Misunderstood minds PBS special

Millions of children in our school system are struggling daily because of a learning difficulty. The causes are unknown and are to predict. Learning differences can describe cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Attention and the ability to focus are required for success in school. Paying attention refers to the brain's ability to take all of the stimuli around us , immediately categories and organize the information as relevant or irrelevant. Attention deficit is one of the most widely used phrases when it comes to learning problems.
Reading- a complex task which involves a set of processes- physical, neurological, and cognitive. We need to convert print into meaning. Reading is a means to understand the world and a fundamental skill required to succeed. Learning to read is a sequential process; each new skill builds on the mastery of previously learned skills. Each step relates to one of the three components which are decoding, comprehension and retention.

Signs of decoding difficulty are:

-trouble sounding out words and recognizing words out of context
-confusion between letters and the sounds they represent
-slow oral reading rate
-reading without expression
-ignoring punctuation while reading


Signs of comprehension difficulty are:

-confusion about meaning of words and sentences
-inability to connect ideas in a passage
-omission of, or glossing over detail
-difficulty distinguishing significant information from minor details
-lack of concentration during reading


Signs of retention difficulty are:

-trouble remembering or summarizing what is read
-difficulty connecting what is read to prior knowledge
-difficulty applying content of a text to personal experiences




Technology can help accommodate kids differences. Learning disabilities limit a person's potential to learn. Children with writing disabilities will struggle in school but there are ways around them. The following is a short list of computer tools that can help:
-word prediction software- helps kids who struggle with spelling by providing a list of words to choose from once letters are printed.

-voice recognition system- translates speech into written text, allowing a child to say what she/he wants to write.

speech synthesis software- translates written text into speech allowing a child to listen to textual information instead of reading it.