Learning Disabilities brochure

Causes and Risk Factors ♦

Heredity-Learning Disabilities

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Learning Center

often run in the family

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Problems during pregnancy and birth-Learning Disabilities can result from abnormalities in the

Program Director: Christiana Perakis Evloyia E-mail: perakisc@acs.gr

developing brain, illness or injury, fetal exposure to alcohol or drugs, low birth weight, oxygen deprivation or by premature or prolonged labor

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Accidents after birth-Learning Disabilities can also be caused

Address: 129 Aghias Paraskevis & Nikou Kazantzaki, 152 34 Halandri, Athens Tel: 210 6393 200 ext 237, 265 Fax: 210 6390051

bilities Learning Disa

by head injuries, malnutrition, or by toxic exposure.

The Optimal Match Program

P o c k e t Gu i d e

Definition

Diagnosis

Learning Disability refers to a group of disorders that affect a broad range of academic and functional skills including the ability to speak, listen, read, write, spell, reason and organize information.

A Learning disability is not indicative of low intelligence. People with learning disabilities sometimes have difficulty achieving at his or her intellectual level because of a deficit in one or more of the ways the brain processes information.

The presence of Learning Disability is sometimes suspected by a child’s parents long before problems are seen at school. However, the problem typically become visible when a child begins having difficulty at school.

Difficulty Learning to read is often one of the first signs that a learning disability is present.

Types of Learning Disabilities Learning disabilities can be categorized either by the type of information processing that is affected or by the specific difficulties caused by a processing deficit.

Learning Disabilities are often identified by school psychologists, clinical psychologists, and neuropsychologists through a combination of intelligence testing, academic achievement testing, classroom performance, and social interaction and aptitude. Other areas of assessment may include perception, cognition, memory, attention, and language abilities. The resulting information is used to determine whether a child is achieving at his or her potential.

Specific Learning Disabilities •

Reading Disability

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Writing Disability

Information processing deficits

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Math Disability

The disabilities here based on the 4 stages of information processing used in learning

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Non-verbal Learning disability

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Input

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Integration

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Storage

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Output

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Dyspraxia

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Disorders of speaking and listening

Treatment and Intervention Mastery Model • Learners work at their own level of mastery • Practice • Gain fundamental skills before moving onto next level Direct Instructions • Highly structured,intensive instruction • Emphasizes carefully planned lessons for small learning increments • Scripted lesson plans • Rapid-paced interaction between teacher and students • Correcting mistakes immediately • Achievement-based group • Frequent progress assessments Classroom adjustments Special seating assignments Alternative or modified assignments Modified testing procedures

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Special equipment Electronic spellers,dictionaries Word processors Talking calculators Books on tape

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Classroom assistants Note takers Readers Proofreaders

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Special Education Prescribed hours in a special class Placement in a special class Enrollment in a special school for learning disabled students

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