Literature review-Specific learning disability
MEDLINE and CINAHL databases provided relevant articles for this paper. The keywords used to search for necessary journal articles include specific learning disabilities, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or written language (Abbott et al., 2017). This disorder is characterized by a student’s inability to read and think. SLD includes various conditions, such as developmental aphasia, brain injury, and dyslexia. However, SLD excludes problems that are related to economic and emotional disturbances.
Abbott et al. (2017) assert that dyslexia is a specific learning disorder that interferes with student’s ability to read and write. Children who have dyslexia are hardworking in their academic life. They always work smart to ensure that they have achieved their goals in life. However, the research has shown that they experience some difficulties in linking of words and sounds. The study has also shown that 5% of citizens of the United States of America (U.S.A) have symptoms that are related to dyslexia disorder, for example, spelling problems (Abbott et al., 2017). Although the research shows that dyslexia does not affect children’s vision, their reading speed decreases significantly as compared with typical children, therefore affecting their academic life. Dyslexia children experience difficulties in speaking that can be attributed to issues related to word processing. Hereditary factors cause dyslexia, those children born of infected parents have a like hood of contracting the disease. Other than parents, a child can also contract the disorder from other family members. Various parts of the brain are responsible for language processing; therefore, dyslexia stems from it (Abbott et al., 2017). The reading process starts with the identification of a sound that is related to each letter that makes a given work.
Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Afterward, the identified sound are joined together to form words. Then, an individual has to determine the meaning of those words. As stated earlier, dyslexia students have some problems of linking words with sounds; therefore, they can end up mixing letters; for instance, god instead of the dog (Abbott et al., 2017). Therefore, this mixing up of letters make reading to be a complicated process. The severity of dyslexia varies from one child to the other; for example, some children can manage it while it is troublesome to others. Dyslexia is inconsistent; therefore, its characteristics are susceptible to changes from time to time (Norris, Hammond, Williams & Walker, 2020). In general, students with dyslexia can exhibit the following characteristics daydreaming, talented in building, and careless. While reading, children feel a headache as well as a stomachache.
Regarding reading and vision, they spell inconstantly, lack peripheral vision, and vision difficulties. Other than vision issues, children with dyslexia also experience hearing problems, such that they are easily destructed, 3hence lowering their concentration as well as focus. Also, they transpose phrases when reading (Abbott et al., 2017). Besides, they tend to confuse their left and right hand when writing, which is usually referred to as ambidexterity.
Additionally, dyslexia students experience difficulties in time management; therefore, they can arrive to class either very early or late (Abbott et al., 2017). Concerning mathematics, they depend on various ways, such as counting fingers so that they can perform some computations. Dyslexia children experience some difficulties in writing answers on the paper. Still, on Mathematics, it’s also an issue for dyslexia children to count objects. Regarding memory, they have long-term memory; therefore they are able to remember activities that took place a long time ago (Abbott et al., 2017). However, children with dyslexia have poor memory, especially when there is a new event or situation that has never happened before throughout their lifetime. Feelings help them in thinking, while typical children think with words and their corresponding sounds. In school, dyslexia children tend to exhibit unacceptable behavior, such as being too quiet most of the time. While dyslexia signs vary from one child to the other, some of them are trouble-makers. Emotional stress increases the severity of dyslexia in children (Abbott et al., 2017). Other than emotional stress, they are also affected by other pressures in life. Besides, they are selective, therefore, sensitive to some foods.
Apart from dyslexia conditions, Audio Processing Disorder (APD) is also another disorder that is associated with specific learning disabilities. Children with APD experience a lot of difficulties to distinguish between sounds in words (Abbott et al., 2017). This situation worsens when the sound of words is related in one way or the other. For example, when a person, “the sun is rising from the East to the West.” This statement is challenging for APD children, and they could hear it as, “the sun is hazing from the East to the West.”
On the contrary to Dyslexia, APD children have a better understanding of words; but the main problem is hearing words. APD is not only in children but also in adults (Abbott et al., 2017). The research has revealed that the percentage of children with APD ranges from 2% to 7%. However, the study has also indicated that boys are vulnerable to it as compared to girls. APD children require some guidance and assistance; therefore, teachers need to provide the necessary support to them. The scientists have linked APD to other SLD disorders, such as dyslexia. The parents should be keen observant so that they can know if the child is having APD (Pullen, Lane, Ashworth & Lovelace, 2017).
Regarding signs and symptoms, a child may have difficulties in following conversations. On the contrary to dyslexia, a child has no problem of understanding non-verbal forms of communication (Abbott et al., 2017). Besides, it is difficult for APD children to explain what they think to other people, such as teachers, parents, and even their fellow peers. Therefore, making it hard for them to take part actively in group discussions. APD children take a longer time to process their ideas as compared to typical children, hence lowering their academic performance as a result (Norris et al., 2020).
Furthermore, they also tend to misunderstand puns and figurative languages, such as similes. This misunderstanding makes them understand the literal meaning of symbolic expressions rather than thinking outside the box and unravel their inner meanings. Moreover, they also misinterpret oral directions; therefore, they may perform tasks differently. Like dyslexia, they are also too engrossed (Abbott et al., 2017).
Although exact causes of APD are not known, the scientists have linked it to illness, such as meningitis. Other possible causes include head injury and genetic factors (Norris et al., 2020). The research has revealed that they are some effective measure that can be undertaken by teachers and parents to support APD children; instance, teachers should use visual cues to explain ideas (Norris et al., 2020). Other than visual cues, teachers and students need also to decipher confusing sentences, therefore enhancing understanding of APD children. Additionally, confusion can also be avoided by teaching APD children synonyms and antonyms. Last but not least, teachers should allow children to take some time before they can respond to questions asked (Abbott et al., 2017).
Besides, Pullen et al. (2020) argue that dyscalculia is also another disorder that is related to SLD. Genes and hereditary factors may cause it. Like ASD, dyscalculia also makes it difficult for students to understand mathematics symbols as well as counting (Pullen et al., 2017). The research has revealed that it is also hard for children with dyscalculia to share their thoughts with other people. The signs and symptoms of dyscalculia condition include difficulties in handling money and math processes. Also, students who have the disorder tend to misunderstand information about seasons that take place at a specific time of the year or month as well. Besides, it also hard for them to recognize and interpret patterns (Pullen et al., 2017). However, the disorder can be prevented by taking into consideration several measures, such as explaining concepts by the use of diagrams and providing necessary support to the affected children. Moreover, mathematics teachers should adopt teaching methods, such as using mnemonic devices as well as music, to explain steps for solving a particular mathematical problem (Pullen et al., 2017). These methods are appropriate for children who have dyscalculia disorders.
Other than dyscalculia, dysgraphia disorder is also associated with specific learning disabilities (Pullen et al., 2017). This disorder is characterized by illegible handwriting as well as poor spelling.
Although causes of dyscalculia remain unknown, its possible causes include; working memory and disorientation. The affected children experience a lot of difficulties in taking notes. The students with dysgraphia are characterized by cursive writing, even though they are given a longer time for taking down notes (Pullen et al., 2017). Still, on writing issues, they also experience inconsistencies in writing; for example, irregular sizes of letters.
Furthermore, omitting words is also another symptom associated with dyscalculia; therefore, the research has revealed that this omission has lowered students’ understanding when reading their notes. In addition to omitting words, there is also a problem with unfinished words. Following these developments, it is a real nightmare for those children to understand various topics; there is a like hood of failing (Pullen et al., 2017). Last but not least, the affected children perceive writing as a labor intensive activity.
However, the previous research on dysgraphia has revealed that the disorder can be prevented by using word processors. Other than the word processors, the teacher should also avoid chastising affected students when they have done shoddy work (Pullen et al., 2017). This measure is attributed to the fact that chastising affecting students may increase complications in their conditions. Besides, the assignments can be given to students in the form of video and audio to provide more insight on written assignments. Lastly, the use of graph papers is also vital. Therefore, the outlined measures will ease the situation when following correctly (Pullen et al., 2017).
Furthermore, dyspraxia is also a condition that is associated with a specific learning disability (Pullen et al., 2017). Despite not a learning disability, it exists alongside other SLD disorders, such as dyslexia. Difficulties in movement and coordination characterize children having dyspraxia, thus impacting negatively on their academic life. The exact causes of dyspraxia are unknown; however, the current literature states that it can be caused by brain damage (Abbott et al., 2017). The signs and symptoms of this disorder include poor posture, which makes affected children to stumble. Also, affected children experience significant problems in motor planning. Besides, they are distressed by several events and situations, such as a clock ticking.
Furthermore, they tend to experience some issues while performing motor skills such as pasting neatly. However, dyspraxia disorder can be controlled by maintaining a significant distance with affected children. Additionally, enhancing a conducive environment for learning is also another important measure that can be taken into consideration (Abbott et al., 2017).
Last but not least, developmental aphasia is a disorder that is characterized by communication difficulties in children (Abbott et al., 2017). This disorder is caused by brain damage. It also limits their ability to understand various forms of verbal and nonverbal communication. The severity of aphasia is determined by the extent to which the brain is damaged (Pullen et al., 2017). There following are some of the symptoms of developmental aphasia; speaking incomplete sentences that do not make sense, mixing of words during communication, and poor understanding of conversations. There are different types of developmental aphasia, for example, fluent and global. However, a person should seek medical assistance when he starts to experience difficulties in speaking as well as word recall (Pullen et al., 2017). Development aphasia results in communication issues among children. The research has indicated that these issues contribute immensely to depression and relationship problems.
Generally, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) entails the following disorders; developmental aphasia, dyslexia and dyscalculia, among others. SLD characteristics include the following; academic problems, reading difficulties, and information processing issues. It has lowered the academic achievement of the affected children. Other than performance, it also impacts their attention, metacognition, and perception. SLD is dynamic, thus susceptible to changes from time to time. Therefore, scientists need to continue researching this area and come up with successful interventions.
References
Abbott, R., Mickail, T., Richards, T., Renninger, K. A., Hidi, S. E., Beers, S., & Berninger, V.
(2017). Understanding interest and self-efficacy in the reading and writing of students with persisting specific learning disabilities during middle childhood and early adolescence. International journal of educational methodology, 3(1), 41-64.
Norris, M., Hammond, J., Williams, A., & Walker, S. (2020). Students with specific learning
disabilities experiences of pre-registration physiotherapy education: a qualitative study. BMC Medical Education, 20(1), 1-11.
Pullen, P. C., Lane, H. B., Ashworth, K. E., & Lovelace, S. P. (2017). Specific learning
disabilities. Handbook of Special Education, 2nd ed.; Kauffman, JM, Pullen, PC, Eds, 286-299.
