Presentation study skills for students with learning disabilities

Study Skills for Students With Learning Disabilities

What is a learning disability?

The term "learning disability" is used to describe a wide array of difficulties that manifest in different ways (Milsom & Hartley, 2005). By definition, students with learning disabilities may demonstrate weaknesses in one or more areas involved in learning. These areas include: spelling, reading, writing, speaking, listening, thinking, and mathematics (Milsom & Hartley, 2005). The manner in which learning disabilities manifest is unique to each individual (Milsom & Hartley, 2005). Learning disabilities can make studying more challenges, as it is often more difficult to process, understand, and retrieve information. Strategies to aid students with learning disabilities can help in developing understanding, the achievement of better grades, and furthermore increase self-esteem and confidence.

Study skills of students with learning disabilities study conducted by Proctor, Prevatt, Adams, Hurst, and Petscher (2006) sought to investigate a comparison in study skills between students with a documented learning disability and a control group of students who did not have a learning disability. Results of the study indicated that students with learning disabilities demonstrated weaknesses in study skills in comparison to the students without learning disabilities. The areas of weakness addressed by the researchers included: anxiety, concentration, motivation, selection of main ideas, and strategies for test taking. It was also established by the findings that both groups of students in the investigation demonstrated improvements after the use of study aids. Furthermore, it is of the utmost importance that specific study skills be highlighted and developed in order to improve the academic performance of students with learning disabilities.

Eight strategies for effective studying

There are eight strategies that may be utilized to help students with learning disabilities, and all students for that matter, learn effectively. These study skills help to ensure academic success (Gillman, 2007):

It is important to identify what is most essential when approaching material to be learned. By identifying the most essential components to a theory or concept, students are able to grasp a holistic understanding of the subject matter. The most effective way to decipher what is most essential is to approach new material with the question "what is most important here?." A helpful hint when reading textbooks is to read the end of a chapter first, and then proceed to read the entire chapter with these key points in mind. The end of the chapter usually outlines key points, which are covered in detail throughout the chapter.

Relate material that is new to knowledge you already have. This could mean understanding new concepts in terms of metaphor by relating new concepts and processes being learned to things you already know, comprehend, and are comfortable with. If this study skill is practiced enough, it will eventually become second nature to make connections between new and old concepts.

Compare and Contrast information. This is an effective approach to categorize concepts and results in a greater understanding of the subject matter. Essentially, this greater level of understanding facilitates retrieval of learned information when it is needed.

Even if you do not have time to do some in-depth studying, expose your mind to new material.. Taking a few minutes to quickly scan over new concepts and information that needs to be learned can prepare your mind for an understanding of these concepts, even if they don't sink in at first. Repetition in this fashion can be very beneficial.

Always have questions. Continually approach learning new concepts with questions. While progressively learning and understanding more about a concept or subject, it is helpful to remain mindful about what still needs to be learned. It is helpful to be curious and ask questions both to oneself, as well as to instructors.

Study material as though it needed to be understood in a way that it could be taught. This shift in perspective from student to teacher results in more efficient learning. The way to accomplish this is to organize the learned information in a way that is most understandable and concise. It would even be helpful to write out a sort of "lesson plan" that indicates how a concept would be taught.