Learning differences result from the brain's varying ability to collect, process, analyze, and store information. These differences can often make it difficult for a student to learn as quickly as others. Educationists now recognize that educational interventions in the form of careful assessment and special teaching programs are required to facilitate the learning process of children with learning differences. Generally the learning differences become evident when a child is consistently performing at an academic level that is clearly below expectations for his/her age. A series of other indicators can also accentuate the need for a proper diagnosis. These may include amongst others:

• A history of delayed speech and language development
  
• Attention deficits or problems with sustained attention (poor concentration span)
  
• Short term memory problems – difficulty with retrieval by association, difficulty with recall
  
• Perceptual deficits - poor auditory memory, difficulty with sound blending, poor left-right discrimination, poor visual memory, problems with visual/auditory discrimination
• Oral language problems - with verbal labeling, word finding
  
• Reading disabilities
  
• Spelling and written language difficulties - bizarre spelling, difficulty in ordering and organizing work
  
• Arithmetic difficulties
  
• Sequential problems - letter order confusion, reversals of letters in words, difficulty remembering months of the year in sequence or arithmetic tables
  
• Poor motor skills - early clumsiness, handwriting problems

Early identification of children experiencing difficulties in learning is essential for timely and effective intervention. Research evidence shows that earlier detection of learning differences can lead to better prognosis. Early identification can lessen the long-term effect of the symptoms when it is accompanied by appropriate remediation and understanding. Our own experience shows that children who come for remediation by the age of seven progress much quicker than children whose problems are detected at a later stage. Apart from the educational implications, there is also an emotional and psychological toll on the child. The older the child and the more persistent his failures, the heavier the burden of self-blame, anger and frustration on the child.

While it is not wise to jump at conclusions and label children, but very often, identification of the child’s ordeals can be a source of great relief for the parents, teachers and for the child himself as it takes away the blame from the child and provides an explanation for the problems he is going through. It is important however that a detention of learning differences is ascertained only after a qualified assessment is undertaken.

The first step in intervention is the identification of the younger at-risk child or the older child with tangible language difficulties. Qualified psychologists can assess children to identify problems. A word of warning is necessary here: Assessment and remediation are inseparable. Screening without appropriate remediation is unethical and only makes matters worse.

It is increasingly believed that teaching programmes for children with specific language difficulties should be individualized, be aimed to identify and improve a child’s specific weak skills and capitalize on alternative strategies and strengths. Preferably, these programmes should be on a one-to-one basis.

Most specialized programmes are highly structured. The work is typically cumulative, starting from the lowest units (the letters of the alphabet and their associated sounds, for example), and the easiest concepts. The child builds up her/his skills to read words and progresses from concrete to abstract concepts in a sequential manner. A lot of over-learning is stressed, to achieve the automaticity of the good reader and writer.

Case Study: A nine year old child currently coming to our institute, READ, was identified as having severe language difficulties at the age of six. Another assessment was done abroad that confirmed the initial diagnosis. However, the parents chose not to send the child for remediation and one and a half year later he was still unable to read simple three letter words. His problem during this time was aggravated by his over-zealous teacher who subjected him to corporal punishment when he ‘would not’ read. The child is now attending READ since more than a year and is still very aggressive. He is at grade two – two grades below his peers.

The process of remediation can take place at an institute, or schools can initiate their own remedial programmes and withdraw children for specified periods from the classroom. However, educational intervention need not stop at the classroom door. Even within the framework of ordinary lessons, teachers can take many steps to help the child. Some types of intervention that can be provided by the school teacher include:

• Specially prepared or highlighted work sheets
  
• Teaching the technical or difficult vocabulary prior to a lesson
  
• Providing a tape recording of the literature being studied
  
• Providing a photocopy of notes to save note-taking at speed
  
• Allowing the child to tape record her/his notes or written work
  
• Giving time to transcribe the tape recorded work
  
• Allowing the use of a word processor for longer pieces of work

An important part of the remediation process is to eliminate the factor of constant failure. The work given never exceeds the child’s present abilities but it builds towards her/his expected abilities.

To a great extent, most specialized language programmes are multi-sensory. This implies the simultaneous use of more than one sensory modality - i.e. the visual, auditory and tactile senses - to learn to read, write and spell. A number of teaching methods have been developed on a multi-sensory basis in the last fifty years. The successful remedial teacher is aware of all the major techniques and may synthesize them and adapt them in his or her teaching programme, with reference to an individual child’s particular strengths and weaknesses.

There is no definite time frame for the overall remediation process, but we find that progress is more rapid with younger children. As good language skills stem from reading, it should form a major component of the daily lesson. Children should be introduced to sound based reading skills and be taught higher frequency words and phonetically irregular words as sight words, to speed up reading.

A method that works with one student may sometimes be unsuccessful with another. Games and worksheets are often specially prepared or adapted for a particular student’s use. Successful remediation largely depends on teaching a child as s(he) can learn and not how we believe s(he) should learn. Unfortunately, in schools children with learning differences often spend hours over-practicing their weak points rather than using their strengths to overcome their weaknesses.

All components of the lesson plan should complement each other. The major components of reading, writing and spelling should be supported by work done on corresponding sub skills to strengthen these areas. Sequencing, short-term memory, visual/auditory discrimination, reasoning, analytical thinking and fine motor skills are some of the areas that should be worked on regularly, through brief activities and games.

Over learning should be emphasized so that new material is introduced gradually while reviewing the work that has been done. The programme should be structured and disciplined but not rigid. Teachers can be encouraged to be innovative in their use of the techniques, as long as they are based on sound remedial principles.

Hence with adequate assistance and help from the teachers, therapists and parents, a child with learning differences can be well on her/his way to overcome the day-to-day challenges s(he) faces in the classroom and learning.

About the Writer:
Ms. Shahina Alvi, CEO & Director, R.E.A.Dyslexics has been associated with the institute since 1988. In addition to this, she is one of the three course leaders for the READ Diploma Course which is a six-month remedial teacher-training program. She also conducts screening of children with learning disabilities and provides parents with information about how to follow-up with specialists, if required. Apart from this, she provides remedial tuition to students in higher grades. Shahina also conducts workshops on different aspects of learning difficulties encountered by children.