A Guide to 7 Types of Learning Disabilities

b A Guide To Developmental Hereditary/Genetic THE 7 TYPES OF LEARNING DISABILITIES Damage to the brain (aphasia)/Other trauma As Defined by the Learning Disabilities Association of America Dyscalculia 5 to 10% of the population Dyslexia 5 to 10% Dysgraphia 5 to 20% (also known as number dyslexia) of the population of children 4+1=5 4+ = 2 Aa Bb =2+3-6 P=5-8 Dd 8-2=6 9-3+2=8 Ee Ff Gq, (23 Affects a person's ability to read, spell, and write. They often read slowly and make mistakes. Dyslexia does not mean a lack of intelligence. Many people thrive with it, including actors, elected officials, and entrepreneurs. It is NOT a problem with reading letters backward or changing the order. That is a myth. May struggle with: Affects a person's ability to comprehend numbers and memorize math facts. Affects a person's ability to write effectively. Impacts handwriting, typing, and spelling. Rooted in difficulty with memorizing and automatically retrieving letters and numbers. It is common and often overlooked. You probably know someone who has it. Even some scientists, engineers, and mathematicians have it! May struggle with: • Seeing how numbers fit and associate together • Counting • Recalling math facts like 2 + 4 = 6 • Memorizing symbols like + and - • Reading a clock • Understanding concepts like "greater than" and "less than" • Working with money • Telling left from right May struggle with: • Forming letters • Writing with proper grammar • Spacing letters correctly Writing in a straight line • Holding and using a writing instrument effectively • Messy handwriting • Often associated with motor skill struggles Sounding out written words Spelling • Reading comprehension • Word recognition, even with common words • Learning a foreign language • Solving mathematical word problems • May struggle with phonemic and phonological awareness, which is the ability to hear, identify, and change the sound structure of a spoken word (for example, picking out words that rhyme counting syllables) of Auditory Processing 5% polge 15% of military Language Processing Disorder (LPD) Nonverbal Learning 3-4% 5% children Disorder (APD) Disorder (NLVD) of the population of children veterans due to blast еxposure Affects a person's ability to understand what words or sounds mean. They hear the sounds but have trouble making sense of them. Not related to hearing or intelligence. Subset of auditory processing disorder. The Learning Disabilities Association of America states: "There is difficulty attaching meaning to sound groups that form words, sentences, and stories." Two types: expressive and receptive Affects a person's ability to decode nonverbal behaviors and social cues. May also cause difficulty with motor and visual-spatial skills. May excel academically but struggle in social/emotional aspects May be caused by brain injuries, premature birth, or illness May struggle with: • Expressive: expressing thoughts and feelings • Receptive: understanding what people are saying or following conversation • May be a late talker as a child • May appear spacey or "shy" • Limited vocabulary • Verb tense confusion • Words get stuck "on the tip of their tongue" • Comprehending jokes Inappropriate answers due to lack of understanding the question • Nonsensical sentences May struggle with: • Understanding body language • Understanding facial expressions • Understanding tone of voice • Often well-spoken and can write well but struggle with subtle social cues • Abstract concepts comprehension • Early speech and language (talks like a "grown-up" from a young age) • Poor coordination, may be "clumsy" • Extremely literal; struggles with innuendo, sarcasm, and other nuances • Anxiety and difficulty coping with change May struggle with: • Noticing, comparing, and differentiating separate sounds (such as cat and bat) • Focusing on specific and important Sounds in noisy settings • Recalling auditory memories, even in the middle of a conversation • Understanding and remembering the proper order of sounds and words • Following directions with multiple steps • Slow to respond in conversation Note: The Learning Disabilities Association of America and other mental health practitioners consider these seven disorders as specific learning disabilities. It is recognized that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are related disorders that affect learning, but they are not specific learning disorders. Coexisting disorders and conditions are extremely common for those with ADHD and ASD. Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit May struggle with: • Lose their place in reading and math • Using pencils, crayons, scissors A 46+ o∞ of • Fine motor activities • Unusual eye activity when reading or completing assignments • Lack of coordination • Letter discrimination (confusing "n" and "u") Affects a person's hand-eye coordination, which influences using tools, keeping track of words while reading, and navigating surroundings. • Writing in a straight line • Remembering what they have seen • Recognizing parts of objects, like part Playground Eqúipment of a car or chair Sources: Idaamerica.org/disabilities | www.understood.org | www.waldenu.edu