What is a learning disability?
A learning disability 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.
How can one tell if a person has a learning disability?
Learning disabilities can affect a person's ability in the areas of:
* listening
* speaking
* reading
* writing
* math
Other features of learning disibiities are:
* a distinct gap between the level of achievement that is expected and what is actually being achieved.
* difficulties that can become apparent in different ways with different people.
* difficulties that manifest themselves differently throughout development.
* difficuties getting along with peers and making appropriate social and behavior choices.
A LEARNING DISABIITY IS NOT A DISEASE, so there is not a cure, but there are ways to overcome the challenges it poses through identification and accommodation.
Are learning disabilities common?
Currently almost 2.9 million school-aged children in the US are classified as having specific learning disabiities and receive some kind of special education support. They are approximately 5% of all school-aged children in public schools.
What can be done about a learning disability?
Although there is no cure for learnig disabiities, children can be taught to compensate for their weaknesses through their areas of strength. Those children that are identified early can succeed both academically and socially. Here at Grandview children that receive Resource Rom services work in small groups based on their individual needs.