Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
✧ Sara’
a’ss S
ara’ tory ✧
Story ✧ What are L earning Disabi
Learning lit
Disabilit ies? ✧
lities?
When Sara was in the first grade, her Learning disability is a general term
teacher started teaching the students that describes specific kinds of learning
how to read. Sara’s parents were really
Disability Fact Sheet—No. 7
Disabi lit
lityy F
Disabilit act S
Fact heet, N
Sheet, o. 7
No.
January 2004
son may have trouble in each of these areas, as well as • may not understand what he or she reads;
with understanding what people are saying.
• may have real trouble with spelling;
Researchers think that learning disabilities are
• may have very messy handwriting or hold a pencil
caused by differences in how a person’s brain works
awkwardly;
and how it processes information. Children with
learning disabilities are not “dumb” or “lazy.” In fact, • may struggle to express ideas in writing;
they usually have average or above average intelligence.
Their brains just process information differently. • may learn language late and have a limited vocabu-
lary;
The definition of “learning disability” in the box
• may have trouble remembering the sounds that
on page 4 comes from the Individuals with Disabilities
letters make or hearing slight differences between
Education Act (IDEA). The IDEA is the federal law that
words;
guides how schools provide special education and
related services to children with disabilities. The • may have trouble understanding jokes, comic
special help that Sara is receiving is an example of strips, and sarcasm;
special education.
• may have trouble following directions;
There is no “cure” for learning disabilities. They
• may mispronounce words or use a wrong word
are life-long. However, children with LD can be high
that sounds similar;
achievers and can be taught ways to get around the
learning disability. With the right help, children with • may have trouble organizing what he or she wants
LD can and do learn successfully. to say or not be able to think of the word he or she
needs for writing or conversation;
✧ How Common are Learning Disabilities? ✧ • may not follow the social rules of conversation,
such as taking turns, and may stand too close to the
Very common! As many as 1 out of every 5 people listener;
in the United States has a learning disability. Almost 3
million children (ages 6 through 21) have some form • may confuse math symbols and misread numbers;
of a learning disability and receive special education in • may not be able to retell a story in order (what
school. In fact, over half of all children who receive happened first, second, third); or
special education have a learning disability (Twenty-
fourth Annual Report to Congress, U.S. Department of • may not know where to begin a task or how to go
Education, 2002). on from there.