Learning Differences Overview
Learning Differences Overview
1 in 5 people in the United States have learning differences
That is about 11 million students or 25 million adults
Learning differences may or may not be obvious
Learning differences can impact someone's ability to read, write, speak, or complete tasks.
Dyslexia: Difficulty reading or figuring out (decoding) new words.
Can impact reading speed, learning new information, how you speak, and spelling words.
How dyslexia can impact people in real life: Filling out forms, reading in class, reading from a menu, understanding road signs, spelling your name
Dyscalculia: Difficulty with understanding and working with numbers.
Can impact someone's ability to organize numbers or understand things like math facts.
How dyscalculia can impact people in real life: Difficulty completing math problems, memorizing phone numbers, adding up totals in your head when shopping, reading a clock, recipe measurements
Dysgraphia: Difficulty writing letters or words, spacing words, or making your writing easy to read (legible).
Can impact the ability of others to read your writing or for you to understand your own writing.
How dysgraphia can impact people in real life: Teachers or others cannot understand what you write, you cannot understand what you wrote, difficulty filling out forms or completing homework
Auditory Processing or Language Processing Disorder: Difficulty understanding sounds or words and what they mean.
Can impact the ability for the brain to understand (process) sounds or words
How APD can impact people in real life: Difficulty listening to and understanding directions, difficulty listening in loud places, difficulty copying sounds
Non-Verbal Learning Differences: Difficulty understand patterns, social situations (cues), or planning tasks
Can impact the ability to predict behavior or how to respond socially.
How NVLD can impact people in real life: Difficulty making or keeping friends, accidentally making others upset by saying the wrong thing, difficulty planning your day or understanding what you should do next
Visual Motor Deficit: Difficulty with copying what you see, understanding differences in shapes, or using your hands with tasks like writing and cutting.
Can impact the ability to write or hold a pencil
How Visual Motor Deficit can impact people in real life: Difficulty tracing shapes or words (learning to write), drawing, cutting out things, understanding signs