Learning Disabilities

Nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD) is a learning disability characterized by difficulty with visual-spatial processing, motor skills, and social skills. This can affect various daily tasks, such as reading facial expressions, understanding charts, and solving math problems. A child with this disorder may also seem clumsy or have a hard time with hand-eye coordination. Despite these problems, they may excel in reading and speaking.

Specific learning disabilities are neurodevelopmental disorders that affect a certain academic skill. Some examples include dyslexia, a disorder in which a child has difficulty with reading comprehension, and dyscalculia, which affects a child’s ability to solve mathematical problems. A specific learning disability can range from mild to severe. As a parent, you can help your child with a learning disability nurture their strengths, become mindful of their weaknesses, and achieve success.

Social learning theory proposes that people learn behaviors by watching and imitating others. For example, a child might learn how to play a video game by watching their older sibling, or a teen might pick up aggressive tendencies from witnessing their parents argue. Your child may be more likely to imitate a behavior if they associate it with a desired outcome, such as gaining popularity. If they perceive that the behavior comes with a negative consequence, such as social rejection, they’re less likely to imitate it.

Learning disabilities are neurodevelopmental conditions that affect someone’s ability to comprehend or use language, maintain focus, control movements, or handle math-related tasks. Some of these conditions can include dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyslexia, dysphasia, and auditory processing disorder. It’s possible for a child to have more than one learning disability, and conditions like ADHD can co-occur with learning disabilities.

One common misconception is that three learning styles exist (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) and that each child consistently learns best through one of these styles. Although it’s true that children can have specific learning preferences, they may learn best and stay more engaged when they interact with material in a variety of ways. For example, when teaching a child about cooking, you could show them a picture book about meal preparation (a visual learning approach), explain to them how the process works (an auditory approach), and let them try a hands-on activity in the kitchen (a kinesthetic approach).