Learning Disabilities

History

100

This man is considered the father of special education.

Who is Samuel Kirk?

200

This person first established the discrepancy model in order to diagnose a learning disability.

Who is Marion Monroe?

300

These important factors occurred during the emergent period from 1960 through 1975.

When did the following occur: term learning disability became introduced, federal government included learning disabilities on their agenda, organizations were founded by parents and professionals, and educational programming for students with disabilities increased and improved?

400

Name and describe the teaching approach Orton developed to work with students with reading disabilities.

What is the multi-sensory approach? This approach incorporates the use of tactile, auditory, and visual learning. It concentrates on the importance of kinesthetic function by having students trace letters while sounding them out.

500

These are the three main ways in which Samuel Orton's work differed from that of James Hinshelwood.

What are Orton's more liberal views on diagnosis of reading disabilities, Orton's idea that reading is a complex activity involving many areas of the brain, and the change in terminology from "word-blindness" to strephosymbolia?

Dyslexia

100

This describes the process of reading.

What is a visual-auditory task that involves obtaining meaning from symbols (letters and words)?

200

This percentage of children diagnosed with a learning disability struggle with reading.

What is 80%?

300

These are the characteristics of dyslexia.

What are difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities?

400

These are some myths that are associated with dyslexia.

What are the following myths: dyslexia can be outgrown, gifted children cannot be dyslexic, dyslexia students all view letters and words backward all the time, left-handedness is associated with dyslexia, and dyslexia can be caused by poor reading instruction in early grades?

500

This is a method that is designed to be used at home with children with dyslexia. It requires no special training. Name and describe the method.

What is the Neurological Impress Method (NIM). Developed by Dr. R.G Heckelman. This method combines seeing, hearing, and speaking when learning to read. An adult works with the child one-on-one, reading aloud to the child. The adult encourages the child to read along, as the adult keeps the pace and uses his/her finger to scroll along the words as they are read. The child will make corrections as he hears his own mistakes. Reading should not be interrupted to ask or answer questions.

Etiology

100

This has been determined as the cause of a learning disability.

What is an exact cause cannot be determined? However, learning disabilities are a result of a neurological condition, nervous system anomaly, originating in the brain.

200

This is the side of the brain known to have language function.

What is the left side of the brain?

300

This is known as Neuronal Migration Disorders (NMD).

What are a group of birth defects caused by abnormal migration of neurons in the developing brain and nervous system? These have been linked to learning disabilities.

400

This diet, popular in the 1970's and 80's, was claimed to be able to help with ADHD and other childhood related disorders. Name and describe the diet.

What is the Feingold Diet? Created by Dr. Benjamin Feingold. This diet eliminates certain artificial coloring, flavoring, aspartame, and salicylates. Soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar have never been eliminated from the diet.

500

Environmental factors may contribute to learning disabilities in this way. Name factors and describe how they may lead to learning disabilities.

What are chemicals known as neurotoxins (such as lead, mercury, pesticides, nicotine, alcohol, and solvents)? These disrupt brain development by interfering with the processes that control gene activity and can interfet with one of many steps of brain development. They can also interfer with chemical messengers in the brain that trasmit nerve impulses. Even brief exposure can lead to significant consequences.

Dyscalculia

100

This is the definition of dyscalculia.

What is a neurologically based disorder of mathematical abilities that causes a discrepancy between an individual’s general cognitive level and mathematical abilities?

200

This is the difference between math anxiety and math phobia.

What is math anxiety as a high level of anxiety when faced with math tests or math problems, resulting in a fear of math known as math phobia. Math anxiety often accompanies dyscalculia. However, not all students with dyscalculia have math anxiety and not all students with math anxiety have dyscalculia.

300

These are indicators of dyscalculia. Name and describe the indicators.

What are difficulty with figure-ground (separating items based on contrast such as problems on a worksheet), number sense (refering to the ability to think about quantity), inability to accurately count objects, spatial relation (referring to how an object is located in space in relation to another reference object), visual perception (the ability to interpret information and surroundings from the effects of visible light reaching the eye), and problems with time and direction?

400

This is the definition of heuristics. Define and give examples of heuristics used in classrooms.

What is an understanding that allows students to approach concepts, ideas, and problems concerning numbers differently, according to their backgrounds, experiences, and studies? Examples of heuristics include: diagrams, graphs, patterns, special case, trial and error, use of previous methods, use of variables and equations, and working backwards.

500

This describes direct instruction. Decribe and provide 4 out of 12 indicators that must be present in order for direct instruction to occur.

What is teacher centered instruction that is focused on helping students learn basic skills and information? 4 out of these 12 indicators are acceptable: breaking down a task into small steps, administering probes, administering feedback repeatedly, providing a pictorial or diagram presentation, allowing independent practice and individually paced instruction, breaking the instruction down into simpler phases, instructing in a small group, teacher modeling a skill, providing set materials at a rapid pace, providing individual child instruction, and teacher asking questions.

Miscellaneous LD information

100

These are two famous people who have been diagnosed with a learning disability.

Who are Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill? Also accepted are: Alexander Graham Bell, George Patton, and Walt Disney.

200

These are three components of the definition of a learning disability.

What is a mild disability that is heterogeneous in nature and includes a weakness in the area(s) of reading, writing, spelling, math, and reasoning?

300

These are additional factors that may result from a learning disability.

What are difficulty with social skills, emotional maturity, memory, coordination, and attention?

400

These are the reasons that 9-14 year olds are the largest age group of students identified as having learning disabilities.

What are the following factors: it is difficult to establish a discrepancy in achievement and aptitude before the age of 9 and many children above the age of 14 who have been identified as having a learning disability have dropped out of school?

500

Name and describe the two ways in which a child is able to be identified as having a learning disability.

What are the discrepancy model and response to intervention and instruction (RTII)? When using the discrepancy model, a child must have an average to above average IQ as a result of an aptitude assessment. They must also score 1.5-2 standard deviations below the mean when completing an achievement test. These assessments show a discrepancy between the student's learning and their potential to learn. RTII involves research based intervention and regularly monitored progress centered on quality instruction. It is a multi-tiered structure of supports that a student moves through if they are not successful within the general education classroom.