What is a Learning Disability?

What is a learning disability? How can a learning disability be observed?

Parents often use the word learning disability frequently. For example, a student who cannot make progress in reading or who does not understand the multiplication table despite his efforts may always be considered as learning hard. However, these signs are not sufficient and clear.

Sometimes, children who try hard to hide their difficulties by being ashamed because they have difficulty in doing things that seem easy to other children do not appear.

How can we understand the signs of learning difficulties? ?

Failure to reflect his/her potential

If a student seems to be able to do it but cannot in reality, he/she may have learning difficulties. For example,

• If you are a student who writes great articles but has serious difficulty doing basic math homework or vice versa

• Classroom questions If he is a student who is great at answering but cannot write his opinion on paper

• If he is a student whose intelligence you are sure of but does not reflect his success on his report card

At school Children who are not successful as expected may seem lazy, but they may actually be struggling with a learning disability. Children who seem unable to try are actually trying hard, but they may be failing or trying to hide an embarrassing deficiency.

If you think they have attention problems;

Ask a student. If you need to be constantly reminded of what to do next, you may think that he is not paying attention, but it may be a sign that they have difficulty in holding and processing new information and building new information on old ones. This is a common issue for children with learning disabilities. Signs of concentration to watch for are:

• If she has difficulty following directions – especially when the student hears the information for the first time-

• Frequently daydreaming and if his concentration is impaired

• If it is reported by his teacher that he has difficulty in copying what is written on the board

• If they often have trouble remembering and doing their homework correctly

Students with learning difficulties often try to hide their distress from their teachers, family and peers. Even if they manage to keep up with their schoolwork with the extra effort, it may be taking a toll on their self-esteem. A student may be trying to hide a learning disability while appearing extremely shy during class and withdrawing in group work, sitting in the back row, or doing everything they can to avoid being heard during class.

It can be observed that some students shrink in hopes of not being noticed, while others try to hide their learning difficulties while trying to prove that they are smarter than their peers, making jokes and distracting them as the class's comedian. .

Homework

Missing about forgetting homework can be due to two reasons.

• A child may be embarrassed to hand over incorrect or unfinished work.

• Children who struggle with memory and organizational skills may forget that there is homework to be given.

Every child forgets about their homework once in a while, but if a student routinely doesn't turn in their homework, it's time to take a closer look at what's going on.

Timing issues

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Children with learning difficulties often struggle with time management and organization. These timing issues can cause problems both at school and at home. Time management signs to watch for are:

• Gathering your stuff etc. A child who always takes a 'too long' time to complete tasks.

• Students who spend hours doing homework in the evening and can't finish

• Consistently Students who are late for school – because they can't get together in the morning – or who always rush from one class to the next.

Learning is strong� ü and emotion management

School can be a challenging space for students with learning disabilities. From struggling to keep up with their peers to falling behind on their homework, they can often feel bad about themselves. Signs of emotion management to watch for are:

• Children with learning disabilities often struggle with feelings of shame, embarrassment, and low self-esteem. If a child often seems sad, depressed or irritable, it may be due to an undiagnosed learning disability.

• Children with learning difficulties may develop serious anxiety about school. Especially before going to a specialist, they have a very difficult time when they do not understand why they are keeping up with their peers.

• Children with learning difficulties often struggle with "self-regulation", that is, they have difficulty in managing their emotions. This makes it possible for us to experience emotional outbursts. For example, when asked to try a challenging task, a child may burst into tears and refuse to do it.

Avoiding

Students with learning disabilities often go to great lengths to avoid situations that trigger anxiety or stress. If a child;

• Excessive absences from school

• If she wants to stay "sick" at home on days when there is significant homework

• If she refuses to participate in competitive activities

• If she often feels the urge to go to the bathroom or take care of other things in stressful homework, we can say she avoids it.

If you think your child has a learning disability

Support and encourage.

All Children need love, support and encouragement. Children with learning disabilities, on the other hand, need all these more. The main goal should always be to meet the social and emotional needs of your child in the face of the difficulties he or she will encounter, not to treat the learning disability.

Focus on the positive aspects,

Focusing on the child's positive behaviors at home helps him develop self-confidence. Thus, the child learns how to cope with difficult situations.

Determine learning methods by collaborating with the school.

Each child's area of ​​success or difficulty is different. These differences manifest themselves in the visual, auditory, tactile or kinesthetic (movement) area. Evaluating the area in which the child has developed and acting accordingly helps support. Books, videos or cards can be used for children with strong visual perception. For children with strong auditory perception, it is possible to allow the lecture to be recorded in audio so that they can repeat it at home. For example, for a child who has difficulty in reading numbers in math problems, solutions such as presenting the problems in writing can be increased by evaluating the areas where the child is good.

Encourage children to explore different areas where they can achieve success. (such as music or sports),

Limit your expectations to what they can do.

Asking a child more than they can handle raises the threshold for anxiety. He may be unable to do what he can. His confidence that he will succeed can be shaken.

Most importantly, remember that every child is unique, special and unique.

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