Difficulties, known as learning disabilities are conditions that impact an individual’s ability to gain knowledge and skills at the same rate as his or her peers. They may be due to a mental handicap or a cognitive disorder.

Having a learning difficulty does not make someone less intelligent, it just means they learn in a different way that can render traditional classroom activities problematic. That’s why people with learning difficulties often require specific strategy training and customized lessons in order to overcome challenges and make progress in an academic environment.

The term “learning difficulties” covers a wide range of conditions from dyslexia and attention hyperactive deficit disorder (ADHD) to Down syndrome. Learning difficulties can affect people of all ages; however, they are particularly problematic for children who are learning how to read and write.

That’s because they may interrupt the development of key literacy skills required for students to excel in all areas of the curriculum. Adult learners who enroll in adult skill basic programs or struggle with spelling and reading skills may be people who faced learning difficulties as children but did not receive the proper support.

No two individuals with a particular learning difficulty will have the same set of symptoms, which makes it hard for educators and parents to recognize the underlying cause of performance issues such as slow reading or below-average writing abilities.

It’s also common for conditions to go undiagnosed, which can lead to students not receiving the help or attention they need and result in low self-esteem and a negative attitude towards learning. This can have serious consequences when it comes to young adults finishing school and acquiring the skills they need to be successful in today’s job market.

Labels change the way people with learning difficulties think about themselves and are treated by others. “Learning difficulties” was first used in the 1980s and is the preferred term in the UK given it addresses the difficulties experienced by an individual vs. what causes the difficulties.

Moreover, a difficulty can be overcome whereas a disability is a lifelong condition that handicaps a person.

You may also hear “learning disabilities, learning disorders, specific learning difficulties, attention issues, and learning differences.” The key thing to remember is that you are discussing, first and foremost, people. That’s why it is preferable to say “the child with dyslexia” instead of the “dyslexic child.”

Also, try to avoid terms like “mentally handicapped” and “disabled” as they may have negative connotations.

Dyslexia

One of the most common specific learning difficulties, some estimates indicate that 10-15% of the population struggles with some form of dyslexia. No two individuals will have the same set of symptoms and there are varies, but generally people with dyslexia experience difficulty hearing the sounds that make up words. Being able to split a word into phonemes and then map those phonemes to letters is how spelling works. Putting sounds to letters is also an essential component in early skill reading. Learn more about strategies to help students with dyslexia when it comes to spelling and classroom learning.

 ADD and ADHD Attention deficit disorder (ADD) and Attention deficit hyperactive disorder () are often confused or grouped under the term. Individuals who struggle with attention issues may go unnoticed in the classroom, particularly when they lack the hyperactive aspect, as is the case for people with ADD. They are not necessarily troublemakers and may simply perform poorly as they are not able to concentrate on the lesson or keep their attention focused on the task at hand. Try these posts for tips on helping students with ADD and ADHD be more successful at school.