What You Should Know About LDs
- Learning Disabilities (LDs) are specific neurological disorders that affect the brain’s ability to store, process, retrieve or communicate information. They are invisible and lifelong.
- Manifested by significant weaknesses in listening, writing, speaking, reasoning, reading, mathermatics, social skills and/or memory in a pattern of uneven abilities
- LDs can be compensated for through alternate ways of learning, accommodations and modifications.
- LDs can occur with other disorders (ADHD, etc) and may run in families
- LDs are NOT the same as mental retardation, autism, deafness, blindness, behavioral disorders or laziness.
- LDs are not the result of economic disadvantage, environmental factors or cultural differences.
LD Terminology
Type of LDs: | Area of Difficulty: | Symptoms include trouble with: | Example: |
---|---|---|---|
Dyslexia | Processing language | Reading, writing, and spelling | Letters and words may be written or pronounced inaccurately |
Dyscalculia | Math skills and concepts | Computation, remembering math facts, concepts of time, money, grasping math concepts, etc. | Difficulty learning to count by 2s, 3s, 4s |
Dysgraphia | Written expression | Handwriting, spelling, expressing ideas on paper | Illegible handwriting, difficulty organizing ideas, getting thoughts on paper |
Dyspraxia | Fine motor skills | Coordination, manual dexterity | Trouble with scissors, buttons, drawing, writing |
Information Processing Disorders
Type of LDs | Area of Difficulty | Symptoms include trouble with: | Example |
---|---|---|---|
Auditory Processing Disorder | Interpreting auditory information | Language Development, reading | Difficulty anticipating how a speaker will end a sentence. |
Visual Processing Disorder | Interpreting visual information | Reading, writing and math | Difficulty distinguishing letters like “h” and “n” |
Other Related Disorders
Type of LDs | Area of Difficulty | Symptoms include trouble with: | Example |
---|---|---|---|
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) | Concentration and focus | Over-activity, distractibility and/or impulsivity | Can’t sit still, loses interest quickly, is easily distracted, may daydream |
info@Idac-acta.ca • www.ldac-acta.ca
This project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program. “The opinions and interpretations in publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.”