The learning disorder (LDs) is perceived as the negative impact of an individual ability to apply and understand language (Tallal, 2014). This involves failure to enhance movement coordination, calculating mathematics and remaining attentive. Children with the learning disabilities are unable to interpret the objects surrounding them or apply written or spoken language amongst other activities that children without disorders can. The development of these disorders can trigger a child to lack self-control and being attentive (Tallal, 2014). Such challenges affect even the school work as learning is affected. The learning disorder is commonly diagnosed when children beginning going to school. Therefore, such disorders are usually not identified until children attain the school age and upon existence, they have a huge negative impact on a child’s life.
Learning disorders relate to information processing challenges that relate to individuals’ inability to apply details that they obtain through their senses such as hearing, seeing and smelling. The occurrence of learning disorders among school-age children do not any point associated with their inability to hear or see (Tallal, 2014). Instead, the disorders negatively impact on the way a child’s brain recognizes, retrieves and sensory stores the acquired details. Language disorders tend to generally interfere with appropriateness in listening, writing, listening and reading.
Types of Learning Disorders
Learning disorders exists in different forms. The first aspect of learning disability is regarded as dyslexia. This type of disorder is perceived as the failure of a school going child to read and interpret the spoken language (Tallal, 2014). Based on this challenge, a child fails to understand sentences, letters, and paragraphs. For instance, at the start of schooling, a young child with dyslexia may not stop to frequently rotate or reverse the group of letters that they write and read. The difficulty in reading and interpreting language can proceed as the child group at all schooling levels. At this point, a child can interpret the word no when they actually mean no or reversing a 6 to make it 9 (Tallal, 2014). Notably, these cannot be termed as visions difficulties but rather challenges of interpretation of information by the brain.
The second considerable learning disorder is known as dysgraphia which exists as a child facing challenges with writing. In this case, school-age children face challenges in forming letters correctly and have problems writing with a given or required space (Cortiella " Horowitz, 2014). For such children to write neatly, it takes a lot of effort and time. However, despite focusing on maintaining the extra effort towards them, it can still be hard to clearly read the handwriting. In many occasions, dysgraphia school-age children find it challenging to complete assignments within the stipulated time. The written tests are in many cases incomplete or late for submission.
The dyscalculia is another existing learning disorder that relates to challenges on concerning mathematics. A school-age child may be good in language and history but find it problematic to solve tests involving mathematics (Cortiella " Horowitz, 2014). In many instances, mathematics exists to be challenging for the majority of students but dyscalculia affected children may experience much difficulty compared with their counterparts. Notably, dyscalculia prevents school going children in solving mathematics problems which exist to be basic that other children with similar age finish with no challenges.
How to Identify School-Age Children with Learning Disorders
School-age children with learning disorders find it challenging to process details in several aspects of learning. In this case, they have difficulty obtaining information into their brain which is basically termed as an input-problem (Cortiella " Horowitz, 2014). Hence, a child portrays challenges integrating information upon being acquired in the brain. In addition, such children have difficulty in maintaining sound input. Such challenges include the inability to maintain sequential details to a more organized form. Some of these learning disordered children possess challenges in storing and retrieving of memory or integrated information (Cortiella " Horowitz, 2014). Notably, this comprises of holding information before actually proceeding.
The identification of school-age children with learning disorders can also be noted by failure to retrieve information from the brain which is termed as output challenge. The problem results from a child difficulty in sending information to the involved muscles (Cortiella " Horowitz, 2014). For instance, children with the particular learning disorder experiences difficulty in maintaining effective coordination of hand muscles, hence unable to write effectively compared to their counterparts. As a result, the affected children projects awkward, slow and tedious handwriting. In the classroom, this is reflected by difficulty in grammar, spelling words, capitalization and general organization of the thoughts (Cortiella " Horowitz, 2014). At this point, school-age children are unable to express themselves and effectively organizing their thoughts.
However, the challenges of identifying school-age children with learning disorders are based on the perception that they are not physically visible, hence difficult for society and parent to understand the problem at an early age. Typically, the existence of LDs is not easily identified until the child attain the age of start the elementary school (Merrell " Gimpel, 2014). Despite the effort to perform early detection of LDs on preschool-aged children, the predictive elements have remained elusive. In this case, early and timely LDs identification has existed to be inconsistent. In any case, the detection of learning disorders depends highly on teachers’ familiarity and approach with identifying LDs (Merrell " Gimpel, 2014). This involves the availability of effective assessment measures and policies instilled in indicating the existence of LDs among school-age children.
Causes of Learning Disorders
The causes of learning disorder (LD) is not commonly known. However, the existing theory asserts that the occurrence of LD is mainly triggered by brain structures disturbances and functioning (Chacko et al., 2014). This is widely known to emerge from the birth in the event that the mother took alcohol or drug during pregnancy, as well as injury or illness during this particular period. Other leading factors to LD existing among school-age children involve prolonged or premature labor and inadequate oxygen (Chacko et al., 2014). In addition, the LD may also be stimulated by hereditary factors, deprivation of some nutrients, head injuries and wide exposure to toxic elements right after birth. However, in most of the cases, there is no existence of apparent resultant to learning disorder occurrence.
Role of Early Childhood Teachers in Detecting LDs
The teacher can play an important role in comparing and observing the school-age children’s performance in regard to social, language, cognitive and overall development of motor skills. In this case, teachers should ensure that children with LDs attain informative milestones upon which they attain it at specific ages (Merrell " Gimpel, 2014). Most importantly, teachers of school-age children can be in a better position to identify commonly known signs of LD, for instance, problems of the effective pronunciation of words, spellings difficulty and inability to maintain motor activities amongst other aspects. Additionally, other earliest LDs signs that a teacher can identify may involve a child’s ability to perform repeated practices on regular basis or avoiding engagement in various offered resources (Merrell " Gimpel, 2014). This include failure to maintain outdoor practices that needs motor actions coordination.
In case the teachers identify the children with LDs related characteristics, they will be able to assist them to overcome the situation. Notably, specific children project different learning profile, teachers may be in a position to modify practices that will accommodate every child (Merrell " Gimpel, 2014). Specifically, children with LDs can be assisted to learn by providing demonstrations on how learning materials can be used to help them in classroom learning. In this case, children should be taught the functions of particular items in school and enforce their ability to understand the concept (Chacko et al., 2014). Most importantly, when implementing learning practices, teachers should not make assumptions that a child knows everything but should help them learn and fit in the learning environment.
Additionally, teacher facilitation can assist children with LDs to be effectively integrated into play. Based on this, they require motivation that will enable them to pay attention in specific directions or activity area. Other can easily and simply jump into the given activity but children with LDs need to be directed before actual participation into the play (Chacko et al., 2014). For instance, they may be required to watch for a given period before starting to play. This will provide them with a good time to spend with their peers who in return serve well as facilitators upon frequent repeat of the school activities’ instructions. The demonstration is also crucial to be conducted as it helps in maximizing the associated benefits of the child. Children with LDs require to be actively modified by being motivated to engage and be attentive in school in order to boost the level of information integration.
Teachers are also mandated to alerts parents upon identifying any sign related to learning disorders among school-age children. Following this, teachers are crucial in foreshadowing learning difficulties among children and guild for recommended adjustment. The observations conducted in the family natural settings in daycare or preschool center provides a significant baseline that is key in the individual’s child assessment (Chacko et al., 2014). This necessitates effective documentation and development of a child with LDs in consideration to response interventions. Systematic observations of school-age children with learning disorders enhance the enrichment of their teachers’ understanding of specific child educational needs.
Recommended Treatment and Therapy for School-Age Children with LDs
The treatment approach depends on the intensity of LD and the child’s age that require the application of the different type of assistance. Some of the commonly known methods include cognitive, behavioral and process approach (Chacko et al., 2014). These are perceived as remedial approaches which are considered attractive and attentive across the world. As a result, it becomes easier to moderate children with LDs as their special needs are met.
A proper treatment for learning disorder among school-age children also involves modifying their social skills, academic programming, and psychotherapy. A variety of specialist can assist children affected by LDs to cope and overcome it (Chopra et al., 2014). For instance, an Educational Therapist can act appropriately in helping children in dealing with behavior and learning difficulties. Most importantly, the LD specialist are able to access the level of disorders’ impact are recommend particular training. In addition, a neurologist can scan a child for possible brain functional damage and aim to modify it through neuroplasticity. On the other hand, Occupational Therapist can work effectively in assisting to boost sensory and motor skills in order to stimulate the ability of a child to perform tasks regularly.
Conclusion
The learning disorders (LDs) is closely related to difficulty in processing and integration of the information. The LDs exist in forms such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. In this case, school-age children find it challenging to interpret language, writing and solving mathematics problems that children of their age can. The disorders are perceived to results from interruption to brain structure that affect information input and output as well as heredity factors, poor nutrition, exposure to toxic elements and head injuries. The teacher in a specific school can help children in identifying LDs and help in overcoming the situation. They can motivate and engage them in effective learning activities upon provision of effective guidelines.
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