You might have heard this term used, but what does it specifically mean and what are the symptoms? Do you know someone who might have a learning disability?
What Is a Learning Disability?
A learning disability means there is a neurologically based processing problem in the person’s brain. This makes learning difficult. There isn’t a cure for it, but there are many ways to manage it and learn despite the issue. A learning disability doesn’t mean the person is stupid, most people with a learning disability are average or above average intelligence. Here are some of the most common learning disabilities.
Dyslexia
Symptoms of dyslexia can be extremely poor reading comprehension, seeing letters or numbers differently than they are written, and mixing up very small words.
Dysgraphia
Symptoms include difficulty writing and thinking at the same time, illegible handwriting, and poor spatial planning when writing.
Dyscalculia
Symptoms of dyscalculia include difficulty understanding math, difficulty memorizing numbers and having trouble counting.
Auditory Processing Disorder
This is a problem with sounds getting to the brain unchanged. Symptoms include not understanding there is a difference between two different words and judging where a sound is coming from.
ADHD
Symptoms of ADHD include hyperactivity, difficulty paying attention and lack of ability to control one’s own behavior. ADHD is not considered an actual learning disability, but it’s present many times when a learning disability is present.
Tutors Can Help
If you or your child has a learning disability, a tutor educated in working with students with that learning disability can be a big help. By approaching subjects in a way that the learning disabled person can understand, learning becomes easier and even fun. At Lumen Learning Center, many of our tutors are trained to work with students with learning disabilities. Give us a call for a student assessment to evaluate the student and to check for learning disabilities.
