Learning difficulty or disability refers to poor school
performance that is not attributable to intellectual
ability, physical disability, emotional disturbance, severe economic
hardship or mental retardation. The prevalence of learning
disabilities is relatively high with about 5 to 10 percent of
school children being affected. While some learning disability
subtypes run in families, suggesting the presence of a genetic
component, the exact causes are unknown.
Our approach to
helping children with learning difficulties is accurate recognition
of their problem areas and evaluation of the extent of difficulties.
We believe in prevention, that the earlier learning difficulties are
recognised the more parents and teachers can help children to reach
their full potential.
Characteristics of Learning
Difficulties
Learning disability can result from
disruption to any stages of the learning process. Specific learning
disability is a disorder in one or more of the learning processes
associated with language use (written or spoken) that affects
listening, reading, writing, speaking and spelling skills, or
mathematical abilities.
Learning disabilities are also often
associated with hyperactivity, impairments in perceptual-motor
coordination, disorders of attention (ADHD), impulsivity, disorders
of memory and language problems.
Specific learning
disabilities are Dyslexia or problems with reading,
Discalculia or problems with mathematical calculations and
Dysgraphia or problems with writing.
The
Learning Process
Learning happens in stages.
In order to learn new information children must encode
new information, they must be able to integrate it with
existing knowledge, they must store it and finally, in
order to use it, they must be able to retrieve it. All
these stages are susceptible to difficulties that can influence
the learning process.
Encoding
Encoding is
the first stage of learning. This is when children attend to
information and analyse what they see or hear (or smell or touch or
taste). Attention at this stage can shift very quickly and lack
of interest or motivation can greatly influence what
children may or may not learn. Understandably, children with
attentional difficulties, such as ADHD, have difficulty learning new information
simply because they find it hard to pay
attention.
Integration
Integration is part
of the first learning stage. This is when children pay
attention to presented information and hold this information in
their short term or working memory. It can be as simple as
seeing a picture of a possum for the first time and hearing the
word "possum" from a parent or teacher. Let's assume the child might
already knows what a cat is. To this child the possum may look
similar because it is similar in size and shape to the cat and it is
also furry. Despite these similarities, after hearing the word
"possum" and looking at the picture the child is about to learn that
it is a different animal.
Storage
Storage
is the second stage of learning. This is when children really
evaluate new information and categorise it for storage. Rehearsal
and repetition can aid the process of storage and improve learning.
Staying with our earlier example, a child may repeat the word
"possum" to him/herself while still looking at the picture of
the possum. This way he/she is creating mental space
and filling it with this new
information.
Retrieval
Retrieval is
the proof of learning. This is when children begin to use the
information they learned. They must be able to search their memory
storage and make an accurate decision about what is the exact
information they were "looking for". In the case of the possum
example, seeing the picture of the possum a day or two later, a
child may still be tempted to say that it is a cat, but if learning
has taken place he/she will search for the word that fits best with
picture. In our example, the child should remember that it is a
possum.
Diagnostic Assessment of Learning
Disability
The primary
diagnostic criteria of a specific learning disability is a
severe discrepancy between ability and achievement in one or more
academic skill area of oral expression, listening
comprehension, written expression, reading comprehension ,
mathematical calculation or mathematical reasoning. Therefore
the diagnostic process involves the assessment and comparison of
intellectual and academic achievement abilities.
The
comparison of intellectual and achievement abilities serves a dual
purpose. First, a severe discrepancy between ability and
achievement is necessary for the diagnosis of learning disability.
Second, tests of intellectual ability often evaluate mental
processes that are important in learning, such as working memory and
processing speed. If learning disability is detected, it is possible
to further investigate whether one or more areas of cognitive
functioning represent relative weaknesses for a child and related to
the learning difficulty.
What We
Offer
At CPAC we offer reliable diagnoses of
learning difficulties and disabilities. When possible, we try to
identify psychosocial areas in children's lives that may be
responsible for their learning difficulties and will make specific
recommendations to overcome such difficulties. Upon
request we will liaise with teachers and schools and
we will help to design a suitable program for your child to
reach his/her potential.
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