Learning disabilities in children and its impact on their Education
Teacher: Name some famous personalities with learning disabilities?
Student: Let’s see, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison.
Teacher: What does that tell you?
Children with learning disabilities are often gifted with reasonable competence and intelligence, it’s just that they are unable to learn in the same manner as the rest of their peers and may have specific learning difficulties in the basic psychological processes involved in speech, reading, writing or spelling, understanding or remembering information and often-times in co-ordination and mathematical calculations.
It is not that they lack intelligence or are lazy, it just that their brains are wired differently and this difference affects how they receive and process information.
When the child is unable to comprehend a topic or subject even after many repetitions we must understand that the learning needs of the child are different hence requiring a different methodology of understanding and retention.
What are some Early signs of a Learning disability or disorder?
- Difficulty in focusing.
- Delayed speech and language development.
- Difficulty in fine and gross motor skill development.
- Low self-esteem and lack of social skills.
- Difficulty in understanding basic learning concepts and remembering words or numbers.
The different types of Learning disabilities that JIMPIRE tends to:
- Dyslexia– Characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. About 80% of all children identified as learning disabled are referred for special education because of reading problems.
- Dysgraphia– The child’s capacity to spell or write is impacted. In children, the disorder generally emerges when they are first introduced to writing. They make inappropriately sized and spaced letters, or write wrong or misspelled words, despite thorough instruction.
- Dyscalculia– The child’s ability to comprehend numbers, tell time and perform basic math is impacted. Numerical reasoning and calculation pose major problems for many students with learning disabilities. Deficits in retrieving number facts and solving story problems are particularly evident.
What are the Major Causes of learning disabilities?
- Genetic or environmental factors that affect the learning centers of the brain.
- Inadequate brain development due to premature birth, low oxygen supply or malnutrition.
- Drug or alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
- Physical/Psychological Trauma or brain injuries.
Children with Learning disabilities may also exhibit other conditions such as:
- Anxiety disorders.
- Behaviour and Emotional difficulties.
- Sleep disturbances/disorders.
Watch this short video about how the right teaching methods can bring out the talent and ability inherent within each child: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL9M9bTVk2w
Therapies used at JIMPIRE for the treatment of Learning Disabilities:
Scientific assessments and evaluation will determine the nature of the disability. Before therapy and training, the required analysis will be conducted to understand the underlying issue and the right form of therapy will be recommended by the trainer which could include:
- Special Education.
- Behaviour Therapy.
- Speech Therapy.
Parenting Tips for children with Learning disabilities:
- Homeschooling, special schools and special tutoring programs will provide the child with the necessary knowledge and education that will support them in their learning and development.
- Learning aids such as internet videos, activity books, toys and games are readily available and these will prove to be useful learning equipment.
- Children with disabilities have a hard time comprehending certain things and it will require patience and consistency from the parent and in time with dedicated practice, small milestones can be achieved.
- If your behaviour and attitude as the parent is negative or dismissive, your children will pick up on your behaviour and model this same behaviour accordingly as children tend to learn from their parents, so it is important to have a positive attitude and be a role-model towards your child.
- Find support groups in your town or city.
Watch this Video about how anxiety disorders within the child are caused by constant mistreatment rather than the disability: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-Eycme4NFM
Ask any child and they will tell you that learning is hard. The child with a learning disability will have to work twice as hard but his ability to work, learn and explore also increases with it. Children like to learn through play, colours, drawing or through stories and imitations, and it is through these modalities of learning that the child will find his/her own path towards learning, understanding and development.
It is for this purpose has been set up JIMPIRE, to take Therapeutic services to the next level and impart the skills needed for the child’s welfare and overall development!
