Learning Disabilities Questions From Parents

Explanation
The intellectual functioning of individuals with learning disabilities varies from student to student and can range from below average to above average. Typically, but not always, students will demonstrate an uneven pattern of cognitive development. That is to say that some students may demonstrate better verbal intelligence than nonverbal intelligence. This uneven pattern may explain why some children with learning disabilities are able to excel in one academic area, like math, and struggle in another, like reading.

Explanation
A specific learning disability is a neurological disorder in which a student has a significant deficit in processing information. These deficits may impact some or all of the following areas: basic reading skills and/or reading comprehension, math calculation and/or math reasoning, and written expression. Deficits in visual or auditory acuity (seeing and hearing) are medical conditions which should be considered before exploring the possibility of a learning disability.

Explanation
Dyslexia is a term that generally describes any reading disorder. Learning disabilities may affect areas other than reading; for example, math or written language. In addition, learning disabilities are educationally defined and some students with 'dyslexia' may meet the requirement for identification for special education services as a learning disabled student, while others may not.

Explanation
A learning disability is a neurological condition that will not go away by trying harder. However, as with any challenge in life, extra effort, persistence with difficult tasks, learning new strategies, and keeping a positive attitude can increase your child's chances of successfully managing this disability and keeping its impact to a minimum.

Explanation
In the school system, evaluation of a learning disability is conducted by a team made up of the parent/guardian and several professionals experienced and trained in such evaluation. Some of the factors that are considered as part of the evaluation include: family and medical history, attendance, school history, current and prior academic progress, response to interventions, classroom observation, and results from individually administered assessments in the areas of cognitive processing and academic achievement. Additional assessments in other areas may also be conducted. The results of the comprehensive evaulation are reviewed by the team to identify a learning disability.