Learning Disabilities Awareness Month

October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month in Canada. At Gifted People Services, we are proud to serve children that have learning delays or disabilities. We believe that children can thrive when they learn at their own pace and if their service is focused on building on their unique strengths. We strive for inclusivity which involves being aware of different learning styles and accommodations for those with delays or disabilities.

According to the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, learning disabilities (LD) are defined as “specific neurological disorders that affect the brain’s ability to store, process, retrieve or communicate information. They are invisible and lifelong.” While this may sound definitive and overwhelming, people with learning disabilities can achieve success with the appropriate support and intervention. It starts with awareness and knowledge so that we can advocate for the learning needs of our children and students. Here is a brief overview of some of the most common learning disabilities:

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a language processing disorder that impacts reading, writing, and comprehension. People with dyslexia may have difficulty with things such as spelling, pronunciation, grammar, fluency and decoding words. The difficulties with dyslexia can go beyond the scope of academics and affect people in their daily life. They may have difficulty with receptive and expressive language which may impact them socially. 

Dyscalculia 

Dyscalculia is a learning disability related to mathematics and calculations. People with dyscalculia struggle with math concepts, numbers, and quantitative reasoning. They may have difficulty with things such as reading clocks to tell time, counting money and identifying patterns. People with dyscalculia may experience lower self esteem due to math being a big part of academic learning; low self esteem is common across most learning delays and disabilities. 

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia affects a person’s writing capabilities. This learning disability is showcased in two ways: 1) poor handwriting due to difficulty with fine motor skills, as well as poor spatial awareness and, 2) difficulty converting thoughts into writing, as well as thinking and writing simultaneously. People with dysgraphia may struggle with spelling, vocabulary, critical thinking and organizing when it comes to writing. Writing and written communication is an important skill in and out of school, therefore people may suffer negative feelings if their disability is simply dismissed as laziness or ‘not trying hard enough’. 

Auditory Processing Disorder

In auditory processing disorder (APD), people have difficulty processing sounds. Individuals with this disorder struggle with mishearing and difficulty in loud settings. This is due to the ears and brain not fully coordinating. 

Visual Processing Disorder

Individuals with visual processing deficits have poor hand-eye coordination. This affects fine motor skills and may manifest in having difficulty with using stationery, reading, and navigating their surroundings.  They may also have difficulty interpreting visual information such as with maps, pictures and symbols. 

Nonverbal Learning Disability 

People with nonverbal learning disability have difficulty with the nonverbal aspects of communication. This includes understanding body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, social cues and abstract concepts.  

Next Steps After Awareness

How can we advocate for children with learning disabilities? Thankfully, there are already many modifications available to students. Here are some examples of how we can accommodate for learning disabilities:

• Extra time on tests and homework

• A quiet space for working

• Changing expectations, for example, giving verbal instead of written answers or vise versa

• Alternative ways of learning and applying knowledge, for example, listening to audio books, using a computer or tablet to type

• Repetition of areas needing more support (e.g., sight words, math facts)

• Being aware of different learning styles, for neurotypical and children with learning delays and disabilities alike; there are 4 main styles of learning - visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinesthetic (hands-on) 

During this month of October, we hope more people can educate themselves on learning disabilities and be more open to the different ways in which people navigate learning. There is no one size fits all for learning!

- Gifted People Services

Sources:

https://www.ldac-acta.ca/what-you-should-know-about-lds/