Everyone knows the truth - education is a value. The second truth - every person is valuable. Learning disabilities seriously limit the educational process. The third truth - information helps to solve difficulties and problems. In this section we will combine three truths - education, a person with learning disabilities and information.
A person is born with his genetic code. Each person has his own health advantages and also his own difficulties. Acceptance and a positive attitude are important.
Learning disabilities are based on different perception and processing of information in the brain, these disorders are related to neurobiology.
Learning disabilities can manifest as problems with listening, thinking, speaking, writing, spelling, arithmetic, or behavioral hyperactivity and hypoactivity.
Learning disorders are divided into dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome (according to ISK-10 classification). Each of them has its own characteristics and, of course, recommendations. We will look at them below. Sometimes there are people with mixed learning disabilities that make it difficult to give them the right support. In such cases, specialists cooperate and seek suitable recommendations. A person with a learning disability most often has high or average cognitive abilities and talents. A learning disability persists throughout life, it is not laziness or low motivation.
All learning disabilities have a common procedure to diagnose the type of learning disability:
1) Cooperation with the child and family, taking an anamnesis;
2) Pedagogical and psychological observations;
3) Medical research (neurology, encephalogram vision, hearing, etc.);
4) Research of the cognitive and emotional sphere (psychologist);
5) Speech therapy research (audio speech therapist);
6) Research of the special pedagogue;
7) Established team of support specialists, regular cooperation;
8) Development of an individual support plan;
9) Continuous cooperation with the child and parents;
10) Preparation of recommendations to provide support;
11) Make observations, recommendations in dynamics;
12) After one year, make adjustments and corrections in the content of the individual plan.
Unified support measures are offered in the school environment in cases of learning disabilities:
1) More time to complete the task;
2) The task instruction is read in front;
3) Longer time for rest;
4) Visual reminders;
5) Larger font sizes;
6) Seating in the first benches;
7) Do not compare children's results with other people;
8) Organize regular (daily) and short (15 minutes) consultations.
In learning disabilities, it is important to provide feedback after each consultation so that the person can see their progress. It is important that the consultations are short, but regular, so that the child does not get tired and the knowledge is strengthened.
In the case of learning disabilities, it is important to strengthen the personality:
1) Discover strengths;
2) Allow to demonstrate knowledge as every person can;
3) Strengthen self-confidence, self-esteem;
4) Provide support in time planning;
5) Reduce stress, promote motivation;
6) Refrain from comparing achievements with other people;
7) Express praise for achievements;
8) Develop patience;
9) Provide support at home, study for the whole family together.
Recommendations for parents and teachers if you are responsible for a person with a learning disability:
1) Prepare a safe environment;
2) Arrange a place to study (table, chair, lighting, blackboard, comfortable pen, etc.);
3) Develop a structured and predictable agenda (negotiate the agenda with the child);
4) Teachers prepare a lesson, daily and weekly plan, inform the child and the family;
5) Warn in time if changes are planned in the agenda;
6) Reduce noise, light intensity, smells, number of people, etc.;
7) Teach the child to perceive and correctly understand non-verbal signals;
8) Talk about cause-effect relationships;
9) Use verbal abilities in social situations, be safe;
10) To teach the new, to repeat the old knowledge;
11) Explain metaphors, jokes, so that disagreements and insults do not arise;
12) Strengthen self-confidence;
13) Discover the field in which the personality can show high achievements (conversation with a career specialist);
14) Help to find friends and teach to maintain friendship;
15) To see positive dynamics;
16) Give up negative thinking (for example, everything is bad, nothing will happen to me, I am bad, etc.).
The work experience of specialists shows that learning disabilities affect a person's personality since childhood. Frequent reprimands, negative experiences lower self-esteem and increase stress. Positive attitude, acceptance, timely diagnosis and effective learning methods help to gain knowledge, strengthen personality and promote growth.
Learning disability is not the end of the world, it is a new challenge in the growth process for our guests!
