1. Who are these people? What do they have in common?
Alexander Graham Bell
Thomas Edison
Albert Einstein
Leonardo Da Vinci
Winston Churchill
Walt Disney
Agatha Christie
Hans Christian Anderson and…

2. Tom Cruise
Cher
Lindsay Wagner
Henry Winkler
Whoopi Goldberg
George Burns
Magic Johnson
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

3. They all have learning disabilities, and yet each has overcome
his/her specific challenge in order to be successful!

4. Learning disabilities (LD) are more common than most people realize; estimates suggest that as many as 1 in 5 people in North America have a LD
Many people have some degree of learning disabilities and are often not aware of it (they have just learned to cope with their challenges)

5. For each of the following points, rate yourself on a scale of 1 -3 if they relate to you
1 = never, rarely, only sometimes
2 = frequently, on occasion
3 = usually, typically

6. Academic Symptoms poor performance on group tests
reversals in reading and writing
difficulty in copying accurately from a model
slowness in completing work
easily confused by instructions
difficulty with tasks requiring sequencing

7. Cognitive Symptoms * difficulty with temporal (time) concepts
* difficulty discriminating size, shape, color
* difficulty with temporal (time) concepts
* distorted concept of body image
* poor organizational skills
* difficulty with abstract reasoning and/or problem-solving
* disorganized thinking
* often obsesses on one topic or idea
* poor short-term or long-term memory
* delays in development milestones (e.g. motor, language)

8. Physical Symptoms general awkwardness poor visual-motor coordination
hyperactivity
overly distractible; difficulty concentrating
lack of hand preference or mixed dominance

9. Behavioral/Social Symptoms
* impulsive behavior;lack of reflective thought prior to action
* low tolerance for frustration
* excessive movement during sleep
* poor peer relationships
* overly excitable during group play
* poor social judgment
* inappropriate, unselective, & often excessive display of affection
* behavior often inappropriate for situation
* failure to see consequences for his actions
* overly gullible; easily led by peers
* excessive variation in mood and responsiveness
* poor adjustment to environmental changes
* difficulty making decisions

10. When considering these symptoms, it is important to remember that…
l) No one will have all of these symptoms.
2) Among Learning Disabled populations, some symptoms are more common than others.
3) All people have at least two or three of these
problems to some degree.
4) The number of symptoms seen in a particular child
does not give an indication as to whether the disability is
mild or severe. It is important to consider if the behaviors
are chronic, and appear in clusters.

11. What are Learning Disabilities?
* The primary characteristic of a learning disability is a significant difference between a child's achievement in some areas, and his or her overall intelligence
* It is considered to be an ‘invisible disability’

12. * Disorders affect the ability to:
-understand or use spoken or written language
-do mathematical calculations
-coordinate movements
- direct attention

13. Boys are more commonly identified with a LD
The most commonly identified LD is dyslexia
They occur in very young children, but the disorders are usually not recognized until the child is about 10 years old (memorization skills are more challenging)

14. Learning disabilities typically affect five general areas:
l) Spoken language
- delays, disorders, and deviations in listening and speaking
2) Written language
- difficulties with reading, writing and spelling
3) Arithmetic
- difficulty in performing arithmetic operations or in understanding basic concepts
4) Reasoning
- difficulty in organizing and integrating thoughts
5) Memory
- difficulty in remembering information and instructions

15. Typically children with LD are above average in intelligence; they often get by in school by memorization
Learning disabilities are life-long challenges; there is no cure!

16. Types of Learning Disabilities
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
A condition characterized by impulsivity & inattentiveness, & occasional hyperactivity
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- A condition characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity & inattentiveness

17. Autism
A behaviour disturbance characterized by self-stimulation, self-injurious behaviour, or the absence of speech

18. Dyslexia
- The inability to read words & sentences, or other types of representational systems like clocks or directions

19. Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAP)
- A disorder where the information is taken in through the ears but is not accurately processed by the brain (the brain does not process what is actually heard/said)

20. Developmental Aphasia
- Poor speech due to problems in processing language; inability to use language appropriately by children who have intact communication systems and adequate intelligence

21. Dysnomia
- Difficulty in using words; problems between storage in the brain and retrieval from the brain when words are required

22. Dysgraphia
The inability to write; problems with fine motor skills
- The inability to identify written symbols of language

23. Dyscalcula, or Developmental Arithmetic Disorder (DAD)
- The inability to do mathematical calculations

24. Treatment Options
- specially trained educators may perform a diagnostic educational evaluation assessing the child’s academic & intellectual potential and level of academic performance
- may require special education, or accommodation in the classroom (assistive technologies)
- the basic approach is to teach learning skills by building on the child’s abilities & strengths, while correcting & compensating for disabilities and weaknesses

25. - may involve other professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists
- psychological therapies may also be used

26. some medications may be effective in helping the child learn by enhancing attention & concentration
(Ritalin for ADHD)

27. An identification of a Learning Disability is a life-long challenge, but it need not be a ‘life-sentence’.
Learning strategies can enable someone with LD to overcome the perceived limitations, and lead to personal success.