Learning Disabilities and

English Language
Learners
KRISTA BODDY

Did you know?

Albert Einstein couldn't read until he was nine.

Walt Disney, General George Patton, and Vice President Nelson Rockefeller had
trouble reading all their lives.

Whoopi Goldberg and Charles Schwab and many others have learning disabilities
which haven't affected their ultimate success.

All information gathered from LD Online http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/whatisld

What is a learning disability?

A learning disability (LD) is a neurological disorder, or a different way a person's

brain is wired.

It may involve difficulty reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, recalling and/or

organizing information.

A learning disability can't be cured or fixed; it is a lifelong issue. However, people

with learning disabilities can succeed in school and go on to successful careers
later in life with the right support.

Teachers can help students with learning disabilities achieve success by

encouraging their strengths, knowing their weaknesses, and learning about
strategies for dealing with specific difficulties.

All information gathered from LD Online http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/whatisld

Common learning disabilities

Dyslexia a language-based disability in which a person has trouble understanding

written words. It may also be referred to as reading disability or reading disorder.

Dyscalculia a mathematical disability in which a person has a difficult time solving

arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.

Dysgraphia a writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form letters or write
within a defined space.

Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders sensory disabilities in which a person has
difficulty understanding language despite normal hearing and vision.

Nonverbal Learning Disabilities a neurological disorder which originates in the right

hemisphere of the brain, causing problems with visual-spatial, intuitive, organizational,
evaluative and holistic processing functions.

All information gathered from LD Online http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/whatisld

Facts about learning disabilities

Fifteen percent of the U.S. population, or one in seven Americans, has some type of
learning disability, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Difficulty with basic reading and language skills are the most common learning
disabilities. As many as 80% of students with learning disabilities have reading problems.

Learning disabilities often run in families.

Learning disabilities should not be confused with other disabilities such as autism,
intellectual disability, deafness, blindness, and behavioral disorders. None of these
conditions are learning disabilities. Also, people who are learning English do not
necessarily have a learning disability.

Attention disorders, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and learning

disabilities often occur at the same time, but the two disorders are not the same.

All information gathered from LD Online http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/whatisld

Signs indicating a learning disability

Behavior: student keeps their head down, student acts as a class clown to fit in,
impulsive, has difficulty making friends, poor coordination, trouble understanding
body language and facial expressions, afraid to answer questions, pays too little
attention on details or focuses on them too much.

Reading: Student avoids reading aloud, confuses basic words (run, eat, want),
reverses letters (b/d, m/w, felt/left), difficulty summarizing, difficult with open
ended questions.

Writing: Student has unstable pencil grip (fist-like, or too tight), poor handwriting,
avoids writing assignments, spells the same word differently in same piece of
writing, not able to use correct sentence structures.

All information gathered from LD Online http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/whatisld

Remediation for students with LDs

Rather than focusing on the students deficiencies, emphasize their strengths. People
with learning disabilities must be assured that they are not dumb or lazy. They are
intelligent people who have trouble learning because their minds process words or
information differently.

Teachers can change classroom routines to help students with learning disabilities. For
example, reading written information aloud, allowing extra time on exams, taping
lessons, and using technology can change up the normal routine.

Consider these accommodations based on the type of LD: Provide text in larger print,
reduce number of items per page or line, allow frequent breaks, extend the amount of
time for activities, provide preferential seating, provide special lighting or acoustics,
provide a space with minimal distractions, and/or provide on-task/focusing prompts.

All information gather from LD Online

http://www.ldonline.org/article/Accommodations_for_Students_with_LD and
http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/respond

What are English Language Learners?

English Language Learners (ELLs) are individuals who are learning English as
second or foreign language and come from diverse cultural and educational
backgrounds.

Some ELLs may have learned to read and write well in their first language,
even completing high school and college in their first language. However,
some ELLs may have never completed secondary school in their first
language, and are at a greater disadvantage in learning English as they dont
have basic knowledge of their first language to be able to learn a second
language.

ELLs may also be proficient in one skill, like speaking English, yet be lacking
abilities in reading or writing in English. Each student has a diverse educational
background and must be evaluated and placed in a classroom that can
support them in their specific English language needs.

Signs indicating a need for English

language instruction

Student doesnt respond to simple questions (e.g., What is your name?)

Student lacks correct English grammar structures in speaking and writing

Student lacks comprehensible pronunciation skills in English

Student behaves embarrassed or ashamed in English language

environment

Student is afraid to answer questions or offer opinions in English

Student avoids writing assignments in English

Student has difficulty summarizing or answering open ended questions in

English

ELLs with Learning disabilities

When a student with a learning disability happens also to be an English

language learner, identification and remediation can be very complex.

For example, if an English language learner with a suspected learning

disability obtains a low score on a measure of English vocabulary, it may
be impossible to know if the low score reflects a language disability as
opposed to insufficient exposure to English; in either case, however, The
ELL would benefit from instruction in English vocabulary.

All info gathered from LD Online

http://www.ldonline.org/spearswerling/Learning_Disabilities_in_English_Langu
age_Learners

Signs indicating an ELL may also have

a learning disability

The student has a history of oral language delay or disability in the native language.

The student has had difficulty developing literacy skills in the native language (assuming
adequate instruction in the native language).

There is a family history of reading difficulties in parents, siblings, or other close relatives
(again, assuming adequate opportunity to learn to read).

The student has specific language weaknesses, such as poor phonemic awareness, in
the native language as well as in English.

The student has had research-based, high-quality reading intervention designed for
English language learners, and still is not making adequate progress relative to other,
similar English language learners.

All info gathered from LD Online

http://www.ldonline.org/spearswerling/Learning_Disabilities_in_English_Language_Learners

Remediation for ELLs with LDs

Several studies have suggested that ELLs with LDs can benefit from explicit
phonemic awareness instruction, structured and systematic phonics
instruction, explicit instruction in comprehension strategies, and peer-assisted
learning. The extent to which this instruction should happen in the native
language initially, if feasible, is still a matter of debate.

ELLs with LDs also need English vocabulary development and the use of
sheltered English techniques to aid English comprehension. Examples of
sheltered English techniques are the use of visual aids, such as props, pictures,
gestures, and facial expressions, to help convey meaning; development of
expression abilities; and structuring oral input based on the level of
understanding.

All info gathered from LD Online

http://www.ldonline.org/spearswerling/Learning_Disabilities_in_English_Language
_Learners