Literary Difficulties Defined

From the reading, define and give examples of reading difficulties, language difficulties, writing difficulties, and other literacy difficulties.  Were there any new ideas that stood out from these chapters or questions you have?  What strategies stood out as strategies you would like to try in your classroom in the future (or currently do use)?

Reading Difficulties: this is defined, typically, as a learning disability.  Learning disability is a general term that describes specific kinds of learning problems. A learning disability can cause a person to have trouble learning and using certain skills. The skills most often affected are: reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning, and doing math.  Suggested interventions are:

1.     breaking tasks into smaller steps, and giving directions verbally and in writing;

2.     giving the student more time to finish schoolwork or take tests;

3.     letting the student with reading problems use instructional materials that are accessible to those with print disabilities;

4.     letting the student with listening difficulties borrow notes from a classmate or use a tape recorder; and letting the student with writing difficulties use a computer with specialized software that spell checks, grammar checks, or recognizes speech.

Language Difficulties: impaired comprehension and/or use of spoken language, written language and/or other symbol systems.  The disorder may involve the form of language – phonology, morphology & syntax, the content language – syntax, and/or the function of language in commination – pragmatics – in an communication.  Suggested inventions for this deficit are:

1.     Class meeting routines

2.     Mediation

3.     Bridging

Writing Difficulties:  also called Dysgraphia.  This is a learning disability that affects writing, which requires a complex set of motor and information processing skills. Dysgraphia makes the act of writing difficult. It can lead to problems with spelling, poor handwriting and putting thoughts on paper. People with dysgraphia can have trouble organizing letters, numbers and words on a line or page. This can result partly from:

·      Visual-spatial difficulties: trouble processing what the eye sees

·      Language processing difficulty: trouble processing and making sense of what the ear hears

Suggested interventions are:

1.     Provide alternative outcomes, such as report orally

2.     Provide opportunities to improve upon writing skills

In my classroom, I currently, and prefer to use, alternative outcomes.  I use this for the students with struggles in writing and as with the students who suffer from anxiety when asked to present orally.  I have found this is extremely successful in getting the student to participate, and to gage the knowledge that they have gained.  A win-win for any teacher!