He was a daydreamer. His teachers in Germany told him he would
never amount to anything, that his questions destroyed class
discipline, that he would be better off out of school. Yet
Albert Einstein went on to become one of the greatest scientists
in world history.
did Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, Leonardo da
Vinci, and William Shakespeare have in common? They all had a
One common misperception about people who have a learning disability
is that they are less intelligent than other people. In fact, people
with learning disabilities can be academically gifted and highly
motivated achievers. Instructional strategies that a tutor might use
to help students with LDs are techniques that can help all students
to learn better. Making clear the assignment instructions,
emphasizing and summarizing the most important points of a lesson,
presenting material in more than one way, and giving precise
feedback on progress are features that help all students achieve
What is a learning disability?
A Learning Disability (LD) is a permanent disorder which affects the
manner in which individuals with normal or above average
intelligence take in, retain and express information. Like
interference on the radio or a fuzzy TV picture, incoming or
outgoing information may become scrambled as it travels between the
eye, ear or skin, and the brain. This is one definition of a
Abilities are frequently inconsistent. A student who is highly
verbal with an excellent vocabulary has difficulty spelling simple
words; a student who learns very well in lecture cannot complete the
reading assignments. These striking contrasts in ability and
learning style were evident in many famous individuals. For example,
Nelson Rockefeller had dyslexia, a severe reading disability, and
yet he was able to give very effective political speeches.
Learning disabilities are often confused with other non-visible
handicapping conditions like mild forms of mental retardation and
emotional disturbances. Persons with learning disabilities often
have to deal not only with functional limitations, but also with the
frustration of having to "prove" that their invisible disabilities
may be as handicapping as paraplegia. Thus, a learning disability
does not mean the following:
Mental Retardation: Students who are learning disabled are not
mentally retarded. They have average to above average
2. Emotional Disturbances: Students who are learning disabled
not suffer from primary emotional disturbances such as
schizophrenia. The emotional support they need is due to the
frustration mentally healthy individuals experience from having
3. Language Deficiency Attributable to Ethnic Background:
Students who have difficulty with English because they come
a different language background are not necessarily
Effects of Learning Disabilities on College Students
Following are characteristic problems of college students with
learning disabilities. Naturally, no student will have all of these
Study Skills: Inability to change from one task to another.
No system for organizing notes and other materials. Difficulty
scheduling time to complete short and long-term assignments.
Difficulty completing tests and in-class assignments without
additional time. Difficulty following directions, particularly
Interpersonal Skills: Impulsivity. Difficulty delaying
resolution to a problem. Disorientation in time -- misses class and
appointments. Poor self-esteem.
Reading: Difficulty reading new words, particularly when
sound/symbol relationships are inconsistent. Slow reading rate --
takes longer to read a test and other in-class assignments. Poor
comprehension and retention of material read. Difficulty
interpreting charts, graphs, scientific symbols. Difficulty with
complex syntax on objective tests
Writing: Problems in organization and sequencing of ideas. Poor
sentence structure. Incorrect grammar. Frequent and inconsistent
spelling errors. Difficulty taking notes. Poor letter formation,
capitalization, spacing, and punctuation. Inadequate strategies for
monitoring written work
Oral Language: Difficulty concentrating in lectures,
especially two to three hour lectures. Poor vocabulary, difficulty
with word retrieval. Problems with grammar
Math: Difficulty with basic math operations. Difficulty with
aligning problems, number reversals, confusion of symbols. Poor
strategies for monitoring errors. Difficulty with reasoning.
Difficulty reading and comprehending word problems. Difficulty with
concepts of time and money
Developing a Tutoring Plan
Before determining what to work on, both you and the student must
understand the student's specific strengths and areas for
improvement. Your first few sessions together should be spent
discussing the student's learning disability, how it may affect
him/her in school, and techniques for compensating for it. This is
also the time to build trust. We believe this can be accomplished
Treating the student as an equal. The student may have a
learning disability, but he/she also possesses knowledge and
talent that you don't have.
2. Listening to what is important to the student. what areas of
learning does he/she want to focus on?
3. Creating an atmosphere that permits the student to confide in
you. It is important to find a location away from peers and
teachers, where learning disabled students can feel
to tackle problems without fear of being
cannot always be sure whether a particular student has a learning
disability. Students who have already been diagnosed will be aware
of the nature of their disability and be able to discuss their
needs. Some students (usually as a result of negative experiences)
are reluctant to disclose their disability. Or, there might be a
student who has not yet been diagnosed. By demonstrating your
willingness to discuss learning disabilities, you are more likely to
have students open up to you.
If you observe a cluster of symptoms indicating that you are working
with a student with a learning disability, communicate privately
with that student about what you have observed and/or contact the
DRC program on campus. The following list shows the most prominent
features of students with learning disabilities.
Are you tutoring a student who...
demonstrates marked difficulty in reading, writing, spelling,
and/or using numerical concepts?
has poor handwriting?
appears clumsy or poorly coordinated?
exhibits such behaviors as an inability to stick to schedules,
repeatedly forgetting things, losing or leaving possessions, and
generally seeming "personally disorganized"?
sometimes seems disorganized in time, space; confuses up and
down; right and left?
has trouble understanding or following directions?
confuses similar letters and words such as "b" and "d," "was"
is easily distracted?
often displays anxiety or anger because of inability to cope
school or social situations?
often demonstrates difficulty in understanding the subtleties
social situation and does not seem to perceive how his/her
behavior comes across to others?
Final determination of what to work on is based on the following
The nature and severity of the student's learning disability.
2. The student's concerns.
3. Course requirements.
suggest listing information under each factor. Then use this
information to determine priorities for the tutoring program. Some
students may just require assistance with papers and reading
assigned in their courses. Others also may want to work on
supplementary materials. For example, a student planning to take a
statistics course may want to review basic algebra concepts and
overcome problems understanding fractions. A student with reading
comprehension difficulties may want to focus on ways to improve
General Guidelines for Tutoring Students with LDs
Take initiative. If you notice a problem, talk to the student in
Provide detailed instructions when reviewing assignments.
Give directions in writing and orally.
Present material in a variety of ways: visual, aural, role
Build skills gradually and give frequent feedback.
Avoid looking annoyed when a student asks a question you have
Keep students' attention through voice modulation, gesturing
emphasize significant points.
Help students to organize, synthesize, and apply information.
is a wealth of information regarding learning disabilities on the
Internet. Look at the following link for more
Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities.
For more information on tutoring students with learning
disabilities, view the videotape series A Tutors Workshop
Students With Learning Disabilities. This is available for viewing
in the Learning Assistance Center, room D300.
Lake Tahoe Community College has an excellent Learning Disabilities
program. Any LTCC student with a history of learning disabilities or
who is interested in assistance available for students with learning
disabilities should be directed to
Disability Resource Center.