For parents it can be a scary to encounter a learning disability if they are not provided enough education to make them feel like they know how to handle the disability and to understand the learning disability. Many parents homeschool their children because they truly believe that they can provide certain activities for the child with a learning disability. Here we will discuss some general information about learning disabilities.
- Learning disabilities cannot be cured, they do not go away. These are life long things that our students need to learn to cope with and work with or work around.
- People with learning disabilities are just as smart as anyone else. They just may have difficulty with certain subjects or concepts.
- According to the National Institutes of Health 15% of people have learning disabilities. That’s one in seven of us.
- 80% of people with learning disabilities have trouble with reading.
- Learning disabilities are not the same as other kinds of disabilities. They are not the same as things like autism, ADHD (they may occur together but are very different), blindness or behavioral issues.
- The most common learning disabilities are dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, auditory and visual processing disorders and nonverbal learning disabilities.
It is important to get students the appropriate help when they have these disabilities. Early intervention is crucial. When students learn why they aren’t grasping it helps them understand. Imagine not grasping a concept repeatedly, having instructors and parents be frustrated with you, your peers laughing at you and not knowing why you just can’t do it. Getting help will take the mystery out of it for the student. This also helps them realize that they are smart. This extra boost of confidence is a great thing for a student.
