How to Teach Children About Learning Disabilities
It is becoming increasingly clear that when we teach children about learning disabilities, everyone benefits. When we help children gain an understanding about the world around them and sometimes the world within them, they use compassion and caring more often. To teach children about learning disabililities, the teacher must have a firm grasp of the topic. Learning disabilities can be overcome through specialized teaching, and they do not need to impact a child socially.
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Instructions
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Determine the age and developmental level of the children that are being taught. This will guide the teaching and influence how much information is revealed at any one time.
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Break it up into several class sessions. Children are more likely to respond positively to messages about learning disabilities when the information is presented in small increments. Keep in mind the attention span of the audience.
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Start with definitions and attempt to grow understanding first. Many children need concrete information to move forward into the more abstract part that deals with feelings.
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Make the lesson interactive. Have children experiment with what it might be like to have a learning disability. Play an audio recording of directions being spoken with large amounts of background noise, and have children try to follow the instructions. Or have children try to write their names using a mirror for guidance instead of looking at the paper. These lessons help children to recognize that learning disabilities can affect many different processing modes and that they can be hidden.
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Invite a guest speaker who has firsthand experience with learning disabilities. Parents of learning-disabled children and adults who were diagnosed with a learning disability at an early age make very effective guests.
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Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly. Provide a box for children to place questions in anonymously so that even the tough questions will be asked. Make the environment as comfortable and safe as possible. It can be very rewarding to teach children about learning disabilities.
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Tips & Warnings
This may be emotional for some students. Take this into account and work closely with those students who seem to be having a hard time.
