About Learning DifficultiesWhen trying to understand Learning Difficulties or Disabilities that children at school, or adults in everyday life may be experiencing, it can be difficult to put your finger on exactly what is happening.Below, we try to provide an insight into the main behaviours to look for. It is worth noting that many of these do overlap, which is why they are referred to under the Learning Difficulties/Disabilities category.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent wording reading and spelling.
Please read the click on the following link for a more comprehensive explanation:
Visual Processing Disorder
The inability to easily process visual information such as letters or numbers. For example, a person with this disability may reverse letters and numbers or lose their place when they are reading.
Auditory Processing Disorder
The inability to easily process auditory information. For example, a person with this disability would have difficulty understanding information – such as instructions - when presented verbally.They may also mishear one word for another.
Fact: A large percentage of persons with Autism and ADD/ADHD have Auditory Processing Disorder. However, NOT all people with Auditory Processing Disorder are Autistic or have ADD/ADHD.
Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder)
Consists of oral, verbal and motor dyspraxia Oral dyspraxia is having difficulty with making non-speech (words) sounds. For example, they may have difficulty whistling or sucking. Verbal dyspraxia is a speech disorder that makes it difficult for a person to coordinate their lips and tongue when speaking. Motor dyspraxia is a gross and fine motor skills deficit that affects a person’s coordination, making them appear clumsy.
Dyscalculia (Specific Arthrimetic Disorder)
The inability to understand or perform maths-related concepts and activities. For example, word problems and mental arithmetic are difficult for those with this disability.
Dsygraphia
Is a fine motor disability that makes penmanship difficult as they have the inability to properly form letters. For example, a person with dsygraphia may have unreadable writing.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)
A developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to concentrate. This includes uneven levels of concentration, not be able to concentrate, through to over-concentrating or hyper-focusing. There are two recognised types, one is mainly concerned with an inability to stay still, the other, an inability to keep one’s thoughts focussed on a particular topic for an appropriate length of time. Some individuals have both forms.
Symptoms include:
- distractibility
- difficulty with concentration and focus
- short-term memory
- procrastination
- difficulty with organising ideas and belongings
- tardiness
- impulsivity
- weak planning and execution
- obsessive/compulsive behaviours
The Specific Learning Difficulties (SPELD) Association of Victoria
