How do we identify children with learning
disabilities?
It is imp or tan t to un dersta nd tha t ea ch
chil d is d iffe rent wh en des cr ib ing
lea rning d isab ilities as the y va ry in
the ir a cad em ic, p erson al an d s ocia l
cha racte ristics .
Over the years thoughts of learning disabilities have
changed immensely.
THEN:
Once, teachers would describe disabilities as
underachieving in school, which there is no
apparent reason for this lack of success and
would develop formulas that laid down
discrepancies for students between intellectual
abilities verses achievement and performance.
Now, using a RTI educational agencies may
not take into consideration the discrepancy
between achievement and intellectual ability in
oral expression, listening comprehension,
written expression, basic reading skills, reading
comprehension, mathematical calculations and
mathematical reasoning. Educational Agencies
must use a process that determines if a child
responds to scientific, research based
intervention. This allows for early and easy
intervention so we don’t have to wait for
students to “fail” before we can help them in a
way that is specific to them.
NOW: RIT
Using a RTI educational agencies may not take into
consideration the discrepancy between
achievement and intellectual ability in oral
expression, listening comprehension, written
expression, basic reading skills, reading
comprehension, mathematical calculations and
mathematical reasoning. Educational Agencies
must use a process that determines if a child
responds to scientific, research based
intervention. This allows for early and easy
intervention so we don’t have to wait for
students to “fail” before we can help them in a
way that is specific to them.
Is ther e one know n pr imar y
caus e of lear ning dis abilit ies ?
No one has discovered a single cause of learning
disabilities. Items such as genetics, environmental
causes, neurological differences, brain structure,
inadequate parent health care and exposure to
harmful substances have been explored.
 Information Process Model
This model shows us that a concept can be
An information process model is useful in described through input(visual perception of
helping students understand the impact what a rhombus is), processing (what is and is
that a learning disability can have on a not characteristics of a rhombus), Output (what a
student’s ability to take in, think about and rhombus actually is, through a picture or
share things that he or she is learning. description) and executive functioning (the
understanding of what is and isn’t a rhombus
This model describes learning as a series of
components that involve sensory
stimulation/input, processing/thinking, and
the sharing of what has been learned and
has four major components: input,
processing, output and executive
functioning that operate in the context of
an emotional environment that influences
the processing model.
An IPM helps us find and understand the
components of learning and a concrete
way to describe learning disabilities and
will give us direct insight into the
strategies to support learning.
 How does Long term and Short term memory
affects a student with learning disabilities?
Short Term vs. Long Term
Short Term Memory: A system for
temporarily storing and managing
information required to carry out
complex cognitive tasks such as
learning, reasoning, and
comprehension. Short-term memory
is involved in the selection,
initiation, and termination of
information-processing functions
such as encoding, storing, and
retrieving data. An example would
be remembering directions or steps
for a math problem as you work out
the calculations.
Long term memory: A system for
permanently storing, managing, and
retrieving information for later use.
Items of information stored as long-
term memory may be available for a
lifetime. An example of this would
be information we have made our
own, in a specific way for ourselves,
that may be available for future use
or even a lifetime.
It’s Affects…
Problems with memory in a child with a
learning disability can be very
challenging for that child.
The major problem comes from thinking
or the ability to interpret knowledge
into meaningful information that
they can store productively in their
memory. Ideas that remain in
fragments or small pieces will be
harder to retrieve and harder to
later understand.
It is important for teachers to plan
lessons around meaningful info that
is presented in a large view or big
picture so students can process
information easier in a more
individualized, meaningful way.