Tom: Learning Disability Case Study and Teaching Strategies

Introduction and Key Themes

Three themes emerge from the case study of Tom: (1) parental advocacy is key to helping a student with a learning disability overcome obstacles; (2) early referral is another critical factor in supporting academic achievement; and (3) personal perseverance and willpower are a third variable that impacts how a student with a learning disability (LD) addresses challenges.

Tom's Learning Disability and Early Identification

As shown in the case study of Tom, a learning difficulty might often be termed a "hidden disability." Disabilities are difficult to diagnose in this respect, as there is often limited information to go on. Teachers may identify a problem, but sufficient research or time is not always devoted to assessing the situation. Reschly (1996) notes that there are specific procedures that should be implemented when identifying students with learning disabilities: parents should be interviewed along with other teachers and administrators within the school. A history of the child should be studied, and a decision should be made in line with the state's guidelines on how to ensure that children receive the type of attention they need to succeed in school.

As in the case of Tom, a person challenged by a learning difficulty can generally be of average or above-average intelligence and yet be able to conceal the fact that certain aspects of academic learning pose difficulties for years, leaving these issues unaddressed until high school or later. Without proper intervention from teachers and/or parents, the child is passed along without ever truly having to address the issue. The difficulty arises in the gap between the individual's potential for achievement and actual ability to achieve, which is often hampered by difficulties in receiving or processing information.

Parental Advocacy and School Support

For Tom, what proved effective was receiving the attention he needed through parental intervention. Tom's parents met directly with his teacher in fourth grade to discuss concerns, and as a result, his fourth-grade teacher became one of his biggest advocates — supporting him through challenges and keeping him focused by using subtle attention-getters, such as taps on his desk to keep him on task. This indicates that by giving a student just a small amount of individual attention, that student can be assisted, reminded, and supported as he grows and develops strategies for maintaining focus and academic effort.

Tom's parents continued to assist him through middle school and high school, setting aside time to work with him and discuss issues he was encountering. By taking an active interest in their son's academic life and allowing him the opportunity to identify specific struggles — such as difficulty passing exams — Tom's parents enabled him to pinpoint areas requiring focused attention. Tom never accepted special accommodations or wanted to be singled out as a student with an LD. What he embraced instead, with the assistance of his parents and teachers, was the opportunity to turn challenges into pathways toward success. Tom graduated high school with a 3.5 GPA. He recognized that comprehension and knowledge were not the issue, but rather that studying for tests and performing well on exams was the core challenge. By identifying this obstacle, he overcame it through support, early intervention, and personal willpower.