Characteristics




	ESE424 : The Class : Mild Disabilities : Learning disability : Characteristics

Characteristics of Children with Learning Disabilities

After learning some of the basic information about learning disabiliteis, we need to discuss some of the effects this disability may have on the children you will be serving. As you learned in the last activity, no two children with learning disabilities will show the same set of characteristics. Nor will children with similar characteristics show these effects to the same degree, in the same situations, or in the same way. As we learn about some of the typical characteristics that children with learning disabilities, please keep these lessons in mind.

Specific Characteristics

In this online lesson we will cover some of the general characteristics you may see in the children you serve. These include:

academic learning problems

language disorders

perceptual disorders

metacognitive deficits

socio-emotional difficulties

problems with memory

motor difficulties

attention and impulse control deficiencies

Academic Learning Problems

Probably the hallmark, indeed the single characteristic that is present in all cases of learning disabilities, is an academic learning difficulty. Although disorders can occur in any portion of the idea definition (basic reading skills, reading comprehension, written expression, mathematics calculation, or mathematical reasoning), reading is the most common deficit area. Research indicates, however, that a child with a learning disability may have problems with:

acquiring phonological skills that are necessary for word recognition
oral reading skills necessary to decode and comprehend text
difficulty with mechanical or thinking skills which will effect the child's ability to translate thoughts to writing, spelling errors, punctuation difficulties, and cohesion of thoughts.
mathematics difficulties that stem from:
- slowness in performing operations (addition, subtraction, etc.)
- memory deficiencies
- language difficulties that disrupt problem solving or following directions
- lack of thinking and reasoning skills
- poor generalization of learned concepts, and
- procedural errors that compromise the accuracy of the child's work

Beyond the academic difficulties I have cited above, children (and adults) with a learning disability may show profiles with a variety of other effects - or characteristics. Perhaps the best way to learn about these is to meet two children with learning disabilities. Click on the links below to read a basic description of some other effects (characteristics) of a learning disability.

Academic Problems and Learning Disabilities

As previously stated, the most consistent characteristic of a child with a learning disability is their difficulty with academic tasks. Because academic abilities and skills are the core element of the child's school program, we need to spend some time examining the effects of a learning disability in reading, writing, and math, the core academic areas.

Once you have finished you should:

Go on to Effects of an LD
or
Go back to Learning Disabilities

E-mail Larry Gallagher at Larry.Gallagher@nau.edu