Reference
- Learning DisabilitiesThe existence of learning disabilities has been documented for approximately 200 years. The origins of what are currently called learning disabilities began with early attempts to match functioning within certain areas of the brain to human behavior. Early physicians noticed that patients with certain types of brain injury experienced specific types of behavioral problems. Most relevant to learning disabilities were patients with injuries to the left hemispheres of their brains, who in many cases experienced problems such as slow, laborious speech and the inability to name objects or persons. In the late 1800s, a more specific set of cases was identified in which persons' ability to speak and write remained intact, but their ability to comprehend spoken or written words was impaired. These conditions were termed word deafness and word blindness.
From these studies, during the early 20th century, physicians began to notice children and adults who experienced what was at the time considered to be defects in their ability to recognize words and letters, despite no obvious brain damage or injury. The inference was made that perhaps these individuals suffered from some sort of neurological disorder that mimicked the effects of people with brain damage. Moreover, a number of cases appeared to run in families, providing further evidence for a possible physical cause. The medical diagnosis for this condition was congenital word blindness.
Beginning around 1920, and building on this early work in medicine and neurology, a group of American pioneers including Samuel Orton, Grace Fernald, Marion Monroe, and Samuel Kirk began landmark work on understanding reading disabilities. While still clearly linked to foundations in medicine, reading disabilities were attacked by these researchers and clinicians as much from an educational perspective as from a clinical one. Indeed, some of these pioneer's names have become synonymous with specific approaches to educational treatment for students with learning disabilities. For example, the Orton-Gillingham approach to treatment is a phonics-based, multisensory approach to instruction that uses the kinesthetic, auditory, and visual modalities for teaching decoding and spelling...
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Credo Reference is an easy-to-use tool for starting research. Gather background information on your topic from hundreds of full-text encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri, quotations, and subject-specific titles, as well as 500,000+ images and audio files and over 1,000 videos.
Perspectives
Helping Your Child with Language-Based Learning Disabilities
Based in cutting-edge research in neuroscience, education, and the principles of attachment-based teaching, this important guide for parents offers tools and practices to help children transcend language-based learning difficulties, do better in school, and gain self-confidence and self-esteem. If your child has a language-based learning difficulty--such as dyscalculia, dyslexia, and auditory processing disorder--they may have to work twice as hard to keep up with their peers in school. Your child may also have feelings of frustration, anger, sadness, or shame as a result of their learning differences. As a parent, it hurts to see your child struggle. But the good news is that there are proven-effective strategies you can learn to help your child be their best. This book will show you how. Helping Your Child with Language-Based Learning Disabilities outlines an attachment-based approach to help your child succeed based in the latest research. This research indicates that a secure attachment relationship between you and your child actually optimizes their learning ability by enhancing motivation, regulating anxiety, and triggering neuroplasticity. In this book, you'll discover why it's so important to accurately assess your child, find new perspectives on LBLDs based on the most current studies, and discover tips and strategies for navigating school, home life, and your child's future. Most importantly, you'll learn how your own special bond with your child can help spark their interest in reading, writing, and math. Every child is unique--and every child learns in his or her own way. With this groundbreaking guide, you'll be able to help your child thrive, in school and life.
The Six Success Factors for Children with Learning Disabilities
Research-based, classroom-tested Teaches children skills for long-term success Fosters social skills, proactivity, perseverance, and more The 6 Success Factors for Children with Learning Disabilities Ready-to-Use Activities to Help Kids with Learning Disabilities Succeed in School and in Life From the acclaimed Frostig Center comes a valuable resource for teachers and parents of children with learning disabilities. Based on a 20-year study, Frostig research has revealed six attributes that lead to long-term success for individuals with LD. This book helps teachers identify and encourage the growth of characteristics that will help students thrive in the classroom, at home, and in social situations. The book offers an array of classroom-tested,engaging activities--complete with reproducible worksheets--that have been proven to foster the "success attributes" in children. The six attributes identified by the Frostig Center are: Self-awareness Proactivity Perseverance Goal setting Use of social support systems Emotional coping strategies Each of the book's activities contains a lesson plan with goals, materials, and procedures, including teaching instructions and reproducible student worksheets. The book is designed to be both flexible and easy-to-use. All activities can be modified to accommodate a variety of learners. Praise for The 6 Success Factors for Children with Learning Disabilities "Provides educators, parents, and other caregivers with pragmatic and measurable strategies to foster maturity and independence...The activities demonstrate that success is not amorphous and unattainable--rather, it can be achieved by adopting an established set of behaviors, attitudes, and characteristics. [This book] will be enormously useful as you prepare your students for their journey to adulthood." --From the foreword by Richard D. Lavoie, bestselling author, It's So Much Work to be Your Friend and The Motivation Breakthrough
Handbook of Learning Disabilities, Second Edition
Widely regarded as the standard reference in the field, this comprehensive handbook presents state-of-the-art knowledge about the nature and classification of learning disabilities (LD), their causes, and how individuals with these difficulties can be identified and helped to succeed. Best practices are described for supporting student performance in language arts, math, and other content areas. Contributors also identify general principles of effective instruction and review issues in service delivery within response-to-intervention (RTI) frameworks. The book critically examines the concepts and methods that guide LD research and highlights important directions for future investigation. New to This Edition: *Incorporates key advances in identifying and remediating LD, with particular attention to the role of RTI. *Chapters on social cognitive, behavioral genetic, and neurobiological aspects. *Chapters on adolescents and adults with LD. *Chapters on spelling instruction, history instruction, and classroom technology applications. *Chapter synthesizing 21st-century advances in LD research methods, plus chapters on advanced statistical models, single-case designs, and meta-analysis.
Writing Assessment and Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities
A hands-on guide for anyone who teaches writing to students with learning disabilities This valuable resource helps teachers who want to sharpen their skills in analyzing and teaching writing to students with learning disabilities. The classroom-tested, research-proven strategies offered in this book work with all struggling students who have difficulties with writing-even those who have not been classified as learning disabled. The book offers a review of basic skills-spelling, punctuation, and capitalization-and includes instructional strategies to help children who struggle with these basics. The authors provide numerous approaches for enhancing student performance in written expression. They explore the most common reasons students are reluctant to write and offer helpful suggestions for motivating them. Includes a much-needed guide for teaching and assessing writing skills with children with learning disabilities Contains strategies for working with all students that struggle with writing Offers classroom-tested strategies, helpful information, 100+ writing samples with guidelines for analysis, and handy progress-monitoring charts Includes ideas for motivating reluctant writers Mather is an expert in the field of learning disabilities and is the best-selling author of Essentials of Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Assessment
Learning Disabilities
A learning disability (LD) is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store and respond to information. The term learning disability is used to describe the seeming unexplained difficulty a person of at least average intelligence has in acquiring basic academic skills. These skills are essential for success at school and work and for coping with life in general. LD is not a single disorder. It is a term that refers to a group of disorders. LD is a disorder that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear to link information from different parts of the brain. These limitations can show up in many ways: as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, co-ordination, self control or attention. Typical learning difficulties include dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia -- often complicated by associated disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This book brings together leading research in the field.
Learning Disabilities
Exclusively written for teenagers and young adults dealing with a wide variety of learning disabilities--including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyscalculia, and dyslexia--this accessible resource offers the tools for taking a proactive role in identifying, understanding and overcoming the obstacles facing teens with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities provides a clear and informative overview of the most common disabilities. Appealing to teenagers with its easy-to-read format and positive tips for success, the book also teaches students how to advocate for themselves, informing them of their rights under law both during the school years and after high school graduation. Assistive technology that can help students improve their learning abilities such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR) systems, screen reading software, books on tape, electronic notebooks, and other tools that aid student learning are covered. The most recent research on brain structure and function, and the role they play in learning disabilities is presented, as well as a step-by-step guide to test reports, so that teens can understand how their disabilities are diagnosed. Gathering information from students, high school guidance counselors, and from medical and other professionals, authors Paquette and Tuttle also show teens they are not alone in their struggles, profiling famous people that also have learning disabilities.
2e: Twice Exceptional Gifted Children With Learning Disabilities
- Kanopy This link opens in a new window
2e: Twice Exceptional examines the concept of "twice exceptionality" - gifted or highly gifted children with learning disabilities and/or differences. Some have trouble interpreting social cues and processing visual and auditory information. Others have difficulty with time management and organization; they may finish their homework but routinely forget to turn it in. Some have been labeled as "underachievers" and "lazy", accused of just not trying hard enough.
Yet they can retain huge volumes of arcane information in subjects that interest them, solve complex mathematical problems or master an unfamiliar musical instrument with ease. They have vexed their parents and are often considered "at risk" by traditional school systems. They are our next-gen geniuses, mavericks and dreamers - Malcolm Gladwell's budding "outliers."
Websites
- Learning Disabilities-National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentLearning disabilities are differences in a person’s brain that can affect how well they read, write, speak, do math, and handle other similar tasks. Different groups may define “learning disability” differently, often depending on the focus of the organization.
- Learning Disabilities Association of AmericaSince 1964, LDA has provided support to people with learning disabilities, their parents, teachers and other professionals with cutting edge information on learning disabilities, practical solutions, and a comprehensive network of resources. These services make LDA the leading resource for information on learning disabilities.
- Learning Disabilities Information Page-National Institute of Neurological Disorders and StrokeLearning disabilities are disorders that affect the ability to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical calculations, coordinate movements, or direct attention. Although learning disabilities occur in very young children, the disorders are usually not recognized until the child reaches school age. Research shows that 8 to 10 percent of American children under 18 years of age have some type of learning disability.
- Learning Disorders in Children-CDCMany children may struggle in school with some topics or skills from time to time. When children try hard and still struggle with a specific set of skills over time, it could be a sign of a learning disorder. Having a learning disorder means that a child has difficulty in one or more areas of learning, even when overall intelligence or motivation is not affected.
How Difficult Can This Be?
- Kanopy This link opens in a new windowThis unique program lets viewers experience the frustration, anxiety, and tension faced by children with learning disabilities. Workshop facilitator Richard Lavoie presents a series of striking simulations emulating daily experience of LD children. Teachers, social workers, and parents, workshop participants, reflect upon how the workshop changed their approach to LD children. Includes discussion of mainstreaming discipline and self-concept.
Databases
- Education Source This link opens in a new window
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Education Source provides scholarly research and information to meet the needs of education students, professionals, and policymakers. You will find full-text coverage of more than 2,000 journals, indexing for 3,600 journals, and 500 books, as well as conference papers and monographs.
- ERIC This link opens in a new window
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The Education Resource Information Center (ERIC) is the world's largest digital library of education literature. The database contains more than 1,194,000 records and links to more than 100,000 full-text documents from ERIC.
- PsycARTICLES This link opens in a new window
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PsycARTICLES provides full-text, peer-reviewed scholarly and scientific articles in psychology.
- PsycINFO This link opens in a new window
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PsycINFO includes citations from all psychology and related disciplines. Ninety-nine percent of the covered material is peer-reviewed. You will find abstracts of scholarly journal articles, book chapters, books, and dissertations in behavioral science and mental health.
- PsycTESTS This link opens in a new window
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Professionally indexed, the PsycTESTS® database is an extensive collection of items associated with psychological measures, scales, surveys, and other instruments essential to the research needs of professionals, students, and educators across the behavioral and social sciences.
- Social Work Abstracts This link opens in a new window
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Social Work Abstracts provides indexing and abstracts dealing with all aspects of the social work field. You will find extensive coverage of social work and human services journals dating back to 1965.
- SocIndex + Fulltext This link opens in a new window
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SocINDEX with Full Text offers comprehensive coverage of sociology, anthropology, education and social work. Included are journal articles, monographs and conference papers.
It's So Much Work to Be Your Friend Helping the Learning Disabled Child Find Social Success
- Kanopy This link opens in a new windowDrawing on three decades of experience in residential schools, Rick Lavoie provides powerful strategies for teaching friendship skills in the classroom, the homefront, and the community. First, you'll explore the causes and consequences of "social incompetence." Then, you'll gain field-tested advice on how to help children work through daily social struggles and go from being picked on and isolated to becoming accepted and involved.