Specific learning disorder

Specific learning disabilities are not directly linked to level of intelligence as people with a specific learning disability often demonstrate average or above average intelligence.  Instead, specific learning disabilities affect the brain’s ability to receive, process, store and respond to information. That is, they affect how learning takes place.  People with a specific learning disability process information or learn differently from others and can find learning more challenging. 

Symptoms and characteristics

Specific learning disabilities are characterised by a difference in a person’s level of achievement in some specific area as compared to their overall level of achievement. People with a specific learning disability may exhibit particular difficulties with:

• reading
• writing
• comprehension
• spoken language
• reasoning ability
• mathematics
• attention
• coordination.

Workplace adjustments and solutions

There are solutions and adjustments for the following job requirements:

• active listening
• attention and memory
• handling stress
• focusing attention
• learning and applying knowledge
• managing emotions at work
• organisation and planning 
• problem solving and decision making
• reading and writing
  

References and resources

National Dissemination Centre for Children with Disabilities 2007, Learning Disabilities, Academy for Educational Development, Washington, viewed 22 April 2007, http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs7txt.htm