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C. Specific Learning Disability: Reading, Writing, and Math

Meeting the Challenges

These are some accommodations for SLD in general:

o   Specialized instruction with a learning specialist

o   Academic accommodations (notes, calculator, etc.)

o   Natural opportunities to employ skills (using math for real-world tasks for example)

o   Modify assignments, e.g., length (often expending more effort than other students on same work)

o   Monitor and limit impact of the student’s disability on other classes


Dual Differentiation: For the gifted student with SLD, remember the need for dual differentiation.  “The goal is to make sure that the strengths and not the weaknesses define the child’s life.” (Overcoming Dyslexia, p. 93).

Build on the gifted learners' strengths: Develop a life span perspective

  • Problem solving
  • Vocabulary
  • Critical thinking
  • General knowledge
  • Reasoning

While supporting the reading/writing/math weaknesses.

Reading Instruction
decorative picture of book and highlighter
Any one or a combination of these 5 areas of reading may represent a weakness for a student with dyslexia.  Educators need to analyze and identify the in which areas the student is having difficulties: phonemics, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension,  and/or fluency.

  • Phonemic awareness – ability to distinguish sounds, words, rhymes (oral)
  • Phonics – sound/symbol relationship
  • Vocabulary
  • Fluency
  • Comprehension

Early identification, prevention, and remediation is important

If you intervene early enough, you can focus on accommodations – often, “accommodations represent the difference between academic success and failure, between a growing sense of self-confidence and an enduring sense of defeat” ( Shaywitz, p. 172).  

Successful approaches to phonemic and phonics instruction must:

  • Be explicit and systematic giving -- direct, multisensory instruction and extra practice on decoding
  • Teach sound/spelling correspondences directly
  • Blend previously taught sound/spelling correspondences
  • Follow a specific sequence from easiest to most difficult

Evidence-based approaches your districts/schools may already have to supplement classroom instruction are: Orton Gillingham, Wilson, Fundations (early education K-3 Wilson), Lindamood-Bell, Lexia Reading SOS (Strategies for Older Student) (www.lexialearning.com), or Language!, Fast Forward

Strength-based Focus

It is important to consider the needs of 2e students, gifted with dyslexia in these programs.  There was research showing that gifted students who were placed in a reading program (i.e., Wilson Reading) languished because of the slow pacing and repetition of this structured program.  One district had a special summer Wilson Reading program for gifted and advanced students to address this concern.  They were able to implement the program with fidelity but move at a faster pace due to the high cognitive ability of these students, and the program had positive effects on the students’ reading abilities.  For 2e students remember the importance of dual differentiation: remediate the weakness while simultaneously accessing the higher-level thinking and reasoning strengths.  Building on strengths increases motivation, self-confidence, persistence, and resiliency.  Capitalize on cognitive strengths and interests and build new language skills by engaging children in challenging conversations.  Willard-Holt et.al in Gifted Child Quarterly (2013) recommend that there be more flexibility in how expectations are addressed in terms of teaching/learning methods, connectivity of concepts, assessment methods, and pace for 2e students.  

To build on students with dyslexia who are also gifted, build on strengths by:

  • Focusing on student’s areas of strength -- in problem-solving, vocabulary, critical-thinking, advanced knowledge and reasoning
  • Allow student to participate in high-level discussions (may need accommodations such as audio books to gain information)
  • Have “go-to” projects in area of students' interest to encourage them to finish essential work; then allow time to work on those projects as an incentive
  • Reinforce creativity in process and products
  • Ask student to become a “resident expert” in area of interest

Remember to celebrate the achievement of realistic short-term goals in order to prevent or minimize perfectionism -  a very common characteristic in gifted learners.

Attention and Focus
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Attention and focus, which can often be an issue for students with dyslexia because so much brain power is being used to compensate for the dyslexia.  According to According to Shaywitz, 2003,  helpful assistance is to preview texts ahead of time including new vocabulary or , use graphic organizers, give extra time and a quiet and/or separate location without distractions for testing, and since  reading aloud can be very “painful” and difficult, students should be given the passage ahead of time (for homework or earlier in the day) so that they can read it ahead of time to allow them to read more smoothly.  In addition, nurture their giftedness and their interest by eliciting higher-level thinking skills. 

When asked directly for what they needed, successful gifted students who have reading and writing issues state that they need:

  • Ownership of their learning
  • Choice and flexibility of content and process
  • Higher-order thinking skill practice opportunities
  • Analysis skills
  • Respect for them as mature learners
  • Supportive instruction/interventions/accommodations for their disability

One way of allowing more student ownership would be to present to the students the curriculum expectations and levels at which they are expected to master them and ask students to suggest learning projects and products in alignment with their interests and learning styles. Teachers would be judges as to whether proposed work would fulfill expectations.

Assistive Technology for Reading


Assistive Technology should be used.  We wouldn’t deny glasses to someone with vision problems; we shouldn’t deny assistive technology to someone with neurological differences resulting in dyslexia.  A short list follows and In the resources tab you will find other suggestions for technology aids.  Since technology is always changing, seek out your specialists to find what assistive technology they recommend. 

  • Audio or digitized (e-text) books:
    • Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic ( 20 Roszel Rd., Princeton, NJ 0854Bookshare.org
    • Audible.com
    • Software programs that scan printed material into computer and read aloud by computer:

Dysgraphia: Writing and Spelling Strategies

decorative picture of students using phone to take notes

According to researchers, remediation of handwriting and spelling takes up to 30% of Resource Room time.  To improve writing success:

  • Give explicit instruction in letter formation, spacing, use of conventions – early grades only
  • Facilitate expression using oral dictation or keyboarding
  • Direct instruction in formation of sentences, paragraphs, essays
  • Engage interests and special abilities
  • Use organizational tools for pre-writing: Thinking Maps, Inspiration software, graphic organizers
  • Use assistive technology and the built-in functions of word processors

Dysgraphia Support in a Nutshell

  • Allow time, allow time, allow time -- Students need extra time (even before the assignment)
  • Allow use of preferred pencil or pen and find a comfortable grip
  • Paper with raised lines, large spaces or graph paper -- The raised lines help students feel when they are going out of the lines, graph paper helps them organize their writing
  • Give examples of finished writing pieces
  • Break assignments into steps
  • Let them use manuscript or cursive --  cursive has been found to be easier as their pencil stays on the paper longer without stopping and starting with each letter, teach it early
  • Minimize copying
  • Graphic Organizers such as Thinking Maps
  • De-emphasize or remove neatness and perfect spelling in the grading criteria
  • A multisensory approach to spelling that includes saying, spelling aloud and writing words (in the air and on paper)
  • Utilize a “misspeller’s dictionary” or computerized spell checker
  • Assistive Technology: word processor, compute, speech recognition program, Livescribe Pen


Dyscalculia


There are so many areas of math and involving math, that the strategies are endless. These are general accommodations. It is important to determine the specific math issue you are working with and find an approach that will support your learner.


Strategies

  • Allow extra time
  • Allow use of fingers and scratch paper
  • Use diagrams and draw math concepts
  • Break down worksheets into sections
  • Highlight key words and numbers on word problems
  • Using a calculator when not being tested on computation
  • Suggest use of graph paper
  • Have access to math fact charts (like addition and multiplication)
  • Suggest use of colored pencils to differentiate problems
  • Work with manipulatives
  • Draw pictures of word problems
  • Use mnemonic devices to learn steps of a math concept
  • Use rhythm and music to teach math facts and to set steps to a beat
  • Schedule computer time for the student for drill and practice

Also skim "Classroom Accommodations for Dyscalculia."