Learning Disabilities

What is a learning disability?

A specific learning disability can affect how individuals learn in a variety of ways including how they take in, remember, understand or express information.

A specific learning disability may be defined as problems people encounter in learning that affect achievement and daily life skills. The most common forms of learning disability are in reading and spelling, but they may also be found in other areas of functioning including spoken language and mathematics.

Individuals can present with a specific difficulty in one or more areas and have average or above average performance in other areas. For example, a child who has a specific difficulty in reading and spelling may perform well in mathematics. However, for others there may be several overlapping areas of difficulty.

As referenced from the Australan Psychology Society

More information from APS  click here

A fantastic video on how a learning disabled child processes information and ideally should be handled in the classroom.

Please view this link:  Teaching a child with a learning disability in the classroom

Other resources on specific learning disabilities

The Australian Learning Disability Association website provides more detailed information as well as useful contacts in your state. This information can be found at www.adcet.edu.au/oao.

Learning Disabilities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that provides support and resources for teachers and professional educators. Go to www.ldaustralia.org.

SPELD is a non profit organisation that provides advice and services to children and adults with specific learning difficulties. The national contact details and website are: AUSPELD www.auspeld.org.au or (08) 9217 2500.