Research: Learning Disabilities Encountered By Children – Dyslexia

A Paper Presented By Mr. Boluwatife S. Oyekunle At Opinions From Africa Research Department (#ResearchwithPet)- During An Online Conference On Learning Disabilities Encountered By Children.

Host – Jidechukwu Angela Nwabueze

INTRODUCTION

Learning disabilities look very different from one child to another. One child may struggle with reading and spelling, while another loves books but cannot understand math.

Still another child may have difficulty understanding what others are saying or communicating out loud. The problems are very different, but they are all learning disorders.

DYSLEXIA

Dyslexia is one of several distinct learning disabilities which is neurological in origin. It is a specific language-based disorder of constitutional origin characterized by difficulties in single-word decoding, usually reflecting insufficient phonological processing abilities. In clear terms, it is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.

Dyslexia is not the result of lack of motivation, sensory impairment, inadequate instructional or environmental opportunities, but may occur together with these conditions. Although dyslexia is life-long, individuals with dyslexia frequently respond successfully to timely and appropriate intervention.

Dyslexia is manifest by variable difficulty with different forms of language, often including, in addition to problems of reading, a conspicuous problem with acquiring proficiency in writing and spelling.

The symptoms of dyslexia may affect many areas of learning and function, and may be described as a specific difficulty in reading, spelling and written language. As it is popularly said, for every effect, there is always a cause. To this, we are tempted to ask “what causes Dyslexia?”

WHAT CAUSES DYSLEXIA?

The exact causes of dyslexia are still not completely clear, but anatomical and brain imagery studies show differences in the way the brain of a person with dyslexia develops and functions. Moreover, most people with dyslexia have been found to have problems with identifying the separate speech sounds within a word and/or learning how letters represent those sounds, a key factor in their reading difficulties.

Dyslexia is not due to either lack of intelligence or desire to learn; with appropriate teaching methods, students with dyslexia can learn successfully.

Dyslexia occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels. People with dyslexia can be very bright. They are often capable or even gifted in areas such as art, computer science, design, drama, electronics, math, mechanics, music, physics, sales, and sports.

In addition, dyslexia runs in families; having a parent or sibling with dyslexia increases the probability that you will also have dyslexia. For some people, their dyslexia is identified early in their lives, but for others, their dyslexia goes unidentified until they get older.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF DYSLEXIA?

The impact that dyslexia has is different for each person and depends on the severity of the condition and the timeliness and effectiveness of instruction or remediation. The core difficulty involves word recognition and reading fluency, spelling, and writing.

Some individuals with dyslexia manage to learn early reading and spelling tasks, especially with excellent instruction, but later experience their most debilitating problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material, and writing essays.

People with dyslexia can also have problems with spoken language, even after they have been exposed to excellent language models in their homes and high quality language instruction in school.

They may find it difficult to express themselves clearly, or to fully comprehend what others mean when they speak. Such language problems are often difficult to recognize, but they can lead to major problems in school, in the workplace, and in relating to other people. The effects of dyslexia reach well beyond the classroom.

(Let’s take a look at some misconceptions about dyslexia)

WHAT MISCONCEPTIONS EXIST REGARDING DYSLEXIA?

There are great misconceptions and myths about dyslexia which make it that much more difficult for someone with dyslexia to receive help and generally be understood. It is a myth that individuals with dyslexia “read backwards.”

Their spelling can look quite jumbled at times not because they read or see words backwards, but because students have trouble remembering letter symbols for sounds and letter patterns in words.

Dyslexia is not a disease and, therefore, there is no cure. With proper diagnosis, appropriate and timely instruction, hard work, and support from family, teachers, friends, and others, individuals who have dyslexia can succeed in school and later as adults.

Individuals with dyslexia do not have a lower level of intelligence.  In fact, more often than not, the complete opposite is true.

The question now is;

HOW IS DYSLEXIA DIAGNOSED?

A comprehensive evaluation typically includes intellectual and academic achievement testing, as well as an assessment of the critical underlying language skills that are closely linked to dyslexia.

These include receptive (listening) and expressive language skills, phonological skills including phonemic awareness, and also a child’s ability to rapidly name letters and names. A child’s ability to read lists of words in isolation, as well as words in context, should also be assessed.

If a profile emerges that is characteristic of readers with dyslexia, an individualized intervention plan should be developed, which should include appropriate accommodations, such as extended time. The testing can be conducted by trained school or outside specialists.

Let’s us take a look at the signs and symptoms of Dyslexia

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DYSLEXIA

It is crucial to be able to recognize the signs of symptoms of dyslexia.  The earlier a child is evaluated, the sooner he or she can obtain the appropriate instruction and accommodations he or she needs to succeed in school.

General problems experienced by people with dyslexia include the following:

1. Learning to speak
2. Learning letters and their sounds
3. Organizing written and spoken language
4. Memorizing number facts
5. Reading quickly enough to comprehend
6. Keeping up with and comprehending longer reading assignments
7. Spelling
8. Learning a foreign language
9. Correctly doing math operations

Some specific signs for elementary aged children may include:

1. Difficulty with remembering simple sequences such as counting to 20, naming the days of the week, or reciting the alphabet.
2. Difficulty understanding the rhyming of words, such as knowing that fat rhymes with cat.
3. Trouble recognizing words that begin with the same sound (for example, bat, bird, baby”, and big all start with (b).
4. Pronunciation difficulties.
5. Trouble easily clapping hands to the rhythm of a song.
6. Difficulty with word retrieval (frequently uses words like “stuff” and “that thing” rather than specific words to name objects).
7. Trouble remembering names of places and people.
8. Difficulty remembering spoken directions.

It is important to note that not all children who have difficulties with these skills have dyslexia. Formal testing of reading, language, and writing skills is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia.

As a tutor, how do you help a child diagnosed of dyslexia?

First, you are meant to be very observant. Observant in the sense that, you will be able to diagnose the particular learning disabilities that the child has. Once this is done, you will have to change your pattern of teaching such child.

You will have to devote special attention and time to the child in question. You can do the following to help such child;

1. Listening to audio books as an alternative to reading.
2. Typing on a computer or tablet instead of writing.
3. Apps that can make learning fun by turning decoding into a game.
4. Using a ruler to help kids read in a straight line, this can help keep them focused.

Another thing that could be done to help a child with dyslexia is that; as a tutor, you identify various students with this challenge, and then a group should be formed.

In this group, every party i.e. parents and tutors of children with dyslexia will be able to interact and discuss on how each person has been helping his or her ward, by so doing, everyone tends to gain new knowledge on how to manage his child that is having the Dyslexia.

Continue reading on Dyscalculia.