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Language and Students with Learning Disabilities

Learning Disability, a term proposed by Dr. Samuel Kirk in 1963, describes a group of children who have disorders in development of language, speech, reading,

and associated skills needed for social interaction

Definitions

Category Label Definition Characteristics

Learning Disabled Disorder in one or more of the basic psychological

processes involved in understanding or in usinglanguage, spoken or written

Difficulties in thinking, listening, speaking, reading,

spelling, or math

Speech or Language Impairment A communication disordersuch as stutteringimpaired articulation, a language impairment, or avoice impairmentthat adversely affects a childseducational performance

Speech and/or language difficulties, usuallyapparent early in development, that impact learning

Specific Language Impairment Significant limitations in language functioning thatcannot be attributed to deficits in hearing, oralstructure and function, or general intelligence

Significant language difficulties, usually firstidentified at an early age

Reading Disordered Failure to learn to read despite at least averageintelligence; intact perceptual abilities; no knownneurological, physical, emotional, or social

problems; and an adequate opportunity to learn toread

Significant difficulty in developing reading, writing,and/or spelling skills related to language disorders

Area of Problem and Instructions

Area Problem Instruction

Phonology Deficit in phonological awarenessespeciallyphonemic awarenesswhich relates to readingfailure; identification of sounds, phonemesegmentation, and detecting rhyme

Phonological Training

Strategy Training

Technology-based approaches

Morphology Difficulty with word parts in reading; difficulty inspelling and writing

Syntax Speaking and writing is shorter, less grammaticallycomplex, and filled with errors

Semantics Word finding and the use of figurative language,idioms; attached to the most concrete meaning ofwords

Pragmatics Their social skills are not developed: Lack the abilityto analyze social situations, to plan their responses,and to evaluate the consequences of their actions;they lackless sensitive to the conservationalneeds of others

Metalinguistic Skills Lack the ability to reflect consciously on the natureand properties of language; have difficulty inrecognizing grammatical and morphological errorsand making the appropriate corrections

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