CH. 7

• learning disability: has an average or above average IQ level, but not achieving at expected age and ability

  • adaptive skills are in tact unlike ID
• A severe discrepancy is present between a child’s achievement and potential in one or more of the following areas:

  • Oral expression
  • Listening comprehension
  • Written expression
  • Basic reading skills
  • Reading comprehension
  • Mathematics calculation
  • Mathematic reasoning
• When having a learning disability, the student doesnt respond to what strategy?

  response to intervention (RTI)
• COMMON COMPONENTS OF DEFINITIONS OF LD:

  1. intellectual functioning within normal range
  2. significant gap or discrepancy btwn a student's assumed potential and actual achievement
  3. cognitive processing deficits
  4. inference that LD aren't primarily caused by other disabilities or extrinsic factors
  5. difficulty in learning in one or more academic areas
  6. lifelong condition
• PREVALENCE OF LD:

  • largest category of students with disabilities
  • thee federal gov suggested that about 2.33 million students age 6 to 21 were identified with LD (is now decreasing)
  • 1/3 students with a LD are male
  • strong correlation btwn lefties having a LD
• ETIOLOGY OF LD:

  • acquired trauma
  • prenatal
  • perinatal
  • postnatal
  • genetic/hereditary influence
  • biochemical abnormalities
  • environmental possibilities
• which etiology has the biggest influence for an LD?

  genetic/hereditary
• characteristics of LD:

  • over half of students with a LD have difficulty in reading
  • about 25-40% of students with a LD display characteristics of ADHD
  • social and emotional problems
  • about 1 in 4 students with a LD have difficulty in math
• ADHD disorder --> A disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity
• what are some possible social and emotional problems with LD?

  • lower self-esteem
  • poor self-concept
  • difficulty understanding & interpreting social cues and social situations
  • difficulty making and maintaining friendships and relationships
• ASSESSMENT OF LD:

  • IDEA requires a multidisciplinary evaluation:
  • Tests are administered by trained professionals
  • Tests are reliable and valid
  • Tests are not discriminatory
  • Tests are administered in the student’s native language
  • A single measure cannot be used to determine eligibility
• ASSESSMENT DECISIONS OF LD:

  • Assessments are conducted to determine if a severe discrepancy exists btwn the child’s potential and achievement
  • Discrepancies formulas and eligibility vary by state
  • Issues with use discrepancy formula as the sole assessment basis calls for alternative strategies
  • States have the option to use a discrepancy model to determine eligibility or they may implement RTI strategies
• RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RTI)

  • *An alternative way of identifying students with a possible LD
  • Involves the use of evidence-based or scientifically validated instructional practices and frequent and systematic assessment of the individual’s performance, known as progress monitoring
  • Students who do not meet with success with intensive interventions may have a LD
  • Provides instructional support without waiting for a special education label
  • Testing in beginning and end of year to catch anyone falling behind or struggling
• ADDITIONAL TERMS TO KNOW:

  Norm-referenced assessment

  • Comparison to scores of a normal group
  • Could be compared to the grade-level or age group

  Criterion-referenced assessment

  • Measuring an ability to meet a certain criterion
  • Ex. grade system of letter grades for a class to count as credit

  Curriculum-based assessment

  • Tested on criteria of things they have been taughT

  Portfolio assessment

  • Collecting samples from throughout the year to see how they have progressed
  • Often used in place of other assessments when having an ID
• EDUCATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS - INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES

  Cognitive training

  • Help students learn new ways to complete tasks and think about their learning

  Direct instruction

  • Teacher-directed lessons that provide step-by-step explicit instruction

  Mnemonic strategies

  • Aids with recall by creating an association that is easily remembered

  Learning strategies

  • Teach students how to learn, how to approach or attack it
• WHAT IS THE BEST AND MOST USEFUL INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH FOR SOMEONE WITH A LD?

  direct instruction