Transcript TITLE IN ALL CAPS - Denver Area Council

Learning Disabilities & Dyslexia:
Presentation for Learning For Life
Katie Johansen, M.A., Manager Learning Services
Children’s Hospital Colorado
Definition of a Learning
Disability
A Learning Disability is a general term
that refers to a heterogeneous group
of disorders resulting in:
• Significant difficulty in the acquisition and use
of listening, speaking, reading, writing,
reasoning or performing math functions
•Intrinsic strengths and weaknesses specific to
the individual, presumed to be due to central
nervous system dysfunction & occur across the
life span. Learning Disabilities, 2007 Fletcher,
Lyon, Fuchs and Barnes
•Unexpected weakness in relation to other
skills and abilities
2
Three Most Common LD’s
Dyslexia: 80% of all children diagnosed
with a learning disability are diagnosed
with dyslexia
Dyscalculia: Small number of kids actually
diagnosed. Not as much research done in
this area as with dyslexia
Dysgraphia: Specific learning disability
that affects how easily children acquire
written language and how well they use
language to express their thoughts
3
A Learning Disability is Not…
Cognitive Delay/Mental Retardation
ADHD
Autism
Deafness
Blindness
A Behavioral Disorder
4
Dyslexia is…
a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized
by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor
spelling and decoding abilities.
These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological
component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive
abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.
Secondary consequences may include problems in reading
comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth
of vocabulary and background knowledge.
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
*Not a disorder of comprehension
Often oral vocabulary and oral presentation much higher than reading
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Dyslexia & f-MRI
Brain imaging now provides visible evidence of the reality of
dyslexia; dyslexia is no longer a hidden disability.
Non-Impaired Reader
Dyslexic
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Genetic Research
One of the strongest risk factors for dyslexia is having a close relative with
reading problems, ie having a family history of dyslexia. Comparing identical
and non-identical twins has shown that your genes account for about half
your reading skills
Identification of chromosome 6 and 18 sites
Associations between one particular gene, named KIAA0319, and low
performance in most of our tests for reading, spelling, orthography and
phonology.
Source = Dr Sue Fowler
The Learning Difficulties Research Clinic,
179A Oxford Road
Reading

Indicators
Preschool
Speaks later than most children (sometimes)
Pronunciation/articulation difficulties (sometimes)
Slow vocabulary growth, often unable to find the right
word
Difficulty rhyming words, difficulty with phonemic
awareness
Trouble learning numbers, alphabet, days of the week,
colors, shapes
Difficulty following directions or routines
Fine motor skills slow to develop
Family History!
Grades K-4
Slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds
Confuses basic words (run, eat, want)
Makes consistent reading and spelling errors including
letter reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w), transpositions
(felt/left), and substitutions (house/home)
Transposes number sequences and confuses arithmetic
signs (+, -, x, /, =)
Slow to remember facts
Slow to learn new skills, relies heavily on memorization
Impulsive, difficulty planning
Unstable pencil grip
Trouble learning about time
Family History!
8
Indicators
Grades 5-8
Reverses letter sequences (soiled/solid, left/felt)
Slow to learn prefixes, suffixes, root words, and other
spelling strategies
Avoids reading aloud
Trouble with word problems
Difficulty with handwriting
Awkward, fist-like, or tight pencil grip
Avoids writing assignments
Slow or poor recall of facts
Difficulty making friends
Trouble understanding body language and facial
expressions
Family History!
High School Students and Adults
Continues to spell incorrectly, frequently spells the same
word differently in a single piece of writing
Slow reader
Tired when reading
Avoids reading and writing tasks
Trouble summarizing
Trouble with open-ended questions on tests
Weak memory skills
Difficulty adjusting to new settings
Works slowly
Poor grasp of abstract concepts
Either pays too little attention to details or focuses on
them too much
Misreads information
Family History!
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Intervention
“Knowing what is needed to help students
is not the same thing as being able to
provide it”
Kauffman, J. M., Lloyd, J. W., Baker, J., & Riedel, T. M. (1995).
Intervention
Reading Instruction must be:
•Direct
•Structured
•Systematic
•Repetitious
•Controlled
•Intensive
*Training in processes without academic
content is ineffective
What Is Learning Therapy?
Learning therapy is the treatment for most children
with a learning disability. Also called remediation or
intervention
•A research based, structured, multisensory program grounded in the
Orton Gillingham approach should be utilized
Learning Resources
www.rmb-ida.org/ (International Dyslexia
Association and Rocky Mountain Branch)
www.interdys.org (International Dyslexia
Association)
www.ldanatl.org/ (Learning Disabilities Association
of America)
www.wrightslaw.com (Legal Issues)
www.ldonline.com (Learning Disabilities Online)
www.chadd.org (Attention)
www.nrcld.org (National Research Center on
Learning Disabilities)
www.ReadingRockets.org (Parent and Teacher)
www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy/ReadAct/web
site (Information on the READ ACT)
Learning Resources-Books
PROFESSIONAL
Fletcher, J.M., Fuchs, L.S., Barnes, M.A. (2006). Learning
Disabilities: From Identification to Intervention. Guilford Press, New
York, NY.
Pennington, B. (2008). Diagnosing Learning Disorders: A
Neuropsychological Framework (2nd Ed.) The Guilford Press, New
York, NY.
Wolf, Maryanne (2007). Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science
of the Reading Brain. Harper Collins, New York, New York.
PROFESSIONAL/PARENT
Moats, L. & Dakin, K. (2007). Basic Facts about Dyslexia and Other
Reading Problems. Baltimore: International Dyslexia Association.
PARENTING A STRUGGLING READER, A Guide To Diagnosing and
Finding Help For Your Child’s Reading Difficulties. Susan Hall and
Louisa Moats. Broadway Books, 2002.
Shaywitz, Sally. (2005). Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete
Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level. Alfred A.
Knopf.
Tridas, E. (ed.) (2007). From ABC to ADHD: What Every Parent Should
Know About Dyslexia and Other Reading Problems. Baltimore:
International Dyslexia Association
Network of Care
Learning Services are offered at the following locations:
*Aurora-Main campus
*Broomfield
*Littleton
*Parker
http://www.childrenscolorado.org/
Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology and Learning Services:
720 777-6800
LEARNING SERVICES
720 777-6250