What are learning disorders? How can schools endeavour to address these disorders in today’s inclusive classrooms? This book answers these important questions in practical terms and discusses in detail the instructional needs of students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and other significant disorders that affect learning. Peter Westwood draws on international research literature to provide supporting evidence of best practices. The book is unique in linking the teaching methods recommended for overcoming learning problems directly to each of the three tiers of support in the Response-to-Intervention Model. It presents examples of effective whole-class teaching, intensive small group instruction and individual tutoring, as well as addressing key topics such as: educational progress of students with learning disorders; principles for teaching dyslexic students; difficulties with writing and spelling; developing students’ numeracy skills; specific intervention strategies; nonverbal learning disabilities. Learning Disorders will be of interest to practising teachers, trainee teachers, teaching assistants, educational psychologists, school counsellors and parents. It will also provide valuable insights for any school planning to upgrade its support system for students with special educational needs.

This volume considers the neurodevelopmental disorders such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, clumsiness and indeed all those learning difficulties to be found in a 'normal' school population with an IQ of more than 70. Specific ideas about the causes of these disorders are presented along with very practical preventative and management information which will be welcomed by a wide range of professionals with an interest in paediatrics, neurology, developmental and educational psychology.

This book has been replaced by Diagnosing Learning Disorders, Third Edition, ISBN 978-1-4625-3791-4.

It is also clear that many of the concepts and strategies used in assessing and treating children with these problems do not apply to adults.

This book addresses the need to view specific learning disorders (SLDs) within a mental health framework, as supported by their placement alongside autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). It describes how policy and practice point to a different perspective – specifically that SLDs are often treated as educational rather than psychological problems – and examines the implications of this dichotomy. The book reviews empirical research that suggests children need access to treatment for clinical components of SLDs that may respond to psychological intervention separately from, and in addition to, educational interventions. It provides a theoretical framework for organizing research findings and clinical perspectives that support understanding the clinical components of SLDs and addresses the need for a mental health framework within which to approach theory, treatment, and assessment of SLDs. Key areas of coverage include: Examining different theoretical orientations to learning disorders (e.g., cognitive, behavioral, neuropsychoeducational, psychoanalytic). Adapting evidence-based therapeutic techniques for use with children and adolescents who have learning disorders. The need for accurate and well characterized assessment of SLDs. How incorporating a cognitive neuroscience perspective into assessment can move LD treatment and research forward. Learning Disorders Across the Lifespan is an essential reference for clinicians, therapists, and other professionals as well as researchers, professors, and graduate students in school and clinical child psychology, special education, speech-language therapy, developmental psychology, pediatrics, social work as well as all interrelated disciplines.

An updated edition of an indispensable resource offers practical strategies for teaching and supporting students with mental health and learning disorders. Covering topics including PTSD, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and many others, this accessible, ready-to-use reference explains how each disorder or difficulty might be exhibited in the classroom and offers straightforward suggestions for what to do (and what not to do). Using clear, jargon-free language, the book helps all educators—whether in inclusive classrooms, general education settings, or other environments—recognize mental health issues and learning disabilities that are often observed in students. Fully revised and updated to correspond to the DSM-5, this edition addresses newly diagnosed disorders, as well as incorporating the latest research and interventions for existing disorders. The book also includes current information about educational practices such as creating a culturally responsive classroom and supporting students’ social-emotional learning. Digital content includes customizable forms from the book. A free downloadable PLC/Book Study Guide is available at freespirit.com/PLC.

This unique book focuses on the interaction of learning disabilities and emotional disorders, fostering an understanding of how learning problems affect emotional well-being, and vice versa.