LDC Ch #8-9 SG

Language-based learning disability

A disorder that manifests itself in different ways at various points in development as communicative contexts & learning tasks change.

Language-based learning disabilities manifests as… (3)

1. Reading difficulties

2. Spelling difficulties

3. or BOTH

ABNQ meaning

“Almost but not quite”

• Children who are diagnosed as having a language-based learning disability may have very subtle deficits that may elude even the most astute clinician.

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade

• Children develop the basic skills needed for reading & writing (associations b/w sounds & letters).

• They begin to learn ab spelling & basic math operations.

Grades 3 & 4

• Children experience a curriculum leap from decoding → reading comprehension

• Content areas such as English, social studies, & science are introduced.

• Math classes begin to have word problems.

Grades 5 & 6

• The acquisition of knowledge in content areas that were introduced in grades 3 & 4

• Decoding skills should be fully automatic so that the child can focus on their attention on comprehension.

Grades 7-9

• Should be able to read magazines, newspaper, & fiction.

• The number of content areas expands to include more subjects.

• Develop cognitive skills including abstract reasoning, analysis, synthesis, & judgement.

• Learn to develop alt hypothesis & to create strategies to test them.

How children at risk are identified

Identified as academic under-achievers

What are some devastating effects of academic under-achievement?

• 85% of school drop-outs are functionally illiterate

• 27 million Americans are unable to read well enough to complete a job application.

Functionally illiterate

Read & writing skills that are inadequate to manage daily living & employment tasks that require reading skills beyond a basic level.

__% of suicide victims b/w the ages of 10 & 14 years are diagnosed as being hyperactive, perceptually impaired, or dyslexic.

50

The statistics suggest that learning disabilities are accompanied by _______.

Low self-esteem

What is the first line of identification for these children?

Screening

• Typically done in kindergarten, 1st grade, 3rd grade, & the last year of elementary school.

Poverty in & of itself _______ result in poor reading & academic performance.

Does not

• However, those living in poverty typically have limited materials & resources that facilitate language & academic development.

__% of parents w/ a high SES read to their children daily

62

__% of parents w/ a low SES read to their children daily.

36

Common consequences of poverty

• Dropping out of school

• Low academic achievement

• Teenage pregnancy & parenthood

• Poor mental & physical health

• Delinquent behavior

• Unemployment in adolescence & early adulthood

Children of high SES (socioeconomic status) show _______ in the prefrontal cortex than do kids of low SES when confronted w/ a novel or unexpected stimulus.

More activity

Situations of impoverishment often create individuals who become _______.

Isolationists

• These individuals may become parents who are likely to be abusive towards or neglectful of their children.

• These parents have few links b/w family & community.

What is the reading theory discussed in class?

Simple View of Reading

POOR word recognition & GOOD listening comprehension

Dyslexia

POOR word recognition & POOR listening comprehension

Mixed (LLD)

GOOD word recognition & GOOD listening comprehension

Not specified

GOOD word recognition & POOR listening comprehension

Specific comprehension deficit (recognize word, but cannot comprehend it)

• Ex. children w/ autism

Hyperlexia

Recognizing & reading words exceeding one’s cognitive/language levels, yet having no comprehension of what is said or read

• 6-14% of children w/ autism have hyperlexia

Dyslexia, LLDs, & Hyperlexia all have problems w/ reading comprehension, but for _______.

Different reasons

• Dyslexia: poor decoding skills

• LLDs: poor decoding & listening comp

• Hyperlexia: lang & cog deficits

Dyslexia

• Difficulties w/ accurate and/or fluent word recognition

• Often due to neurological deficit

• Typically result from a deficit in the phonological component

• Unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities & the provision of effective classroom instruction.

• Affects ~5-12% of a given population

Phonological deficits

• Children w/ language-based learning disabilities have trouble w/ phonological aspects of speech & language.

• The problem is related to phonological awareness problems

• [k] : c, k, ck, ch, q

• [f]: f, ff, ph

• These kids tend to have inferior performance in segmentation tasks (bat & hat rhyme)

Writing skills

• Many phonemic spelling errors

• Consistent w/ phonological deficit hypothesis

• Rely heavily on visual memorization of orthographic patterns

Pragmatic deficits

• They tend to be passive in groups & to ask few questions

• Questions they do ask are simple & require uncomplicated answers

• They tend to have topical discontinuity

• They may exhibit an overuse of meaningless starters (“now you see…”)

Children w/ language-based learning disabilities also face problems w/ _______.

Survival language

Survival language

Knowing the lingo associated w/ peer language & knowing how to be a part of a peer group through appropriate actions & communication styles.