Specific learning disorder: what parents need to know

Opinion

By Jenny Demark 

 

Now that the new school year is underway, it is time for parents to get actively involved once again in monitoring their children’s learning. While the majority of students are able to learn information easily and consistently, there is a significant number of students who struggle. One reason for this could be that the student has Specific Learning Disorder. 

 

What is Specific Learning Disorder? 

Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) is when a person has at least average intelligence and yet, despite having received appropriate teaching and support, has very low academic success. This means that the student is performing well below grade level in reading, writing and/or mathematics. 

Between five and 10 per cent of Canadians have SLD. Students with SLD will have significant difficulty in at least one of the following areas: reading accuracy, decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, use of grammar and punctuation, clarity or organization of written expression, number sense, memorization of math facts, calculation fluency and math reasoning. 

Other terms used to describe learning difficulties include: Dyslexia (significant problems with word recognition, decoding, spelling); Dysgraphia (extreme difficulties with handwriting); and Dyscalculia (substantial challenges with processing numerical information, learning math facts or doing fluent calculations). 

 

What causes Specific Learning Disorder? 

SLD is a neurodevelopmental condition. We know that there are specific regions of the brain that may have subtle structural differences as a result of prenatal factors (such as exposure to drugs or alcohol), medical issues (premature birth or severe malnutrition, for example), or genetics. SLD definitely runs in families – a student with SLD has a 50-per-cent chance of having other family members with SLD. 

Every student with SLD has an underlying processing difference that explains why they are having difficulty learning. These differences can be in: 

  • Phonological processing – identifying and manipulating speech sounds 
  • Working memory – remembering and manipulating information for a short period of time 
  • Visual-motor integration – coordinating visual information with hand movements 
  • Processing speed – speed and accuracy of understanding information and making decisions 
  • Executive functioning – planning, organizing, regulating attention, regulating emotion, motivation, etc. 

 

How can parents support a student with Specific Learning Disorder? 

  1. Know your child’s profile. SLDs are identified by psychologists through comprehensive psycho-educational assessment, at the end of which you should have a good understanding of your child’s unique pattern of strengths and weaknesses. Once you know this, find ways to use their strengths to compensate for their weaknesses. For example, if your child has strong verbal memory, use songs, rhymes and/or verbal mnemonics to help them learn. Or if your child has strong visual memory, use flashcards, drawings and/or manipulatives to promote their academic skills. And be sure to nurture non-academic strengths (such as sports, coding, music, art, drama, etc.) so that your child can shine outside of the classroom. 
  1. Keep in mind that learning is very hard work for students with SLD. Some students may seem unmotivated to work hard on academic tasks, but this is probably due to feeling discouraged and/or misunderstood rather than being lazy or uninterested. As parents, we must find the balance of pushing our children forward but at a pace that they can tolerate. An overwhelmed, exhausted or unwilling student cannot learn. Use praise and rewards generously for your child’s effort on learning tasks, not on the outcome. And make learning activities as fun as possible.  Think scavenger hunts versus worksheets to work on reading comprehension, for example. 
  1. Watch out for behavioural or emotional challenges. If your child is engaging in disruptive behaviour in the classroom, they could be doing so to try to hide or compensate for an underlying SLD. Some students would rather look “bad” than “stupid.” For older students, watch for issues with self-esteem, anxiety and depression. In every case, help teachers to connect with and understand your child. Work together to build your child’s co-operation, confidence and willingness to learn. A key goal is for all students to feel like valued members of the school community. 

Students with SLDs are often bright, creative, hard-working, resilient, warm and fun people. They can learn and they want to learn, they just learn differently from others. To discover more about SLD, check out these websites:  

 

Jenny Demark, Ph.D., C.Psych., is a psychologist who lives in the Glebe and works nearby. 

Share this