The paper written by https://freshessay.net/personal-statement-writing-service/ provides the analogy between the notions ‘learning disorder’ and ‘learning disability.’ It also defines three major classes of learning disorders and seven subclasses of learning disabilities. In addition, major symptoms and the causes of learning disorder occurrence were subjected to thorough analysis. Some methods of intervention are presented in order to provide the complete analysis of the issue under investigation. The scientific literature and statistics data were accessed, analyzed, and systematized in coherent arguments. As a result, it has been found that some children may suffer from one or few learning disorders which impede learning and social skills. Most learning disorders develop throughout pregnancy and cannot be treated completely. However, these disorders can be controlled by means of specific interventions.
Classification and Historical Background
‘Learning disorder’ and ‘learning disability’ are considered to be interrelated notions. The term ‘learning disorder’ means any neurodevelopment disorder that interferes with the learning of social or academic skills. Learning disorders include a range of possible causes, symptoms, and interventions. These disorders may show up in lots of forms. Therefore, it is difficult to diagnose the causes and remedy that can cure them. Learning disorders are considered to be one of the most debated and the least understood disabling conditions that negatively influence children. These disorders (intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, developmental coordination disorder, language impairment, speech sound disorder, attention hyperactivity/deficit disorder) frequently develop in combination with educational disabilities. The educational disabilities include seven specific areas: listening, speaking, basic reading skills, reading comprehension, written expression, mathematic calculation and reasoning (Pennington, 2009). These disabilities are inherent and often co-occur in various combinations.
The investigation of learning disorders was triggered by two major needs. Firstly, to understand individual differences among children and adults who demonstrated specific deficits in written or spoken language while maintaining integrity in general intellectual functioning. Secondly, to provide proper services to these people who were not adequately served by the general educational system. Physicians firstly investigated general strengths and specific weaknesses pattern in learning in the 20th century.
Although the clinical investigations conducted during the first half of the 20th century confirmed the existence of learning disorders, such information had no impact on public school policies until the 1960th. However, parents and educators expressed their concerns that some children had learning handicaps that were not accommodated effectively by the common educational practices. As a result, special educational services were provided to children with learning disorders. Therefore, prevalence of the learning disorder identification has eventually increased.
Some scientist claimed that the recognized 5 percent prevalence rate is based on incorrect definitions. Others argued that all children scoring below 25th percentile on a standardized reading test may have reading disability. Concerning written expression, scientists estimated that the prevalence rate is 8-10 percent of the school population. Investigations also indicated that almost 7 percent of children have difficulties in math (Swanson, 2009).
There are no universally accepted tests or standards for identifying people with learning disorders. Clinical criteria and federal regulations do not provide particular values or formulas to evaluate discrepancy objectively. Therefore, a person can be identified as having a learning disorder in one district but not in another one due to the differences in the discrepancy measurement. Lots of schools cannot identify students with learning disabilities until they are reading well below a grade level. For the first time, it usually happens in the third or the fourth grade. By this time, the children have already experienced a few years of the common attendant problems of diminished motivation, inadequate acquisition of the learning material, and low self-esteem.
The longer children with learning disabilities go without identification, the more difficult the remediation becomes. Scientists strongly suggest that children at risk for reading failure must be identified before the age of nine. Numerous investigations found that the children whose disability in reading was identified in later period continued to read in the lowest quality until the high school years. Moreover, the longer a person is faced with failure in reading, the greater is the probability that the behavioral difficulties will arise.
Learning problems must have a negative impact on the person’s academic success in order to be recognized as learning disorders. In other words, students with learning disorders are those whose achievements in reading, writing, or mathematics fall below the expected grade level. However, a great number of children with learning disorders have high intelligence. Reading disorder, written expression disorder, and mathematics disorder are three major types of learning disorders frequently associated with learning disabilities that often co-occur with emotional or behavioral disorders.
If children manifest attention deficit disorder and disabilities in reading at the same time, their reading deficits are more severe and resistant to intervention. Children with the reading disorder read slower and confuse similar words. Students who show learning disabilities in writing expression have poor handwritten skills because of difficulties in spelling, grammar, syntax, formulation, and expression of ideas. People diagnosed as manifesting learning disabilities in mathematics may demonstrate deficits both in mathematic calculation and reasoning (Mapou, 2009).
Causes of Learning Disorders Occurrence
Some scientists claim that all learning disabilities may be caused by a neurological problem. Others believe that the causes are more complex and diverse. New surveys provided the evidence that most learning disabilities derive from disturbances in brain functions and structures. Psychologist believe that, in majority cases, the disturbance begins before birth.
In the course of pregnancy, the fetal brain develops into a complex organ made out of neurons. Brain stem forms in the early stages of pregnancy. Brain development of fetus is vulnerable to any disruptions during the early stages of pregnancy. In case of late disruption, it may cause errors in the cell makeup, connection, or location. Some scientists claim that these errors may later manifest as learning disorders.
Sometimes learning disabilities frequently occurs in a particular family. This fact indicates a genetic predisposition to the learning disorders. In fact, lots of learning difficulties stem from the family environment. For instance, the children who lack reading skills such as identification of separate word sounds are likely to have a parent with the same problem. Parents with expressive language disorders talk less to their children or their language may be distorted. As a result, children lack a good model for language acquiring. In addition, a parent’s learning disability may manifest itself in a slightly different form in the child. For example, a parent with a writing disorder may have a child with an expressive language disorder. Therefore, learning disorders are usually not inherited directly.
Scientists found that mothers’ use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs during pregnancy may have damaging effects on the fetus. Heavy alcohol consumption triggers fetal alcohol syndrome. It can lead to intellectual impairment, physical defects, and hyperactivity. In fact, any alcohol consumption throughout pregnancy may lead to problems with learning, memory, attention, and problem solving in children. Pregnant mothers who smoke may give birth to small newborns that tend to be at risk for learning disorders and other problems. Children with some learning disabilities have difficulty understanding letters and speech sounds due to faulty receptors. Scientists believe that the drug abuse is a possible cause of receptor damage.
Complications during pregnancy also belong to the possible causes of learning disabilities development. Sometimes the mother’s immune system may react to the fetus as to infection and attack it. As a result, such disruption causes settlement of newly formed brain cells in the wrong brain part. Twisted umbilical cord during delivery may temporarily cut off oxygen to the fetus. This complication also impairs brain functions and leads to the development of learning disorders (Swanson, 2009).
Identification of Learning Disabilities
The first signs of learning disorders are persistent difficulties in writing, reading, and arithmetic. Parents and classroom teachers must observe these difficulties as soon as possible in order to resort to particular interventions. However, sometimes learning disabilities of polite and quiet children may go unnoticed. This can happen if these children manage to maintain passing grades despite their disabilities. Nevertheless, children with learning disorders have specific needs. Therefore, public schools must provide specials programs.
Each type of learning disorder is examined in a slightly different way. If a speech therapist needs to diagnose language and speech disorders, he or she must test the student’s pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and compare them to the skills seen in other children of that age. Academic development in reading, writing, and math is evaluated through tests Hearing and vision are also tested to rule out auditory and vision problems. In addition, specialists check the school attendance for the purpose of thorough analysis (Mapou, 2009). Correct diagnosis increases the probability of applying the early intervention. Help may be needed on a variety of fronts: medical, educational, practical, and emotional.
After assessing the strengths and weaknesses, the specialists design an Individualized Educational Program. The program outlines the skills that a person needs to develop and learning activities that build on his or her strengths. For instance, in learning to spell words, a person may be asked to read, write, and spell new words. Specialists believe that the more senses are used in learning a skill, the higher are chances to retain it (Pennington, 2009). Consequently, a person may also be asked to write the words on sand since it engages the sense of touch.
Effects of learning disorders can make impact on both a child and family. In some cases, a child with learning disabilities is recognized as an emotional burden for the family. Parents may feel a range of negative emotions, such as guilt, blame, anger, despair, and frustration. Sisters or brothers may be jealous of all the attention the sibling with learning disorder gets. In such cases, counseling is very helpful to children with learning disorders and their family because good relationships and self-esteem are as worth developing as any academic skill.
References
Mapou, R. L. (2009). Disabilities and ADHD: Research-informed assessment. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Inc.
Pennington, B. F. (2009). Diagnosing learning disorders: A neuropsychological framework (2nd ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Swanson, H. L. (2009). Learning disabilities: Theoretical and research issues. New York, NY: Routledge.
