Effect of training on cognitive and social skill deficits in children with learning disabilities

L e a rn in g d is a b ility (L D ) is a te rm c u rre n tly used to describe a g roup o f n e u ro lo g ic a l co n d itio n s th a t in te rfe re u ith a c lu ld's learn in g . U n d e r th e u m b re lla term c a lle d L D, th ere are disorders relate d to lis te n in g, speaking, read in g, reaso nin g, and m ath em atical calc u la tio n . In d iv id u a ls w ith L D have in te llig e n c e in th e n ear average, average, o r above average range. B ecause these in d iv id u a ls do n o t app ear to be d iffe re n t, d iffic u ltie s are n o t exp ected. T h e im p act o f the co n d itio n s m ay range fro m m ild to severe. A s w e expand o u r kn o w led g e o f le a rn in g d is a b ilitie s, w e have com e to re a lize th a t le a rn in g d is a b ilitie s m a y also in clu d e an atte n tio n d e fic it com po nent, a so c io -em o tio n al com ponent and perhaps em o tio n al issues (H a rw e ll & Jackson, 2 0 0 8 ). U n lik e p h ysical d is a b ilitie s, le a rn in g d is a b ilitie s are n o t so o bviou s and have been referre d to as the "h id d en han dicap" . S om etim es tliese d is a b ilitie s go u n reco g n ized b y parents, teachers, and p hysician s. A s a resu lt, in d iv id u a ls w ith le a rn in g d is a b ilitie s m ay be th o u g h t o f as " underachievers", " la z y ", o r w e ird " (H a rw e ll & Jackson, 2 0 0 8 ). In o u r so ciety b a s ic a lly le a rn in g d is a b ilitie s diagnosed d u rin g th e tim e o f school age (N a tio n a l D isse m in atio n C e n te r fo r C h ild re n w ith D is a b ilitie s, 2 0 0 4 ) because school focuses on the v e ry thin gs th at m ay be d iffic u lt fo r c h ild re n w ith le a rn in g d is a b ility . T h a t are read in g, w ritin g, and m ath, as w e ll as lis te n in g, speaking, and reasoning. Teachers and parents n o tice th at the c h ild is n o t learn in g as exp ected. These c h ild re n's lo w ach ievem en t separates th e m m ore each school 5'e a r fro m th e ir classm ates w ith o u t d is a b ilitie s (D e s h le r e t aL, 2 0 0 1 ). T h e c h ild re n w ith learn in g d is a b ility have to w o rk h ard er to succeed. T h e y re ceive m o re n eg ative feed b ack reg ard in g th e ir w o rk . T h e y m a y exp erien ce feelin g s o f fru stratio n, anger, depression, a n x ie ty, and w orthlessness (N a k ra, 2 0 0 8 ). In the case o f le arn in g d is a b ilitie s no tw o c h ild ren share the sam e set o f strengths o r areas o f w eakness because le arn in g d is a b ility is heterogeneous. So an e ffe c tiv e in te rv e n tio n aim ed to u tiliz e the strength o f learn in g disabled c h ild's to b u ild up th e ir o p tim a l le v e l o f develo p m en t. A s such in te rv en tio n s need to be