Hsc300 Unit 2

Unit two consists of articles related to Learning disabilities (LD). The articles range from academic support to declines in LD staffing, and specific types of LD such as Dyslexia, to building organizational skills to helping LD students become successful. In the article, “Learning Disabilities” Freiberg (2015), it explains that the LD eligibility category makes up the largest number of students enrolled in inclusive and regular classrooms from grades k-12. The article goes on to explain other eligibility categories that mirror LD, and how more precise labeling has contributed to a reduced number of students being labeled LD. In the article Freiberg also explained that a LD student is defined by the general public as a difficulty in reading and/or calculation (2015). While Freiberg also stated that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act defines LD students as a processing disorder that involves understanding language wither spoken or written which in turn may
manifest into the inability to read, speak, spell, write, or do mathematical calculations fluently (2015). The article ends by stating that the causes associated with LD causes frustration in both the student and the adults as well.
While in the article, “Beyond Special Education: A New vision of Academic Support” Mowschenson and Weintraub, discussed a high school in Massachusetts that created a mainstream academic support program that helped to reduce the number of students being diagnosed with LD.
The program focused on all students who need more content-based support as well as more subject-specific support than the normal reinforced learning strategies that special education tends to provide. “Weintraub envisioned an alternative and effective way to support student, allowing them to succeed academically in the mainstream, alleviating the stigma commonly associated with special education, reducing paperwork, increasing teacher morale, and saving the district money over time.” (pg.33) The program basically became a content-based tutoring session within a formal structure for all students. The article concluded with being able to back their program by stating that fewer students were being placed in special
education. In the article, Learning –Disabled Enrollment Dips after a Long Climb, Samuels discussed the possible reasons as to the decline in LD diagnoses.” It discussed the past over identification of LD students as well as the decline in identifying LD students based on Federal funding. According to Samuel (2015) “the decrease could be tied to shifting classifications-moving students, for example, from learning disabled to some other disability category.” The article focused on the possible decline being tied to student classification, “Reading First” and RTI, early intervention, and non-school factors.
While Hudson, High, and Otaiba explained that the identification of a child is a difficult process that is often misunderstood in the article “Dyslexia and the Brain: what does current research tell us?”. This article went into details that discussed developmental “dyslexia as being a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin” (pg.39). Hudson, High, and Otaiba (2015) gave the definition of dyslexia as defined as a lifelong condition, but can be dealt with by making sure that the teachers understand the underlying cause and help students and their families learn strategies to aid in their specific weaknesses.
Finstein, Yang, and Jones discussed in the article, “Build Organizational Skills in Students with Learning Disabilities”, the lack of organizational skills in correlation to the work quality of a LD student. It gave twenty different strategies to better help organize a LD student, from praise and practice, to working with parents and keeping both students and parents in formed through calendars, daily agendas, organizers/planners, to notebooks for all their belongings. The article also gave suggestions as to making sure daily routines are followed, along with guided practice and reminders, along with peer pairing and helping students to not become overwhelmed. Finstein, Yang, and Jones explained that “good organizational skills are useful throughout life and can be learned through small, integrated steps practiced in and out of school.” (pg.47)
In Unit two “Learning Disabilities”, all the articles explained the qualifications of diagnosing a student with a learning disability by explaining the eligibility of a LD student in correlation to deficits in reading and/or writing language. Some articles went on to explain how the number of LD kids were higher in the past, but are now declining. While other articles explained possible ways the decline has occurred, through tutorial programs implemented in schools, as well as more precise diagnosis of other disabilities due to more formal testing practices. Whether on there has been a decline or not, trying to understand what specifically the cause of the disability is in a student, and helping them to overcome their LD through being better organized is the ultimate goal by teachers, parents, students, as well as all others involved in their success.