interest to the student in
order to reinforce the correlation between writing and reading ability.
31. Avoid subjecting the student to uncomfortable reading situations(e.g. reading aloud in
a group, reading with time limits, etc.).
32. Stop the student at various points throughout a reading selection to check for
comprehension.
33. Reduce the amount of information on a page if it is causing visual distractions for the
student(e.g. less print to read, fewer pictures, etc.).
34. Highlight or underline important information the student should pay close attention to
when reading.
35. Make it pleasant and positive for the student to ask questions about things not
understood.
36. Have the student use a highlighter pen to highlight the facts requested by the teacher.
37. Have the student listen and take notes when concepts are being presented using the
"What, How, Where, When and Why" outline form included.
38. Have students map reading materials using the outline form included.
CLASSROOM STRATEGIES FOR SOLVING MATH PROBLEMS
1. Make sure that the student's inability to read is not the case of his/her difficulty in solving
math word problems.
2. Have the student read the math word problem first silently, then aloud and identify the
mathematical operation required.
3. Provide word problems that require a one-step process, making certain that the
sentences are short and concise.
4. Teach the student to look for "clue" or "key" words in word problems that indicate the
mathematical operations.
5. Have the student orally analyze the steps that are required to solve word problems (e.g.,
"What is given?" "What is asked?" "What operation(s) is used?" etc.).
6. Represent the numerical amounts, in concrete forms.
7. Have the student write a number sentence after reading a math word problem.
8. Have the student create word problems for number sentences.
9. Have the student restate math word problems in his/her own words.
10. Ask the student to identify the primary question that must be answered to solve a given
word problem. Continue this activity using more difficult word problems containing two or
more questions. Make sure the student understands that questions are often implied rather
than directly asked.
11. Have the student make up word problems. Other students in the classroom would then
solve these problems.
12. Supplement textbook problems with teacher-made problems. These problems can
deal with classroom experiences. Include students' names in the word problems to make
them more realistic and meaningful to the student.
13. Use word problems that are of interest to the student and related to his/her
experiences.
14. Make certain the student reads through the entire word problem before attempting to
solve it.
15. Teach the student to break down each math word problem into specific steps.
16. Have the student solve math word problems by manipulating objects.
17. Help the student recognize common patterns in math word problems.
18. Discuss and provide the student with a list of words/phrases which usually indicates
an addition operation - together, altogether, sum, in all, both, gained, received, total, won,
saved, etc.
19. Discuss words/phrases which usually indicate a subtraction operation - difference,
between, from, left, how many (more, less), how much (taller, farther, heavier), withdrawal,
spend, lost, remain, more, etc.
20. Discuss words/phrases which usually indicate a multiplication operation - area, each,
times, product, triple, twice, etc.
21. Discuss words/phrases that usually indicate a division operation - into, share, each,
average, monthly, daily, weekly, yearly, half as many, quotient,etc.
22. Teach the student to convert words into their numerical equivalents to solve word
problems - two weeks = 14 days, one year = 12 months, one quarter = 25 pennies, etc.
23. Teach the student relevant vocabulary often found in math word problems - dozen,
amount, triple, twice, etc.
24. Allow the student to use a calculator when solving problems.
25. Require the student to read math word problems at least twice before beginning to
solve the problem.
26. Before introducing complete word problems present the student with phrases to be
translated into numbers - six less than ten equals, 10 - 6 =,etc.
27. Assign a peer to act as a model for the student and to demonstrate for the student how
to solve math word problems.
28. Reduce the number of problems assigned to the student at one time.
29. Demonstrate for the student how to solve math word problems by reading the problem
and then solving the problem on paper step-by-step.
30. Correlate word problems with computation procedures just learned in the classroom.
31. Teach the student the meaning of mathematical terms - sum, dividend, quotient,
product, etc.
32. Highlight or underline key words in math problems.
33. Provide the student with a checklist to follow in solving math word problems: what
information is given, what question is asked, what operation (s) is used.
34. Make sure the student has a number line on his/her desk to use as a reference.
35. Develop a math reference sheet for the student to keep at his/her desk outlining the
steps used in various processes.
36. Have the student check his/her word problems using a calculator.
37. Recognize quality work - display it and congratulate the student for their
accomplishments.
38. Make certain the student is not required to learn more information than he/she is
capable of at any one time.
39. Have the student act as a peer tutor to teach a peer a math concept that the student
has mastered. This can serve as reinforcement for the student.
40. Provide practice in solving math word problems by using a computer software program
that gives the student immediate feedback.
41. Make certain the student has mastery of math concepts at each level before
introducing a new skill level.
42. Have the student manipulate objects - apples, oranges, toys, cars, etc. as the teacher
describes the operation.
43. Reinforce the student for solving math word problems correctly.
44. When writing math problems, have the student use graph paper to keep the numbers
lined up in straight columns so that one number is in one box.
45. Have the student turn lined notebook paper to the side, so that they can line up their
numbers in the proper columns.
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