Warning Signs in Secondary School Children

Some learning disabilities go undetected until secondary school.  Physical changes occurring during adolescence and the increased demands of middle and senior high school may bring the disabilities to light.  Previously satisfactory performance declines.  Inappropriate social skills may lead to changes in peer relationships and discipline problems.  Increased frustration and poor self-concepts can lead to depression and/or outbursts.  Warning signs of learning disabilities in secondary school students include the following, which occur in a pattern of behaviours, to a significant degree, and over time:

Language and Mathematics

• Avoidance of reading and writing
• Tendency to misread information
• Difficulty summarizing
• Poor reading comprehension
• Difficulty understanding subject are textbooks
• Trouble with open-ended questions
• Continued poor spelling
• Poor grasp of abstract concepts
• Poor skills in writing essays
• Difficulty in learning a foreign language
• Poor ability to apply math facts

Attention/Organization

• Difficulty staying organized
• Trouble with test formats such as multiple choice
• Slow work pace in class and in testing situations
• Poor note taking skills
• Poor ability to proofread or double check work

Social Behaviour

• Difficulty accepting criticism
• Difficulty seeking or giving feedback
• Problems negotiating or advocating for oneself
• Difficulty resisting peer pressure
• Difficulty understanding another person's perspectives

Again, parents have the right to request an evaluation by the public schools to determine if the student has learning problems.

Summary

Research has shown that the sooner a LD is detected and intervention is begun, the better the chance to avoid school failure and to improve chance for success in life.  When parents or teachers suspect a child has learning disabilities, they should seek an evaluation.

Warning Signs in Elementary School Children

It is during the elementary school years that learning problems frequently become apparent as disabilities interfere with increasingly demanding and complex learning tasks.  Difficulties in learning academic subjects and emotional and/or social skills may become a problem.  Warning signs for this age-group may include any of those for preschool children in addition to the following:

Language

• Slow learning of the correspondence of sound to letter
• Consistent errors in reading or spelling
• Difficulty remembering basic sight words
• Inability to retell a story in sequence
• Trouble with learning to tell time or count money
• Confusion of math signs
• Transposition of number sequences
• Trouble memorizing math facts
• Trouble with place value
• Difficulty remembering the steps of mathematical operations such as long division

Motor Skills

• Poor coordination or awkwardness
• Difficulty copying from chalkboard
• Difficulty aligning columns (math)
• Poor handwriting

Attention/Organization

• Difficulty concentrating or focusing on a task
• Difficulty finishing work on time
• Inability to follow multiple directions
• Unusual sloppiness, carelessness
• Poor concept of direction (left, right)
• Rejection of new concepts or changes in routine

Social Behaviour

• Difficulty understanding facial expressions or gestures
• Difficulty understanding social situations
• Tendency to misinterpret behaviour of peers and/or adults
• Apparent lack of "common sense"

If teachers have not discussed the possibility of an evaluation already, the parents may request that the child's school conduct a formal evaluation.  A request submitted to the school principal must be honoured by the school system in a timely manner.

Just for Teachers: 5 Tips to Help ADHD Children Stay Organized | ADDitude - ADHD & LD Children and Adults

Just for Teachers: 5 Tips to Help ADHD Children Stay Organized | ADDitude - ADHD & LD Children and Adults

Warning Signs of Learning Disabilities in Preschool Children

Although children's growth patterns vary among individuals and within individuals, uneven development or significant delays in development can signal the presence of a LD.  It is important to keep in mind that the behaviours listed below must persist over time to be considered warning signs.  Any child may occasionally exhibit one or two of these behaviours in the course of normal development:

Language:
- Slow development in speaking words or sentences
- Pronunciation problems
- Difficulty learning new words
- Difficulty following simple directions
- Difficulty rhyming words
- Lack of interest in story telling

Motor Skills:
- Clumsiness
- Poor Balance
- Difficulty manipulating small objects
- Awkwardness with running, jumping or climbing
- Trouble learning to tie shoes, button shirts or perform other self-help activities
- Avoidance in drawing or tracing

Cognition:
- Trouble memorizing
- Poor memory for what should be routine (everyday) procedures
- Difficulty with cause and effect; sequencing and counting
- Difficulty with basic concepts such as size, shape and colour

Attention:
- High distractibility
- Impulsive behaviour
- Unusual restlessness (hyperactivity)
- Difficulty staying on task
- Difficulty changing activities
- Constant repetition of ideas, inability to move on to a new idea
Social Behaviour:
- Trouble interacting with others, playing alone
- Prone to sudden and extreme mood changes
- Easily frustrated
- Hard to manage, has temper tantrums

Because early intervention is so important, federal law requires that school districts provide early identification and intervention services.  The special education department of the local school district can direct families to the agency that provides these services.  Families may also want to consult the child's doctor, who should also be able to refer the family to appropriate resources.

BC Court of Appeal denies meaningful access to Education for Students

BC Court of Appeal denies meaningful access to Education for students:

http://www.ldac-acta.ca/news/media-releases/bc-court-of-appeal-denies-meaningful-access-to-education-for-students.html

LDAC will continue to advocate for the rights of every child to receive programs, services and accommodations specific to their needs in a timely manner in the public school system.

BC Court of Appeal Denies Meaningful Access To Education for Students | media-releases | news

www.ldac-acta.ca

Common Signs and Characteristics of a Learning Disability

No individual will show all of these characteristics.  However, an individual with a learning disability may show one or more of these characteristics for a prolonged period of time:

• Difficulty reading, spelling
• Difficulty doing accurate numerical calculations
• Excellent verbal ability with good sentence structure, but cannot express thoughts on paper
• Cannot follow written direction and/or remember verbal directions
• Inability to complete a job application
• Difficulty finding and keeping a job
• Arrives late or unusually early for appointments
• Problem putting thoughts on paper
• Cannot organize belongings, time activities or responsibilities
• Short attention span, restlessness or hyperactivity
• Difficulty understanding appropriate social behaviour
• Confusion between up and down, left and right, gets lost easily

The 7 Essential Virtues of Moral Intelligence - Virtue 7 - Fairness

Virtue 7 - Fairness

This virtue leads students to treat others in a righteous, imparial, and just way so that they will be more likely to play by the rules, take turns and share, and listen openly to all sides before judging.  Because this virtue increases moral sensitivity, students will have the courage to stick up for those treated unfairly and demand that all people-regardless of race, culture, economic status, ability, or creed - be regarded equally.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Michele Borba - http://www.micheleboarba.com/

The 7 Essential Virtues of Moral Intelligence - Virtue 6 Tolerance

Virtue 6 - Tolerance

This virtue helps students appreciate different qualities in others, stay open to new perspectives and beliefs, and respect others regardless of differences in race, gender, appearance, culture, beliefs, abilities, or sexual orientation.  This is the virtue that influences our youth to treat others with kindness and understanding, to stand up against hatred, violence, and bigotry, and to respect people primarily on the basis of their character.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Michele Borba - http://www.micheleborba.com/

The 7 Essential Virtues of Moral Intelligence - Virtue 5 Kindness

Virtue 5 - Kindness

This virtue helps students show their concern about the welfare and feelings of others so they will become less selfish and be more compassionate.  By developing this virtue, kids will become less selfish and more compassionate, and they will understand that treating others kindly is simply the right thing to do.  When children achieve kindness, they will think more about the needs of others, show concern, offer to help those in need, and stick up for those who are hurt or troubled.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Michele Borabe - http://www.micheleborba.com/

The 7 Essential Virtues of Moral Intelligence - Virtue 4 - Respect

Virtue 4 - Respect

This virtue encourages students to treat others with consideration because they  regard them as worthy.  This is the virtue that also leads kids to learn to treat others the way they would like to be treated, so it lays the foundation to preventing violence, injustice, and hatred.When children make respect a part of their daily living, they will be more likely to care about the rights and feelings of others; because they do, they will show greater respect for themselves, too.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Michele Borba - http://www.micheleborba.com/