| It is easy to misunderstand a child who is | | | | by school officials with ease. Inevitably, |
| both learning disabled and gifted. Mentally | | | | smart children with learning disabilities |
| retarded, or "slow," are the labels often | | | | fall through the cracks in public schools; |
| mistakenly given to persons with learning | | | | there isn't enough attention to help |
| disabilities. Because of these | | | | everyone. If a parent or the child himself |
| misconceptions, a child who is gifted and who | | | | feels that they need to be tested for a |
| is also learning disabled often experiences a | | | | learning disability, the parent must become |
| very challenging life. Academically, the | | | | the child's advocate. Any student has the |
| child may perform poorly, but more important | | | | right to take a learning disability test; |
| is the potentially damaging psychological | | | | this right to test for suspected learning |
| impact of being perceived by others as "dumb" | | | | disabilities is protected by the Americans |
| or mentally deficient, despite possessing the | | | | with Disabilities Act. First talk with your |
| unlocked abilities and potential to excel. | | | | child's teacher and if you find that you are |
| The self-confidence required for dealing with | | | | not getting anywhere, it is essential to go |
| these issues and progressing past them can be | | | | to the school's officials. |
| achieved through success with a tutor. | | | | |
| | | | A number of options exist for children that |
| Intellectual giftedness is exceptional in its | | | | are diagnosed as gifted and learning |
| own right--this is what many experts fail to | | | | disabled. A gifted child might need extra |
| realize. Social deprivation and poor | | | | resources; a really gifted child may need to |
| classroom performance are just a couple of | | | | skip a grade or more. Opportunities for |
| the problems that are experienced by both | | | | cultural field trips and art classes, to aid |
| gifted children and those with mental | | | | in experiential (not just instructional) |
| retardation. Also, similar problems can be | | | | learning, should be regularly offered. |
| caused by a learning disability. There are | | | | Alternative information presentation, special |
| particularly tricky challenges if a child is | | | | classes, or technological aids each help with |
| learning disabled but otherwise gifted. | | | | some learning disabilities. |
| | | | |
| A lot of times, gifted children who have | | | | Studies have concluded that the optimum |
| learning difficulties have problems in | | | | environment for children who are gifted and |
| school. Their learning disability can lead | | | | have a learning disability is one that |
| to a decrease in motivation as well as | | | | accepts differences and provides help with |
| difficulty in completing classroom tasks | | | | the learning disability; further, it is still |
| which may, as a result, mask their true | | | | extremely important that they be challenged |
| potential. But in other endeavors, such as | | | | regularly. A tutor who can work one-on-one |
| music or dance, the child may be highly | | | | can use this learning environment to attain |
| creative and intelligent. An undiagnosed | | | | more successful results. In addition, these |
| learning problem may also lead to the | | | | children should be offered every chance to |
| opposite problem: an otherwise gifted child | | | | put forth their own preferences and desires. |
| may struggle in school due to the presence of | | | | Their intelligence will help considerably; |
| a learning disability not yet diagnosed. | | | | they can understand the implications of their |
| | | | learning disability and thus better cope with |
| Parents must become knowledgeable about the | | | | it. Children who are gifted and learning |
| signs of various learning disabilities and of | | | | disabled, with the correct interventions in |
| being gifted. There may be a huge gap | | | | place, have a fantastic chance of becoming |
| between test results (measuring academic | | | | successful adults. After it is determined |
| potential) and actual academic performance | | | | what the diagnosis is, the parents and child |
| for a gifted child with a learning | | | | can then begin to learn how best to cope with |
| disability. It's also possible for such | | | | it. The child needs not only support for the |
| children to display impressive creative | | | | learning disability, but an environment that |
| intelligence, that manifests itself only at | | | | gives him or her challenges and stimulation. |
| home and not in the grades they receive at | | | | |
| school. Behavior problems, or "acting out," | | | | Children who are gifted and learning disabled |
| is not uncommon among children with learning | | | | have an excellent chance to become successful |
| disabilities, especially when frustration | | | | adults. Once the learning disability is |
| builds. If your child is displaying these | | | | diagnosed, coping strategies can be |
| characteristic features, you may wish to have | | | | integrated into the child's life. It is |
| your child evaluated for the presence of a | | | | important to provide the child with a |
| learning disability. | | | | stimulating, intellectually challenging |
| | | | environment that includes support for the |
| Learning disability tests can be administered | | | | learning disability. |