Learning Disabilities Online

Online Magazine Offering New Perspectives
on Learning and Learning Disorders

Learning Disabilities Clarified: Learning is a Skill (Part One)

The subject of this discussion, that learning is a skill, is apparently one of those ideas that are generally regarded as self-evident. Most people, however, do not seem to realize the implications involved. If learning is a skill, then an explanation and a solution immediately becomes available for all the many children who battle with so-called learning disabilities. Read more…

Learning Disabilities Clarified: Learning is a Skill (Part Two)

It is important to note that learning is a skill. In order to grasp the full import of this concept, it is vital that one should take cognizance of the different elements of a skill. In the second part of this article the elements of a skill are discussed. Read more…

Learning Disabilities Clarified: Learning is a Skill (Part Three)

The fourth, very important element involved in every skill, is that a skill usually embraces a number of subskills. In the third part of this article the subskills of learning are discussed. Read more…

Preventing Learning Disorders: Teachers Test the Audiblox Claims

Kathleen Castro Amaro and Tersia Connell, two teachers, report the results of the Audiblox program in the Grade 0 (Kindergarten) classes: “The benefits of implementing the Audiblox program in Grade 0 are numerous and far-reaching. They extend to all areas of the children’s day and have a profound influence on future learning. By implementing the Audiblox program at this young age we are helping them to build a solid foundation for future learning.” Read more…

Overcoming Learning Disabilities: Two Success Stories

Adam Browning from the USA did Audiblox while stationed in Kuwait. His mother, Sherri Browning, wrote: “Adam had so many learning difficulties when we first began with Audiblox that all I could do was hope, with all my heart, that this would finally be the program that would help him.” Read more…

What Causes Learning Disabilities?

Successful intervention is dependent on finding the cause or causes of a problem. Most problems can only be solved if one knows their causes. A disease such as scurvy claimed the lives of thousands of seamen during their long sea voyages. The disease was cured fairly quickly once the cause was discovered, viz. a Vitamin C deficiency. A viable point of departure in this case would thus be to ask the question, “What causes learning disabilities?” Read more….

Overcoming Learning Disorders: Learning is a Stratified Process

It is only possible to overcome learning disorders when it is understood that learning is a stratified process. This is a self-evident fact, yet its significance in the situation of the learning-disabled child has apparently never been fully comprehended. Read more…

Overcoming Learning Disorders: Building a “Pyramid of Repetition”

The first learning principle in overcoming learning disorders is to understand that learning is a stratified process. The second learning principle of great importance is to understand that learning cannot occur without repetition. More specifically, a “pyramid of repetition” has to be constructed. In this article the second learning principle is discussed. Read more…

Teaching Myth: Repetition and Drill Dull Creativity

It is often said that repetition and drill dulls creativity. Research demonstrates the opposite, as well as its effectiveness in teaching learning-disabled students. Regardless of the practical or theoretical orientation of the study, the largest effect sizes in LD intervention were obtained by those that included systematic drill, repetition, practice, and review. Read more…

Learning Principles: More Important than Learning Styles

Although there is value in adjusting to a preferred learning style, its value should not be overrated. Learning principles, which are universal, are of far greater importance than learning styles, which are individual. Read more…

Beyond Learning Styles: Strengthening Learning Weaknesses

In the real world, and real time, learning styles theory is often an academic luxury. It is therefore important to go beyond learning styles and strengthen our children’s learning weaknesses. Read more…

Four Cognitive Skills for Successful Learning

The word cognition is defined as “the act of knowing” or “knowledge.” Cognitive skills therefore refer to those skills that make it possible for us to know. These skills are not innate but must be taught. Read more…

Improve Short-term Memory, Long-term Memory, Visual Memory
and Auditory Memory

Memory is the retention of information over time, of which there are many kinds: short-term memory, long-term memory, visual memory and auditory memory, to name but a few. These four kinds of memory are foundational skills of learning and improving them is fundamental to overcoming learning disabilities. Read more…

Logical Thinking: An Indispensable Skill

Logical thinking is a very important skill. Like all other skills, it must be taught. There are many everyday life situations in which the ability to think logically is of great importance. Read more…

Reading Disabilities: Why Some Children Struggle to Learn to Read

Plato, the great Greek philosopher, once said that the direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life. In modern Western society mastery of basic academic skills — reading, writing and arithmetic — is a necessary prerequisite for success in both school and employment settings and society at large. However, due to learning disabilities, and especially due to reading disabilities, the futures of many children are put in jeopardy. Why do these children struggle to learn to read? Read more…

Reading Skills: Foundational Reading Skills

Before building a house, one needs to lay a foundation. Unless there is a strong and solid foundation, cracks will soon appear in the walls, and with no foundations, the walls will collapse. In the same way one needs to lay a proper foundation before it becomes possible for a child to benefit from a course in reading. Read more…

Reading Help: Help for Reading Problems and Reading Difficulties

In this article reading help for schoolchildren of all ages is explored. Reading and learning are the two things that determine the success of a child during his school career. First he learns to read. Then he reads to learn. Because the child with reading problems and reading difficulties battles to read, he is therefore also hampered in the learning situation. Read more…

Letter Reversals, Number Reversals and Mirror Writing

Letter reversals include confusing letters like b and d, either when reading or when writing. Number reversals include writing ε instead of 3, or confusing 17 and 71. Mirror writing is another form of reversal. This means that the person is writing backward, from right to left, the letters appearing like ordinary writing seen in a mirror. Read more…

Spelling Problems: The Ability to Spell, May Still Serve You Well

The ability to spell correctly is one of the fundamentals that will never cease to be important. The advantage of a good spelling ability in the work place was indicated by a survey of 1500 employers and employees, recently conducted by Office Angels. Read more…

Spelling Help: Help for Spelling Problems

In this article spelling help for schoolchildren of all ages is explored. The ability to spell correctly is one of the fundamentals that will never cease to be important. Not only can spelling problems cause problems at school, but the ability to spell is nearly essential for adult employment. Read more…

Spelling Games

Four spelling games to reinforce spelling in children who don’t have reading and/or spelling problems. Read more…

IQ Test: Where Does It Come From and What Does It Measure?

The most important criterion in diagnosing a child as learning disabled is the IQ test. The aim of an IQ test is to measure the intelligence of a child, which supposedly is an indication of the child's potential. But where does the test come from and does it really measure potential? Read more...

IQ Test and Children: The Real Facts About Your Child's IQ

Parents may be surprised to discover the following facts about IQ and IQ testing. Read more…

LD Resourses

Audiblox: Overcoming Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Learning Difficulties
A system of cognitive exercises, aimed at the development of the skills foundational to reading, spelling, and writing. Effective for dyslexia, dysgraphia and other learning disorders.

Compublox: Improve Concentration, Memory and Logical Thinking
Cognitive exercises designed to improve concentration, perception, memory, logical thinking, and increase brainpower.

Dyslexia Online
Provides a selection of articles on dyslexia. Learn about the symptoms, possible causes, and ways to prevent this learning disorder.

Dyslexia Symptoms & Dyslexia Signs
Resource details the symptoms of dyslexia, including the possible effects of this disorder on math and handwriting.

IQ Online
Online magazine on IQ tests and IQ scores takes the point of view that IQ is not a fixed quantity, but can be increased by means of education.

The Right to Read: Beating Dyslexia and other Learning Disabilities
Read part one of this book online.