Dr LeCrone
01-03-2006, 01:56 PM
Randall was a 9-year-old puzzle. A student in the third grade, by most accounts he was a normal boy. He was a bright, intelligent youngster who was active in a normal range of activities. Yet despite his intelligence and personality strengths, Randall could not read. No satisfactory explanation could be given for his failure. Regardless of the time that was spent teaching him and the materials that were used with him, he continually struggled to learn the basic skill of reading.
Many children, like Randall, have a learning disability. Learning disabilities have many forms. Some children have dyslexia, or an inability to read. Others cannot master elementary math procedures (dyscalculia), while still others never learn to write clearly or legibly (dysgraphia). It is estimated that about 10 percent to 15 percent of all school-age children have a learning disability in one or more academic areas.
For an unknown reason, learning disabilities are more common among boys than girls. For every girl who is learning disabled, there are two to four boys who have this handicap. Although these children often thought to be slow or of below average intelligence, individually administered tests usually show them to be normal or above normal in intelligence. Though some teachers and parents may assume that a learning disabled youngsters is simply lazy, he is often found to be just as industrious, if not more so, than the average achiever.
There are several symptoms that may indicate a child is suffering from a learning disability. Some children have an inability to correctly visualize letters or numbers. These students often see symbols in an incorrect position or sequence. Other learning disabled children have difficulty detecting differences between consonant and vowel sounds. It should be pointed out that these children do not make academic mistakes because they cannot see or hear normally. They are normal in these areas, but they simply do not correctly mentally organize information received through the senses.
Fortunately, many children who once had a learning disability grow to be adults who achieve a high level of success. Many learn to deal with their handicap and actually reach a high level of academic achievement. A child with a learning disability does not have to be doomed to a lifelong pattern of failure.
Probably one of the greatest enemies of the learning disabled child is the regular pressure that is placed on children to work at a fast pace on learning assignments. The learning disabled child must be allowed to feel that it is all right to work at a slower pace.
Anxious feelings and emotional worries on the part of the child can be avoided by having adults who understand the child’s situation and who are willing to make allowances for him.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1984
Many children, like Randall, have a learning disability. Learning disabilities have many forms. Some children have dyslexia, or an inability to read. Others cannot master elementary math procedures (dyscalculia), while still others never learn to write clearly or legibly (dysgraphia). It is estimated that about 10 percent to 15 percent of all school-age children have a learning disability in one or more academic areas.
For an unknown reason, learning disabilities are more common among boys than girls. For every girl who is learning disabled, there are two to four boys who have this handicap. Although these children often thought to be slow or of below average intelligence, individually administered tests usually show them to be normal or above normal in intelligence. Though some teachers and parents may assume that a learning disabled youngsters is simply lazy, he is often found to be just as industrious, if not more so, than the average achiever.
There are several symptoms that may indicate a child is suffering from a learning disability. Some children have an inability to correctly visualize letters or numbers. These students often see symbols in an incorrect position or sequence. Other learning disabled children have difficulty detecting differences between consonant and vowel sounds. It should be pointed out that these children do not make academic mistakes because they cannot see or hear normally. They are normal in these areas, but they simply do not correctly mentally organize information received through the senses.
Fortunately, many children who once had a learning disability grow to be adults who achieve a high level of success. Many learn to deal with their handicap and actually reach a high level of academic achievement. A child with a learning disability does not have to be doomed to a lifelong pattern of failure.
Probably one of the greatest enemies of the learning disabled child is the regular pressure that is placed on children to work at a fast pace on learning assignments. The learning disabled child must be allowed to feel that it is all right to work at a slower pace.
Anxious feelings and emotional worries on the part of the child can be avoided by having adults who understand the child’s situation and who are willing to make allowances for him.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1984