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Unit 18: Learning Disabilities: Prevention and teaching strategies

must be trained to attend to the similarities and difference between two letters, words, or Notes
numbers (e.g., b, d, p, q; 6, 9; 3, 8; hat, bat etc.) and then to make the correct response. In
teaching such children letters, words, or numbers, these are to be written in the beginning in
large sizes in crayon on news print paper. The children can trace the letters with their index
fingers, while saying the letters, words, or numbers aloud. Visual and auditory attention is
thus heightened in relation to these letters, words, or numbers. In order to improve their
retention ability repetition or overhearing may be encouraged.
(iii) Visual Reception Training : Visual reception can be encouraged by having children identify
common objects by name and tell both their proper use and to whom each object belongs.
They can be asked to stand in front of a mirror each day in the resource room and comment
on what they see. Children can be given pictures to interpret in terms objects seen, colours,
sizes, motion, and other details.
(iv) Visual Memory Training : Visual memory can be developed by having children close their
eyes and describe their clothing, a bulletin board in the room, or other children.
(v) Spatial Training : Spatial training can be introduced by having children find the top, bottom,
sides, and back of an object. The concepts of up, down, over, under, in, bigger, heavier, etc.
can be demonstrated.
(vi) Auditory Awareness Training : Auditory awareness can be encouraged by having children
remember various types of sounds heard during walk. The children can identify the source
of each sound and give it an appropriate label. The teacher can hold a wrist watch to a child’s
ear at varying distances and train the child to listen and to raise a hand when the ticking is no
longer audible. Directions can be whispered to the child at varying distances from each ear.
Quiet periods can be held during which children are asked to listen to various sounds.
(vii) Auditory Discrimination Exercise : Auditory discrimination exercises can include hiding a
ticking clock and asking a child to point to the direction of the clock. The teacher can tap
several times on the desk and have the children listen, count to themselves and report the
number of taps. While blind folded, a child can identify a classmate by his voice.
(viii) Auditory Memory and Sequencing Training : Auditory memory and sequencing can be
developed by asking children to repeat directions, phone numbers, and clapping patterns.
They can listen to nursery rhymes and songs and pick out details they will be asked to repeat
afterwards. The teacher can tell simple jokes and have the children repeat them.

A LD child believed to have reading problems because of difficulties in visual
perception will be trained in visual perception.

Self Assessment
1. Multiple Choice Questions
Choose the correct option:
(i) The medical-neurological approach views the LD child as a patient afflicted with................ .
(a) MBD (b) CAD (c) DAK (d) MAS
(ii) The Psycho-educational approach views the LD children not as a patient but as ........... waiting
to be taught.
(a) process (b) learner (c) teacher (d) approach
(iii) ..................... is based on the contention that learning academic subjects requires understanding
the underlying psychological processes.
(a) Content (b) approach (c) Process training (d) Special approach

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