Division of Special Education

Division of Special Education
Specific Learning Disability Paraeducator Institute

What is a Specific Learning Disability?
” It is defined by Federal law which informs the CA Ed Code, and frames LAUSD policy

How does the law define a Specific Learning Disability?
It begins with an assessment, and all of the following parts must be in place before an IEP team can lawfully determine that a child has a Specific Learning Disability

The SLD Puzzle: All parts must fit
A severe discrepancy must exist between the child’s ability and her achievement in one or more of these achievement areas First Oral Expression Reading Comprehension Listening Comprehension Mathematics Calculation Written Expression Mathematics Reasoning Basic Reading Skills

More parts to SLD… The assessment must show that the discrepancy is due to a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes: 2nd Attention Visual Processing Sensory-motor Skills Auditory Processing Cognitive Abilities including Association Conceptualization Expression

More SLD Criteria The severe discrepancy should not be primarily caused by: 3rd Lack of instruction in reading and mathematics Visual, hearing or motor impairments Mental retardation Emotional Disturbance Environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage --Situational trauma Limited English proficiency

If the severe discrepancy is caused by any of these factors, the child is not SLD, and these factors then become EXCLUSIONARY FACTORS Lack of instruction in reading and mathematics Visual, hearing or motor impairments Mental retardation Emotional Disturbance Environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage --Situational trauma Limited English proficiency

What behaviors do SLD students exhibit in the classroom and at school?
They show a range of behaviors. Students are not grouped on the basis of their processing disorder(s).

What behaviors do SLD students exhibit?
In one classroom, students may have disorders in Attention Visual processing Auditory processing Sensory-Motor skills Cognitive abilities (association, conceptualization, and expression) Or they may not have a processing disorder at all. They may only have behavior problems.

When Behavior Gets in the Way of Everything: General Guidelines
Post and explain clear limits and guidelines. Daily Keep it S-I-M–P-L-E Make sure that consequences are clearly defined.

Know your own agenda and goal Avoid child-adult contests. They win the moment you enter the contest. Keep objective and professional. You are the adult. Be respectful! Model, Model, Model

Create future. If they are in elementary, help them visualize themselves in middle or high school. If in high school, help them visualize themselves being independent adults. Ignore some behavior (for a short time).

Whenever possible, use the Socratic method. Ask a specific question when calling attention to unacceptable behavior: “Excuse me, what are you doing?” “Excuse me, what did we discuss?” “Is that what you are supposed to be doing?” AVOID NONSPECIFIC “WHY” AND “WHAT” QUESTIONS. BAD QUESTION: “Why are you acting like that? 

Listen Acknowledge their point of view. “I understand that you believe….” Speak softly, firmly, & emphatically. Loudness begets loudness.

ACTIVITY Reading Specialist is the lead
Clarity of purpose of the pieces of Open Court Reading How do we accommodate the program to allow access for all students

Exhibited Difficulties: List 2 in each Category
BEHAVIOR 1. 2. READING 1. 2. WRITING 1. 2.

Problem Solving At the end of the presentation we will look at the problems that you listed and find appropriate strategies based upon what we have learned.

Attention Problems Constant movement and fidgeting
Difficulty taking turns in games Blurts out in conversations Acts without thinking about consequences

Attention Difficulty controlling temper outbursts
Problems paying sustained attention Unorganized, lack of attention to details Difficulty listening or paying attention to details

Strategies for Attention Difficulties
Provide a consistent schedule for daily activities. Help the child learn routines. For young children, use a picture calendar. Make labels for where things belong. Use specific color coded folders for each subject area.

Be consistent so that the child knows what to expect! With praise and rewards With consequences Be generous with praise that is specific to the behavior. Avoid being overly critical!

To aid in organization: Daily supervise the child in reviewing homework assignments. Help the child develop and use checklists and to do lists. Help the child set goals.

To aid in organization: Break projects into smaller manageable chunks. Allow movement breaks throughout each period. Stress organizational routines.

The teacher will stay in communication with parents so that the parent knows what is going on at school. Parent tip: Have the child organize the backpack each evening at a set time. Do not organize it for him or her! Organized backpacks

Avoid Being Overly Critical
Children and adolescents who have a history of learning and behavior difficulties are very sensitive to criticism. Criticism creates hostility. Hostility is a barrier to learning because hostile thoughts are stronger than positive ones.

Auditory Processing Phonological Skill Difficulties
Difficulties observed: Phonemic awareness first noted in the very early grades which lead to Reading problems Distinguishing differences between similar sounds Understanding spoken language

Difficulties Observed:
Auditory Processing Difficulties Observed: Staying focused on auditory information being given Following verbal directions Distinguishing meaningful sounds from background noise

Auditory Processing Difficulties Observed: Remembering people’s names Memorizing numbers, telephone numbers Following multi-step directions Recalling stories or songs

Auditory Processing Difficulties Observed: Confusing similar sounding words reserve preserve Understanding people who speak quickly Finding the right words to use when speaking

Auditory Processing Difficulties Observed: Understanding and recalling sequences Confusing multi-digit numbers, (e.g., 74 and 47) Confusing lists and other types of sequences

Auditory Processing Difficulties Observed: Often needs words or sentences repeated Remembering a list or sequence Poor ability to memorize information learned by listening Interprets words too literally What am I supposed to do?

Strategies for Auditory Processing Difficulties
Distinguishing phonemes Practice: rhyming segmenting words into syllables Segmenting compound words Sound-blending Using similar wounding words (like obvious/oblivious)

Picking out important sounds from a noisy environment: Seat the child near the audio source Front of class or near a video monitor Eliminate unnecessary background nose during tasks and learning time Outdoor noise TV, stereo

Long-term and short-term auditory memory: Provide written material to accompany verbal instructions or lectures Strengthen note-taking skills Provide visual cues Use different colored chalks for emphasis or to reinforce a point. Use hand signals when moving on to another topic.

Understanding and recalling auditory sequences Use charts, overhead presentations when sequential information is given. Use gestures or images to reinforce understanding and memory of a sequence list.

Visual Processing Orthographic Skill Development
DISCRIMINATON Using sight to notice and compare the features of different items to distinguish one item from another Seeing differences between two similar shapes or objects Noticing the similarities and differences between Colors Shapes Patterns

Visual Processing Orthographic Skill Development
MORE VISUAL DISCRIMINATON PROBLEMS Using sight to notice and compare the features of different items to distinguish one item from another Differentiating colors or similarly shaped letters and numbers b d p q

Visual Processing and Orthographic Skill Development
SEQUENCING Difficulties Observed: Seeing and distinguishing the order of symbols, words or images Using a separate answer sheet Staying in the right place while reading a paragraph Skipping lines while reading Reading the same line over and over Reversing or misreading letters, numbers and words

MORE VISUAL SEQUENCING Difficulties Observed: Seeing and distinguishing the order of symbols, words or images Understanding math equations Aligning numbers in math problems

Difficulties Observed: Ability to recall something seen or learned some time ago Ability to remember something seen or learned very recently Spelling Reading comprehension VISUAL MEMORY

Difficulties Observed: Remembering how to spell familiar words that have irregular spelling night wrong knife intrigue antennae More Visual Memory Problems

Difficulties Observed: Confusing or not understanding written symbols More Visual Memory Problems + X / &

Difficulties Observed: Using a calculator or keyboard with speed and accuracy Remembering telephone numbers More Visual Memory Problems TELEPHONE NUMBER

Difficulties Observed: Knowing an object when only parts are visible Identifying a word with a letter missing Understanding a passage when a word or words are missing. What is this?

Difficulties Observed: Organizing and solving math problems Finding and retaining important information in reading assignments or tests Writing coherent well-organized essays

Difficulties Observed: Copying from the board or from books Writing neatly and quickly Reading with speed and precision

Difficulties Observed: Accurately identifying information from pictures, charts, graphs, maps, etc. Organizing information from different sources into one cohesive document

Difficulties Observed: Finding specific information on a printed page e.g., Getting a number out of the phone book Remembering directions to a location

Table Discussion Which of these problems are you familiar with among students?
Reading Specialist the lead Independent Work time

Strategies for Visual Processing and Orthographic Skill Development
Difficulty distinguishing items or features of items when comparisons are made Clearly space words/problems on a page. VISUAL DISCRIMINATON

Look ahead in the lesson to anticipate confusions and point out examples of correct responses. Heather confuses “was” with “saw.” If those words are coming up in the next day’s lesson, point them out to the her to give her a “head-up.” was saw

Practice with “find the item” activities “Where’s Waldo?” Use an index card or marker when reading to remove the distraction of other words Color code written instructions or important information.

Have a proof-reading buddy for all written materials Use a tape recorder when getting important information Before writing letters or essays, create an outline to simplify and organize ideas.

Read written directions aloud. Vary teaching methods. Written and spoken words Images and sounds Break assignments and chores into clear concise steps. Multiple steps can be difficult to visualize.

Give examples. Point out important details of visual information. Provide information about a task before starting to focus attention on the activity What are some examples of using an advance organizer?

Allow students to write answers on the same sheet of paper as the questions Offer opportunities for the student to explain answers orally Nudge the student go go beyond one or two word answers. Lead, question, probe, encourage more.

Provide paper for writing and math work that has darker lines to make the boundaries more distinct. Organize assignments to be completed in smaller steps instead of one large finished product

Use a ruler as a reading guide and a highlighter. Provide a tape recording to supplement note-taking.

Use graph paper for math calculation to keep columns and rows organized Have students proofread work after a delay It’s easier to see mistakes after a break.

Help students create a checklist for editing work: Spelling Neatness Grammar Syntax Clear progression of ideas

Reduce amount of copying Focus on writing original answers and ideas Break assignment deadlines up into smaller chunks

Break assignment deadlines up into smaller chunks Break assignment deadlines up into smaller chunks Breaking an assignment deadline up into smaller chunks The assignment is about the characters in a story.(Character Map) What Lonnie looks like: Due on May 2. How Tish acts: Due on May 9. How the other characters react to Mark. Due Due on May16. Written report on “The Characters in Lonnie and the Plaid Chicken” due on May 23.

So what? What is important to understand about this?
ACTIVITY So what? What is important to understand about this? Copyright 2003 Edwin Ellis Graphiorganizers.com Based on your previously listed problems, what strategies would assist the student(s) with their problems in behavior, reading, and writing? WRITING PROBLEM BEHAVIOR PROBLEM READING PROBLEM

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