How to Use Art to Help Children With Learning Disabilities

Art is a proven method of therapy for children with learning disabilities. Art can help children with learning disabilities gain confidence in themselves and their abilities. Art education and appreciation have also been shown to improve academic performance, build self-esteem and promote internal healing.

Instructions

1. Use drawing and painting as a way to have children with learning disabilities practice their motor skills. Handling brushes and writing utensils can help a child refine their fine motor skills. In addition, drawing and painting can help children with learning disabilities learn basic concepts used in mathematics, such as the importance of lines, spatial relationships, contrasts, boundaries, size, shapes and other figures.

2. Introduce music to children with learning disabilities. Music can soothe children and also teach them about pitch, sound and rhythm. The lyrics in music can increase children's vocabularies and help with speech. Use songs that incorporate academic lessons in the music so that the children will find learning easier.

3. Treat dancing as a lesson in sequencing, following orders and rhythm. Encouraging children's love for dancing can result in children's motor skills refinement and control. Stressing the importance of directional understanding can especially aid those children with learning disabilities like dyslexia.

4. Put on plays. Plays can aid the learning of academic subject matter, build on children's memories and encourage creative expression. Plays also teach children about teamwork.

5. Allow children the ability to create pieces of art without your specific direction. Encouraging creativity is a major part of developing children's intellectual curiosity and expression. Supervise craft-making and art production.

6. Encourage art talent where you see it. Express individual and collective appreciation. Building self-esteem in children with learning disabilities is an integral part of having them perform to the best of their academic abilities. It may also encourage them to take pride in their accomplishments, establish future goals and control behavioral or attitude problems.