UNIT 5 LEARNERS WITH SPECIFIC LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
Key Unit Competence: Describe the characteristics of learners with
Learning Difficulties and use appropriate
methods to teach them
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
Uwera had a very successful nursery and primary school experience until
primary three. In primary three things got a bit more difficult. Lack of
organization and her lack of ability to do written work began to destroy
her confidence and academic success. She was always the last in the class.
She had difficulties in mathematics and reading. She was unable to read
a text that a learner in primary two could read so easily. She was afraid of
mathematics and could hardly do a simple mathematical exercise. She never
brought assignments home, frequently did the wrong homework if she did
it at all and forgot to turn in completed homework. Her text books and note
books were all in a mess and her desk was always a muddle. Uwera was
however a sociable girl, beautiful and had very good computer skills, was
good in music and gymnastics. Her class teacher decided to call her parents
over her poor academic performance. Her parents revealed that Uwera was
born prematurely and her mother had complicated delivery. The mother
also revealed that Uwera experienced anoxia immediately after birth. After
her parents visit to the school, the teacher decided to change the way he was
teaching Uwera. He would allow Uwera to use the computer in all academic
assignments since she was good at using a computer. The teacher would
give Uwera remedial teaching after class to make sure she understood the
lesson. The gymnast teacher decided to nurture her talents. SinceUwera was
good at singing the teacher used songs to teach Uwera some mathematical
and reading concepts. Uwera recently represented Rwanda in singing and
dancing competition that took place in the USA. She represented Rwanda in
many other competitions as a gymnast and has received global recognition.
Uwera is an inspiration to many, an example of what a learner can be and do
if teachers are ready to support him/her. May God bless good teachers.
1. Uwera experienced difficulties in some academic areas. In which
areas Uwera had problems?
2. Explain what the teacher did to help Uwera popular/star3. What were the causes of Uwera’s shortcoming in academics?
5.1. Definition of Specific Learning Disabilities
ACTIVITY 5.1
1. You may have noticed that a learner may have difficulties in
reading, spelling but very bright in mathematics. How would you
explain this? What type of special educational needs does the
learner have?
2. How do we call learners who struggle academically, yet are very
smart?
Learners with Learning Disabilities have always been in our classrooms, but
teachers have often failed to identify these pupils and recognise their special
needs. These learners have been called names including” slow learners, hard to
teach, daydreamers, lazy, abaswa” etc.
Learning disabilities are neurologically-based processing problems. These
processing problems can interfere with learning basic skills such as reading,
writing and/or math. They can also interfere with higher level skills such as
organization, time planning, abstract reasoning, long or short-term memory
and attention. It is important to realize that learning disabilities can affect an
individual’s life beyond academics and can impact relationships with family,
friends and at the workplace.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines a specific learning
disability as “a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes
involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may
manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell,
or to do mathematical calculations.”
However, as IDEA’s definition notes, “Specific Learning Disability does not
include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or
motor disabilities; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of
environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.” This clause helps to
distinguish learning disabilities from the other disability categories.
SELF-ASSESSMENT 5.1
1. Explain the term” Specific Learning Disability”
2. Learning Disabilities are neurologically-based processing
problems. These processing problems can interfere with learningbasic skills. Which basic skills may be affected by this condition?
5.2. Types of Learning Disabilities
ACTIVITY 5.2
1. With reference to the definition of learning disabilities, which are
the areas that a learner with learning disabilities may struggle
with?
Learning Disabilities” is an “umbrella” term describing a number of other
specific learning disabilities. These specific learning disabilities include:
Dyslexia
A specific learning disability that affects reading and related language-based
processing skills. The severity can differ in each individual but can affect
reading fluency, decoding, reading comprehension, recall, writing, spelling, and
sometimes speech and can exist along with other related disorders. Dyslexia is
sometimes referred to as a Language-Based Learning Disability.
Dyscalculia
A specific learning disability that
affects a person’s ability to understand
numbers and learn math facts.
Individuals with this type of LD may
also have poor comprehension of
math symbols, may struggle with
memorizing and organizing numbers,
have difficulty telling time, or havetrouble with counting.
Dyspraxia
A disorder that is characterized by difficulty in muscle control, which causes
movement problems and coordination, language and speech, and can affect
learning. Although not a learning disability, dyspraxia often exists along with
dyslexia, dyscalculia or ADHD.
Dysgraphia
A specific learning disability that affects a person’s handwriting ability and fine
motor skills. Problems may include illegible handwriting, inconsistent spacing,
poor spatial planning on paper, poor spelling, and difficulty composing writingas well as thinking and writing at the same time.
Dysphasia, or aphasia
This is a type of speech disorder in which one has an impairment in the ability to
express speech, writing, signs, or has impairment in comprehension of spoken
word or language.
SELF-ASSESSMENT 5.2
1. Explain the various types of learning disabilities.
2. With an example, explain what dyslexia means?
5.3. Causes of Learning Disabilities
ACTIVITY 5.3
1. You now know what learning disabilities mean. What do youthink are the causes of learning disabilities?
Despite intense research activity over the year, pinpointing the precise cause
of learning disabilities has remained an elusive goal. In the varsity majority
of instances, the cause of a person’s learning disability remains unknown.
Just as there are many different types of learning disabilities, there appears
to be multiple etiological possibilities. Investigators suggest four basic
categories to explain the etiology of learning disabilities: Acquired trauma,
genetic/ hereditary influences, biochemical abnormalities and environmental
possibilities.
5.3.1. Acquired trauma
The medical literature uses the term acquired trauma when describing injury
or damage to the Central Nervous System(CNS) that originates from outside
the person and results in learning disorders. Depending on when the damage
occurs the trauma is identified as prenatal (before birth), perinatal (during
birth) or postnatal (after birth) These conditions have been linked to learning
problems in children. One example of an acquired trauma that may manifest
itself pre, peri or postnatal is brain injury, but a number of other factors have
also been implicated as possible causes of learning disabilities.
• Prenatal causes
Smoking
Illicit drugs
Use of alcohol
• Peri natal causes
Prolonged labour and difficult delivery
Anoxia
Prematurity/low birth weight
Trauma caused by medical instruments such as forceps
• Postnatal causes
Strokes
Concussions
Meningitis/ encephalitis
High fever
Head injury resulting from falls or accidents
5.3.2. Genetic Hereditary influences
Are learning disabilities hereditary? Researchers investigating this question
believe that some learning problems are indeed inherited. For example, reading
and spelling deficits are substantially inherited.
5.3.3. Biochemical abnormalities
This refers to the presence of certain chemical substances in our bodies. This
could be due to the inability of the body to metabolize certain vitamins, artificial
colouring and flavours used in some foods.
5.3.4. Environmental possibilities
Environmental factors that may cause SLD include:
• Nutrition: Severe malnutrition at an early age can affect the central
nervous system hence affect the learning and development of the child.
Food additives such as food colourings, flavours and preservatives used
in juices and foods may affect the brain of a developing foetus, hence
resulting into learning disability.
• Health: Diseases such as cerebral malaria, meningitis, mumps,
encephalitis and measles may affect the brain growth and developmentof a learner hence results into learning difficulties after recovery.
SELF-ASSESSMENT 5.3
1. Discuss how environmental factors can trigger learning
disabilities2. What are other causes of learning disabilities?
5.4. Characteristics of learners with Learning Disabilities
ACTIVITY 5.4
1. You now know the categories of learning disabilities, what are
the characteristics of:
• Learners with Dyslexia
• Learners with Dysgraphia
Characteristics of learners with Dyslexia
• Reads slowly and with difficulty
• Experiences decoding errors, especially with the order of letters
• Shows wide disparity between listening comprehension and reading
comprehension of some text
• Has trouble with spelling
• May have difficulty with handwriting
• Exhibits difficulty recalling known words
• Has difficulty with written language
• May experience difficulty with math computations
• Decoding real words is better than nonsense words
• Substitutes one small sight word for another: a, I, he, the, there, was
Characteristics of learners with Dyscalculia
• Shows difficulty understanding concepts of place value, and quantity,
number lines, positive and negative value, carrying and borrowing
• Has difficulty understanding and doing word problems
• Has difficulty sequencing information or events
• Exhibits difficulty using steps involved in math operations
• Shows difficulty understanding fractions
• Is challenged making change and handling money
• Displays difficulty recognizing patterns when adding, subtracting,
multiplying, or dividing
• Has difficulty putting language to math processes
• Has difficulty understanding concepts related to time such as days,
weeks, months, seasons, quarters, etc.
• Exhibits difficulty organizing problems on the page, keeping numbers
lined up, following through on long division problems
Characteristics of learners with Dysgraphia
• May have illegible printing and cursive writing (despite appropriate
time and attention given the task)
• Shows inconsistencies: mixtures of print and cursive, upper and lower
case, or irregular sizes, shapes or slant of letters
• Has unfinished words or letters, omitted words
• Inconsistent spacing between words and letters
• Exhibits strange wrist, body or paper position
• Has difficulty pre-visualizing letter formation
• Copying or writing is slow or laboured
• Shows poor spatial planning on paper
• Has cramped or unusual grip/may complain of sore hand
• Has great difficulty thinking and writing at the same time (taking notes,
creative writing.)
Characteristics of learners with Dyspraxia
• Exhibits poor balance; may appear clumsy; may frequently stumble
• Shows difficulty with motor planning
• Demonstrates inability to coordinate both sides of the body
• Has poor hand-eye coordination
• Exhibits weakness in the ability to organize self and belongings
• Shows possible sensitivity to touch
• May be distressed by loud noises or constant noises like the ticking of
a clock or someone tapping a pencil
• May break things or choose toys that do not require skilled manipulation
• Has difficulty with fine motor tasks such as colouring between the
lines, putting puzzles together; cutting accurately or pasting neatly
• Irritated by scratchy, rough, tight or heavy clothing
Characteristics of learners with Dysphasia, or Aphasia
• Difficulty remembering words
• Difficulty naming objects or people
• Difficulty speaking in complete sentences
• Difficulty speaking in any fashion
• Difficulty reading or writing
• Difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings
• Difficulty understanding spoken language
• Using incorrect or jumbled words
• Using words in the wrong order
SELF-ASSESSMENT 5.4
1. What are the characteristics of learners with the following
conditions?
• Dyspraxia
• Dysphasia, or Aphasia2. What signs or symptoms that a learner with dyslexia may display?
5.5. Teaching and learning approaches for learners with
Learning Disabilities
ACTIVITY 5.5
1. What strategies would you use to support learners who have writing
difficulties?
5.5.1. Teaching and learning approaches for learners with dyslexia
• Provide a quiet area for activities like reading, answering
comprehension questions
• Read aloud to learners regularly
• Mnemonics can help with spelling difficult words the learner always
struggles with (such as Big Elephants Can’t Always Use Small Exits to
remember the spelling of “because”).
• New concepts and vocabulary should be introduced gradually
• Use books with large print and big spaces between lines
• Provide meaningful reading materials such as dictionaries, categorized
list of words
• Dyslectic learners struggle with copying notes from the black board,
provide printed notes or assign someone to help her/ him with note
taking
• Let the child read aloud (oral reading). If the child makes mistakes,
they can be easily identified by the teacher and corrected
• Read as a group (choral reading). Here the children get both auditory
and visual stimulation to correct themselves.
• Use of colours also helps in providing some useful hints to children
who have problems with reading. For example, if the child confuses b
and d, b could be coloured with green and d with red
• Allow the use of a laptop or any other computer for in-class essays
• Use multi-sensory teaching methods
• Teach students to use logic rather than rote memory
• Present material in small units
5.5.2. Teaching and learning approaches for learners with dyscalculia
• Allow use of fingers and scratch paper
• Use diagrams and draw math concepts
• Provide peer assistance
• Use concrete material such as buttons, straws, seeds, pebbles and
beads to teach children how to count
• Use a lot of visual aids to teach simple mathematical operations and
concepts
• Concepts such as time and money should be linked to day to day events.
Use of meaningful vocabulary which includes phrases as tomorrow, in
five minutes, as soon as possible will help the child in increasing his/
her awareness about concepts related to time.
• Give smaller number of problems to these children. These children can
also be given some extra time to complete maths assignment.
• Suggest use of coloured pencils to differentiate problems
• Work with manipulatives
• Draw pictures of word problems
• Use mnemonic devices to learn steps of a math concept
• Use rhythm and music to teach math facts and to set steps to a beat
• Schedule computer time for the student for drill and practice
5.5.3. Teaching and learning approaches for learners withDysgraphia
• Provide sufficient time for writing activities
• Provide notes or outlines to reduce the amount of writing required
• Encourage the children to write more in a non-threatening environment.
This helps the children to gain confidence over themselves.
• Match the posture, pencil grip and position of the paper when a child
is writing.
• Have students form letters using clay
• Peers with good writing could also become models for those learners,
who manifest problems with writing.
• Suggest use of word processor
• Avoid chastising student for sloppy, careless work
• Use oral exams whenever necessary
• Allow use of tape recorder for lectures where necessary
• Allow the use of a note taker
• Reduce copying aspects of work
• Suggest use of pencil grips and /or specially designed writing aids
• Provide alternatives to written assignments (video-taped reports,
audio-taped reports)
5.5.4. Teaching and learning approaches for learners with Dyspraxia
• Pre-set students for touch with verbal prompts, “I’m going to touch
your right hand.”
• Avoid touching from behind or getting too close and make sure peers
are aware of this
• Provide a quiet place, without auditory or visual distractions, for
testing, silent reading or work that requires great concentration
• Warn the student when bells will ring or if a fire drill is scheduled
• Whisper when working one to one with the child
• Allow parents to provide earplugs or sterile waxes for noisy events
such as assemblies
• Make sure the parent knows about what is observed about the learner
in the classroom
• Refer student for occupational therapy or sensory integration training
• Be cognizant of light and light sources that may be irritating to child
• Use manipulatives, but make sure they are in learners’ field of vision
and don’t force student to touch them
5.5.5. Teaching and learning approaches for learners with Dysphasia,
or Aphasia
• Ensure that students have the opportunity for a quite environment.
• Teacher should communicate slowly, clearly, and repetitively using
gestures and pictures.
• Teacher should simplify sentence structure and reduce the rate of
speech
• Encourage student to be as independent as possible.
• Allow students as much time as needed without interruption to express
verbally.
• Provide word choice boards, vocabulary flashcards, and pictorial
representations.
• Explicitly teach semantics and syntax concepts.
• Present information using multiple modalities.
• Allow student to use many forms of expression such as writing,
drawing, choices, gestures, or yes/no responses.
• Allow students the opportunity to prepare anything that will be shared
in class.
• Allow alternative option to oral presentations such as visual
presentation or recording.
Examples:
In the classroom a teacher could allow a student with aphasia to submit a
verbal presentation by using a power point with written explanations for what
students would be verbalizing.
During testing student may be able to take alternative test in which they will be
able to express language in any way that works best for them. This could be all
verbally, in drawings, or in another form.
5.5.6. General interventions for learners with Learning Disabilities
• Show, demonstrate and model
• Utilize multi-sensory learning
• Avoid distractible surroundings
• Break information down into smaller units
• Allow plenty of time to these children to work upon a task as they have
poor time management skills
• These children need to do a task many times before they can master it
• Utilize peer tutoring and cooperative learning. In peer tutoring, allow
the child with a learning disability to be a tutor also
• Make information as concrete as possible
• Read test materials to the student
• Find out how the student learn best and utilize the learning channel
• Remember that ‘Individualization’ does not always mean a student
has to be taught one to one, it simply means the programme should be
tailored to the student’s needs and capabilities
• Praise and encouragement are the key words in channelizing the effortstowards these children’ s learning in the right direction
SELF-ASSESSMENT 5.5
1. How would you help a learner with dyscalculia in your classroom?
2. What strategies would you use to help a learner with aphasia
improve his/ her academic works?
SKILLS LAB
Visit a nearest school, identify a child with SLD, write a two-page document
on strategies you can use to help that child.
END OF UNIT ASSESSMENT
3. What is a Specific Learning Disability?
4. How can you identify a learner with the following conditions?
• Dyslexia
• Dysgraphia
• Dyscalculia
5. In groups, discuss the specific learning disability you may havenoticed with learners and how you helped them