What Teachers Can Do About Learning Disabilities
Compiled using information from
the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the Orton Dyslexia Society, and the
Learning Disabilities Association of America.
The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation

Teachers are an essential link between children with learning disabilities and the interventions and services that can help them. There is no student with a learning disability who cannot learn, if a teacher has received appropriate training and is willing to spend the time, using his or her expertise to reach and teach that child. To most effectively help children with learning disabilities, teachers should:

Know the "warning signs"

All students exhibit difficulties at one time or another with spoken or written language, memory, attention, concentration, organizational skills, physical coordination, and social behavior. However, if a student consistently displays difficulty with a group of these behaviors, it is a good indication of a possible learning disability.

Participate in ongoing workshops and staff development programs

Good teachers are constantly learning. Update your teaching skills and share successes (and challenges) with fellow educators. Their support and advice will help you to better address the needs of students with learning disabilities, and improve your own classroom skills. Seek the help of special educators and professional learning disability organizations. Draw on their expertise. Do not be afraid to acknowledge what you don't know.

Design a learning profile of each student

Monitor each student's: ability and involvement in your classroorn. By being aware of the learning styles, work level, reasoning ability, classroom participation, comprehension and progress of a student with learning disabilities, you can effectively build on his or her existing strengths and weaknesses.

Develop effective teaching techniques

When students have learning disabilities, their brains work differently than those of other children; simply slowing the pace while using traditional teaching methods will not work. Use innovative techniques to maintain student interest and improve opportunities to learn. Develop or modify curricula and testing to ensure that students obtain the information and skills they need and that they are evaluated accordingly. Some examples:

Always gain a student's attention before giving directions or initiating class instruction.

Call the student by name. This will help alert the child to focus attention upon the classroom activity.

Use visual aids to capitalize on a student's visual processing, and to provide the auditory/visual association needed to learn new concepts and language.

Write assignments on the board so the student can copy them in a notebook, or provide the student with the list of assignments.

Make sure that students with learning disabilities have enough time to answer test questions. If necessary, change testing procedures if the testing mechanism itself interferes with a student's ability to demonstrate his or her knowledge.

Not all of these recommendations apply to each student, and individual strategies should be developed to address the needs of individual students with learning disabilities. Implementing changes such as these in the classroom can minimize the impact of learning disabilities upon academic achievement.

Provide individualized instruction

Frequently, students with learning disabilities have more difficulty than others in grasping concepts and communicating information in class. To be effective, teachers should modify their instruction to meet the various learning styles and abilities of students with learning disabilities.

Provide a structure for learning

Many students with learning disabilities have difficulty organizing information, developing work habits, and coping with change. Teach them to monitor their own progress and regulate the time and effort they spend on each assignment. Maintain consistent teaching routines and methods.

Build self-esteem of students with learning disabilities

Build confidence among these students by delivering information in a gradually more progressive manner, allowing them time to master a topic at one level before moving on to more difficult material. Recognize and help them appreciate the value of their creativity.

Meet with parents to discuss their child's problems at school

Parents and guardians are often unaware of their child's problems at school. Meet with them and discuss the situation in an open and supportive manner. Ask their permission to administer an educational evaluation of the student when such an evaluation seems warranted.

Collaborate with parents and guardians on their child's educational efforts

Work with parents and guardians to provide the student with a comprehensive approach to coping with his or her learning disability. Maintain consistencies in the student's instruction and self-discipline by sharing strategies with parents/guardians that can be used during weekends or vacations.

Understand the laws and procedures that regulate special education programs

Familiarize yourself with laws protecting the rights of students with learning disabilities and advise parents of proper legal and school procedures. Help ensure that your school meets legal standards and requirements when conducting educational evaluations, parental advisory meetings, program development and placement of students with learningdisabilities.

Advocate on behalf of your students

It is imperative for their emotional well-being that students with learning disabilities are seen as equal members of the school community. Teachers can work to ensure that school authorities offer these students equal opportunity. Teachers can also oppose any discriminatory or exclusionary act that would further stigmatize students with learning disabilities.

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