5 Common Learning Difficulties And How To Overcome Them

School can be difficult even in the best of circumstances. From kindergarten all the way to grad school, learning is a journey that often gets more complicated along the way. But for many children, the hard work they put into learning new subjects can be hindered by a specific learning difficulty.
A learning difficulty is defined as any condition that makes it harder to learn in a traditional classroom setting. They can range from mild or more severe. Those with a learning difficulty often experience problems while trying to gain an education because of something that’s completely out of their control. The good news is that learning difficulties can be overcome – sometimes it just involves implementing certain methods that are different to the “traditional” ways of learning.

How do you diagnose learning difficulties?
Diagnosing a learning difficulty isn’t always easy, but there are some specific signs to be on the lookout for that may indicate when a person isn’t starting from the same learning point as their classmates. For example, if a child is well below their grade level, it’s likely due to an issue with how they’re learning, rather than an inability to learn at the pace of their age group. Some other signs include having trouble with directions; failing to remember certain tasks shortly after they are given; having difficulties with coordination, such as walking or holding on to a writing implement; or an inability to grasp concepts such as time.
For some students with learning difficulties, the simple act of doing schoolwork or other activities that involve reading, writing, or math may be undesirable. They may resist doing their homework or playing games that involve reading or writing. They may also have trouble completing assignments without assistance. Some may become excessively emotional while participating in school activities in the classroom or at home. All these signs are indications that there may be something other than a simple dislike of school at play.

What are the most common learning difficulties?
Although there are many types of different learning difficulties, some are more common than others. The five most common learning difficulties include:

1. ADHD
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is an incredibly common learning difficulty. Over six million children have experienced ADHD at some point in their lives. Some professionals don’t consider ADHD to be a learning difficulty; however, it does impede a student’s ability to pay attention and stay on task, which can negatively affect their studies.

2. Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a widely recognised learning difficulty that affects roughly 5–15% of all Americans. It affects how someone reads and comprehends text or words. There are different types of dyslexia manifestations. The phonemic type is a struggle with recognizing and breaking down words based on how they sound, whereas phonological dyslexia involves issues with differentiating between words that sound similar.
When a student has dyslexia, they may also experience issues with fluency, comprehension, and spelling. There is no cure for dyslexia, although there are management techniques available.

3. Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a learning difficulty that affects a student’s ability to learn mathematics. It can present as an inability to order numbers correctly, or affect how a student develops problem-solving strategies. Students with this learning difficulty likely have issues with concepts such as time, measurement, estimation, or basic math calculations. It is estimated that 5–10% of people have dyscalculia.

4. Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a learning difficulty that affects how well a student writes. For those with dysgraphia, which is roughly 5–20% of all children, things such as holding a pencil correctly could prove to be difficult. They may also tense up while writing, which leads to them becoming tired easily and feeling discouraged when it comes to learning.
People with dysgraphia may also find it hard to organize their thoughts, avoid redundancies in their writing, or omit certain things that affects how readable their writing is. They may also have issues with sentence structure and grammar.

5. Processing Deficits
For those with processing deficits, making sense of sensory data may be a difficult task. This makes traditional classroom settings more difficult for those with this learning difficulty if they do not have supplemental instructions to work with. Processing deficits are typically associated with visual or auditory senses and cause issues with information retention. Roughly 5–16% of school-aged children are affected by a processing deficit.

How do you overcome learning difficulties?
There are different ways to overcome learning difficulties, depending on the type. For example, ADHD can be managed with medication and behavioral therapy. When it comes to dyslexia, reading programs such as the Orton-Gillingham Approach or the Wilson Method have been shown to be effective. Other ways to help with dyslexia include listening to audiobooks as opposed to reading, typing on a computer instead of writing, and using a ruler to read in a straight line and help the student focus.
For students with dyscalculia, offering them multisensory instructions or assistive technology may aid in their success. For dysgraphia, giving a child short handwriting exercises may help to improve their abilities, as well as providing activities that can improve fine motor skills such as coloring, painting, model building, or threading.
When it comes to processing deficits, lifestyle changes come into play. Auditory processing issues, for example, can be helped by making devices available to help the student hear better, improving other skills such as memory and problem-solving, and undertaking speech therapy.
Talking with a student about successful people who have the same disorder may also help to boost confidence and get them motivated to learn.

How to support a child with learning difficulties in school
Helping children with learning difficulties can be simplified into a few steps. Educators, for example, should also avoid using particular students’ work as an example of a job poorly done, because humiliation can cause someone with a learning difficulty to lose even more confidence and motivation. When using examples of work, the focus should be on quality work to demonstrate successful tasks and encourage students.
By providing clear and step-by-step instructions, educators (and parents) can help students with learning difficulties to see exactly what is expected of them. To ensure that the classroom stays focused, outlining and clearly defining expectations for both work and behavioral aspects is a great tool. Educators should also give students the option to have instructions repeated back to them to ensure full understanding. Generally, being specific in instructions, what is expected, what is being graded, and everything in between is the broadest and best way to help those with learning difficulties.