Universidad del Valle de Guatemala ELT Program Issues in ELT

Ana Leticia Santos Calmo Carnet: 10368 September 25th, 2012

Learning Disabilities Learning Disabilities (LD) has been a growing topic in the last years. LD is a neurological disorder that affects the brains ability to receive, process, store, and respond to information according to Dr. Sheldon Horowitz. Common Types of Learning Disabilities: Dyslexia Dyscalculia Dysgraphia Dyspraxia (Sensory Integration Disorder) Dysphasia/Aphasia Executive Functioning Difficulty reading Difficulty with math Difficulty with writing Difficulty with fine motor skills Difficulty with language Difficulty functioning with executive Problems reading, writing, spelling, speaking Problems doing math problems, understanding time, using money Problems with handwriting, spelling, organizing ideas Problems with handeye coordination, balance, manual dexterity Problems understanding spoken language, poor reading comprehension Problems with activities like planning, organizing, strategizing, remembering details, and managing time and space (past present)

Source: (Gina Kemp, 2012) Other related disorders: ADD / ADHD: This is a disorder can be seen in children who cannot sit still, never seem to listen, do not follow instructions, or made inappropriate comments at inappropriate times. Sometimes these children are labeled as troublemakers, or criticized for being lazy and undisciplined. However, they may have ADD/ADHD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that appears in early childhood. It may be known also as Attention Deficit disorder, or ADD. ADD/ADHD makes it difficult for people to inhibit their spontaneous responsesresponses that can involve everything from movement to speech to attentiveness. (Gina Kemp, 2012) Autism Spectrum Disorders: Individuals with learning disabilities (LD) and those with autism present very different profiles in terms of learning, attention, and behavior. But just like LD, autism spectrum disorders (including Asperger's Syndrome) do not go away with time. Many individuals with LD struggle with some of the same types of challenges. (The National Autistic Society, 2012) Auditory Processing Disorders: An auditory processing disorder can cause difficulty in distinguishing the difference between similar sounds, among other difficulties. Although auditory processing disorder is not named as learning disability under federal law, it can explain why some children may have trouble with learning and performance. (The National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2012) Visual Processing Disorders: A visual processing disorder can cause difficulty in seeing the difference between two similar letters, shapes, or objects, or noticing the similarities and differences between certain colors, shapes, and patterns. Although visual processing disorder is not named as learning disability under federal law, it can explain why a child may have trouble with learning and performance. (The National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2012) Some people have the misconception about LD, among these, we can find the following myths: Myth #1: All kids with ADD are hyperactive Myth #2: Kids with ADD can never pay attention Myth #3: Kids with ADD could behave better if they wanted to Myth #4: Kids will eventually grow out of ADD. Myth #5: Medication is the best treatment option for ADD. (Gina Kemp, 2012) Causes Researchers are fast at work trying to get a grasp on some answers. What they know thus far is that multiple factors contribute to learning disabilities. For many years, biological factors were seen as the lone culprit. Learning deficits were

believed to be caused solely by a brain abnormality. While we know problems in brain development can cause a learning disability, studies suggest that a childs environment plays a pivotal role in how debilitating the disability will ultimately be. As researchers delve deeper into biological factors, they have developed four categories to explain what may be going on for the learning disabled student. These four general categories are: 1. brain injury, 2. errors in brain development, 3. neuro-chemical imbalances, and 4. heredity. Because there are no definitive neurological tests for learning disabilities, pinpointing the students particular deficit can look a lot like guess work. Brain injury that have been shown to produce learning disabilities are brain hemorrhages, brain tumors, encephalitis, meningitis, untreated glandular disorders in infancy and infant hypoglycemia. Radiation and chemotherapy treatments can cause learning disabilities as well as anything that deprives the brain of oxygen such as choking, suffocation, drowning, smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning, and some birth complications. Still more factors that could cause learning disabilities that would result from the condition of the mother during pregnancy might be diabetes, kidney disease, measles, drug or alcohol use. Premature infants brains are more vulnerable to injury. Children with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder evidence, at least, one of several types of damage to the brain structure. The damage usually manifest in one of the following ways: 1. Fewer numbers of brain cells in important areas of the brain 2. Smaller size of brain cells 3. Brain cells that moved into the wrong part of the brain (dysplasia) 4. Lower than normal blood flow to specific areas of the brain 5. Brain cells that metabolize glucose (the brain's primary fuel) at lower than normal levels. (The Learning Center Foundation, 2012) The diagnosis and testing process for learning disabilities Diagnosing a learning disability is a process. It involves testing, history taking, and observation by a trained specialist. Start with the child's school. Types of specialists who may be able to test for and diagnose learning disabilities include: Clinical psychologists School psychologists Child psychiatrists Educational psychologists Developmental psychologists Neuropsychologist Psychometrist Occupational therapist (tests sensory disorders that can lead to learning problems) Speech and language therapist (Gina Kemp, 2012)

Bibliography
Gina Kemp, M. M. (2012, September). Helpguide.org. Retrieved from Learning Disabilities in Children: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/learning_disabilities.htm The Learning Center Foundation. (2012). Retrieved from The Learning Center Foundation. The National Autistic Society. (2012). Retrieved from What Is Autism?: http://www.autism.org.uk The National Center for Learning Disabilities. (2012). Retrieved from The National Center for Learning Disabilities Inc.: http://www.ncld.org/