Put simply, with LD there is a disconnect between potential and outcome. The real-life implications of that disconnect on students and families can be devastating. Early intervention yields the most effective and efficient results.
Learning disabilities (LD) refer to a set of specific disorders that affect the brain’s ability to store, process, retrieve or communicate information. While LDs pose life-long challenges in reading, writing and communicative skills, they ARE NOT intellectual disabilities and DO NOT determine an individual’s capacity to learn, grow and improve.
In fact, the strongest indication of a learning disability is the striking imbalance between a student’s potential and their performance. You can feel like the most capable, adaptive and interested learner in one scenario, while completely lost in another.
Because of the wide gap between expectation and outcome, students with LD are frequently dismissed as being too lazy, stupid or apathetic to succeed academically or even to achieve beyond their school's walls.
At Bridgeway, we are committed to helping these students and challenging this myth. Comprehensive and effective education is part of the strategy but more importantly we strive to encourage awareness, understanding and respect from a society that too often rewards convention and conformity as the attributes of achievement.
Bridgeway is the leading provider of individualized education for students with learning disabilities, in operation since 1983.
Learning Disability Terminology
| Type of Learning Disability | Area of Disability | Symptoms Include Trouble With | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dyslexia | Processing language | Reading, writing and spelling | Letters and words may be written or pronounced inaccurately |
| Dyscalulia | Math Skills and Concepts | Compution, remembering math facts, concepts of time, money, grasping math concepts, etc. | Difficulty learning to count by 2s, 3s, 4s etc. |
| Dysgraphic | Written Expression | Handwriting, spelling, expressing ideas on paper | Illegible handwriting, difficulty organizing ideas, getting thoughts on paper |
| Dysparia | Fine Motor Skills | Coordination, manual dexterity | Trouble with scissors, buttons, drawing, writing |
Information Processing Disorder
| Type of Disability | Area of Difficulty | Symptoms Include Trouble With | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auditory Processing Disorder | Interpreting auditory information | Language Development, reading |
Difficulty anticipating how speaker will end a sentence. |
| Visual Processing Disorder | Interpreting visual information | Reading, writing |
Difficulty distinguishing letters like “h” and “n”. |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) | Concentration and focus | Over-activity, distractibility and/or impulsivity |
Can’t sit still, loses interest quickly, is easily distracted, may daydream. |