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Part I. 1) What is a Learning Disability?

A Learning Disability is a disorder in which a person, child or adult, has difficulty processing information in any of several areas. These areas may be: reading, math, writing, speaking, listening, or reasoning skills. They may have processing difficulties across the board, in one or two areas, or in a single area. Learning Disabilities fall into two categories, verbal or non-verbal. One does not outgrow a Learning Disability, they are life-long; but with proper help and teaching one can learn to manage it, learn successfully and even be high achievers.

IDEA's Definition of "Learning Disability"

Our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, defines a specific learning disability as . . .

". . . a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia."

However, learning disabilities do not include, "...learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage." 34 Code of Federal Regulations §300.7(c)(10)

2) How do individuals with learning disabilities process information?

People with Learning Disabilities process information from different and or multiple perspectives. This often makes it difficult for them when they are asked to think or work "traditionally". Though studies have been done attempting to reveal exactly how a Learning Disabled person's brain processes information as compared to the brain of a student who does not have a Learning Disability, there is still no clear answer. We do know that the processing of information is inefficient from "the sensory input source to the brain and then back out."2

What are the challenges related to how these individuals process information?

A.Reading:

1. Processing difficulties produce slow reading rates or difficulty in modifying their reading rate to match the level of difficulty of the material

2. There is a marked difference between comprehension and retention of read material

3. Difficulty with main points, ideas and themes

4. Difficulty integrating new vocabulary, incomplete mastery of phonics and confusion of similar words

5. Tendency to skip words or lines in text

6. Difficulty with sustained reading

B. Writing:

1. Difficulty with topic planning and organizing thoughts on paper

2. Has difficulty mastering grammar and sentence structure

3. Frequent mis-spellings

4. Difficulty with effective proofreading and revisions

5. Slow written production and poor penmanship

6. Compositions are often quite short

7. Difficulty or inability to copy correctly from a book or off the blackboard

C. Oral Language Skills:

1. Difficulties with concentration on and comprehension of spoken language especially when presented rapidly.

2. Difficulty with oral presentation of concepts that they seem to understand

3. Difficulty using grammatically correct English when speaking

4. Difficulty in discussing or following conversations about unfamiliar ideas

5. Trouble sequencing stories in proper order

6. Difficulty following oral or written directions

D. Math Skills:

1. Difficulty mastering basic facts

2. Reversal or confusion of numbers ( i.e. 456 to 654 or 564)

3. Confusion of operations esp. + and x.

4. Copying problems incorrectly from one line to another ( See. #7. of Writing)

5. Difficulty recalling sequence of operations

6. Difficulty comprehending word problems

7. Difficulty with comprehension of key concepts and applications involved in aiding problem solving.

E. Organization and Study Skills

1. Difficulty with effective organization.

2. Difficulty with time management

3. Slow to start or complete tasks

4. Repeated tendency, day-to-day, to exhibit an inability to remember what has been taught

5. Difficulty with chart and graph interpretation

6. Lacks organization skill in note-taking

7. Difficulty learning to use library and reference materials efficiently

8. Difficulty preparing for and taking tests

F. Attention and Concentration

1. Difficulty with sustained and focused attention to academic tasks

2. Fluctuating attention span

3. Easily distracted by outside stimuli

4. Difficulty multi-tasking, becomes overloaded quickly

5. Hyperactivity may accompany distractibility

G. Social Skills

1. Some children and adults with Learning Disabilities have accompanying social skills problems due to difficulty interpreting social cues. These include an inability to detect the difference between sincere and sarcastic tone of voice as well as other changes in tone. This is similar to a person with visual perception problems being unable to tell the difference between "b" and "d". Problems interpreting these social cues lead to lowered self-esteem and difficulty meeting people and working cooperatively in groups.

H. Psychological Barriers

In a list published by Brown University, the following Psychological characteristics of learning disabilities had been found amongst it's students:

1. "It's hard to begin writing a paper, because it takes so long to get focused and get thoughts organized."

2. "Feeling lazy, stupid, or ashamed be of the difficulty doing tasks which come so easily to others (low self-esteem)."

3. "Feeling constantly behind regardless of the amount of effort applied or learning achieved."

4. " Feeling that your own work is infantile or crude or otherwise not as good as that of others, and that your output does not reflect the complexity of your thinking."

5. " Frustrated by unsuccessful attempts to read, write, spell, and speak correctly."

6. " Feeling as if you are "faking" your education: people say you are smart, but you don't genuinely feel this is true even though you may be getting good grades."

7. "Anxious about deadlines"

8. "Fear of filling out forms and applications and using the telephone."

9."Isolation: fear of not being understood."

10."Intensified self-consciousness and stress because of your other problems."3

References

1. . Accessed. February, 21 2010 (General Infomation About Learning Disabilities; Havorford College)

2. . Accessed February 21, 2010 (Questions and Answers About Learning Disabilities, 2008)

3. . Accessed February 20, 2010.(IDEA, 2010)

Part 2: Identify a student who has a learning disability and answer the following questions: (1) In which academic areas does the student struggle? (2) In which academic areas does the student have strengths? (3) How does the student's disability influence the ability to socially interact with others (social skills)

LEARNING DISABILITY

STUDENT OBSERVATION FORM

Student: ___Kevin Baker_________________ Grade: ___1_____ Date: _2-21-2010____

Teacher: _____Abernathy____________________ Observer: ___________________________

Activity: ______________________________ Time Observed: ______________________

Area of academic concern:

[ ] Oral expression [X] Listening Comprehension [ ] Written Expression [X] Basic Reading Skill [X]Visual Dysfunction [X] Reading Fluency [X] Reading Comprehension [ ] Math Calculations [ ] Math Problem Solving

Check any that apply:

Appearance Effort/Motivation

Describe: __ Tries Hard

Arrives neat and clean X_ Gives up easily

__ Careless in work

__ Eager to please

Level of Activity __ Hesitant to begin working

X_ Hyperactive __ Apathetic/Indifferent

__ Appropriate __ Works at reasonable pace

__ Lethargic/Tired X_ Works slowly

`

Attention Relationship with peers

__ Listens to instructions __ Works/plays alone

__ Understands directions X Participates in group activities

__ Does not understand directions __ Interacts well with others

__ Able to stay on task X_ Hitting, poking, distracting peers

X Easily distracted __ Initiates social interaction

__ Begins work __ Waits for others to initiate

__ Able to work independently __ Avoids peer interaction

__ Understands concepts presented

X_ Does not understand concepts Temperament

__ Happy

Relationship with teacher __ Depressed/withdrawn

X Cooperative __ Angry/hostile

__ Withdrawn __ Anxious

X Seeks attention __ Daydreams

X_ Needs individual attention __ Confused

X Refuses follow instructions X Easily upset

Describe how the observed behavior(s) relate to the area(s) of difficulty:

Kevin's behavior fluctuates between cooperative and uncooperative, attention seeking and at times even bordering on hostile toward his peers. This greatly affects the teaching environment of the classroom as well as making his own learning progress unsteady at best. It also has a deleterious effect on his relationship with his peers as they are forever uncertain as to what his reaction to them will be at any given moment. This makes it very difficult for him to make and keep friends.

Part 3: Identify one academic area in which the student who you selected in part 2 struggles. (1) Choose one skill you will teach the student using a learning strategy. The strategy must be generalizable and have less than seven steps.

Chosen area: Reading Comprehension

Strategy: Explicit Comprehension Routine

It incorporates three steps:) concept (2) listening (3) reading

In this routine, the teacher models a comprehension of strategy at each of three levels: concept listening and reading.

(2) Write a lesson plan following these steps based on Hunter's Essential Elements of Instruction (EEI)model:

1) Objectives

Student will demonstrate his ability to infer from text read by responding appropriately to questions asked about the passages.

Prerequisite skills: Student possesses the ability to recognize patterns; students ability and reading comprehension is weak

1. Concept:

A. Develop the concept of inferencing using concrete examples "Today you're going to learn to infer, inferring is kind of like smart guessing. What might happen or what might have happened". Say, "Look outside, is the sun shining? Is it a little cloudy? What do these things indicate the weather's likely to be in a few hours?"

B. Discuss how he arrived at his answer. (Important information gained by looking outside, prior knowledge used, logic). Tell him that this process is called inferencing.

2) Set/Hook

Anticipatory Set:

Show student a nicely wrapped gift box or bag suitable for a birthday party. Explain that there is a surprise inside that you would like him to guess. And that one of the stories you will read today is about a birthday party and a little boy just like him trying to guess what's in his presents.

Affects: Comprehension

3) Standards/Expectations

AL Reading Standand # 1026

4) Teaching

Four step instructional process

Walk student through a scenario which requires inferencing this time using a modeling approach.

1. Watch how I do it [modeling]

2. You help me do it (or we do it together) [together]

3. I'll watch you do it or praise, prompt and leave [guided practice]

4. You do it alone [independent practice].

2. Listening:

-Read aloud a short paragraph that will require student to infer. Model for student the process of inferring. Check for understanding.

-Read aloud a similar paragraph. Tell student "This time I want you to help me figure it out." Run through a process of inferring with student. Ensure that you check for understanding.

-Read aloud a third paragraph that will require student to infer. Say "listen to this paragraph and tell what happened about Mr. Lind's appointment."

"Mr. Lind had only 15 minutes to make his appointment. He hurried from his office and pushed the elevator button, but the elevator didn't come. Finally after some nervous moments of waiting, it arrived. Down the forty-two floors and out into the parking garage he ran and as he got into his car, he noticed it was leaning to the right. He got out and went to the other side to find a flat tire. Mr. Lind looked at his watch and saw that he had five minutes and 8 miles to go."

-Encourage and prompt student to recall the purpose for listening to this passage: "What happened about Mr. Lind' s appointment." Note that because of all the problems, he was likely to be late. Discuss student's responses. If he has difficulty with this process, provide more models using a think-aloud and repeat the process using several additional examples.

5) Guided Practice

3. Reading

Read aloud the story "What was Grant's Surprise", which will require student to infer. Say " Read this story with me and think about what might be in the packages his friends have for him." If necessary, again model the use of inferring with a think-aloud. Use the gift-wrapped box in your examples. (i.e Interest/Motivation/)

6) Closure

Allow student to hold gift box or bag. Explain that just as Grants', gifts held things that he liked, this gift holds something that the student likes. From this statement have the student attempt to infer things that might be in the box. Set a limited amount of time, perhaps two minutes before allowing the student to open the box and look inside for his reward.

(3) Implement the lesson plan with the student and provide, in written form, a reflection with regard to effectiveness of the strategies. Also, please include a reflection indicating what you would do the same/different if you were to use this strategy again.

Printed below is a Reading/Writing Activity that was done in-group. We read the story “A surprise for Grant" as the end story in a lesson on inferring. The story is about a child who sees his friends walking around town with packages. Even though they have been seen, they manage to keep it secret from Grant that they know it is his birthday and have something planned for him that evening.

We discussed and brainstormed what might be in the packages his friends had. (Their contents are not revealed in the story). Instructions were to write in at least 3 sentences what you thought might have been in the packages.

He does very well in identifying what he thinks are in the packages. Rick was his favorite character in the story because they had the same color hair, thus he added the detail about Rick. He seems to have done quite well grasping the concept of inferring by the end of the lesson.

Reflection

Though in the end Kevin seemed to respond positively to the lesson his attention wandered a great deal during it. Due to this I might try to omit a middle story in a future lesson to make the lesson a more manageable time length for him. He responded very positively to the "hook" of the wrapped present and that is what helped bring his attention back in every time. I would continue to use similar motivational devices with him.

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