Week 8 Lecture 3: Atypical Learning PDF

Individuals with learning differences Week 8, Lecture 3 March 1, 2024 2 Research Opportunity for Indigenous Students 3 NEURODIVERSITY Identification of disabilities tends to focus on children’s impairments, or deficits, and this emphasis on impairments can lead to stigmatization and underestimation...

Individuals with learning differences Week 8, Lecture 3 March 1, 2024 2 Research Opportunity for Indigenous Students 3 NEURODIVERSITY Identification of disabilities tends to focus on children’s impairments, or deficits, and this emphasis on impairments can lead to stigmatization and underestimation of children’s potential. The concept of neurodiversity is a response to this stigmatization and emphasizes that variation in neurodevelopment leads to strengths as well as impairments, and that children with disabilities are not inferior to their typically developing peers (Saltz, 2017) 4 Neurodevelopmental disorders “A group of conditions with onset in the developmental period” results in impairment in “personal, social, academic or occupational functioning” (DSM-V, pg. 7, 2013) Childhood onset Persistent disruption to everyday functioning. Autism spectrum disorder Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder Intellectual disabilities Giftedness Specific learning disorders (SLD) 5 Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) marked by social and communica1on deficits, o5en accompanied by restric1ve and repe11ve behaviors Shows a range of symptoms and severity Es1mated heritability ranging from 40-90% across studies Early neural biomarkers of ASD 6 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Three core symptoms: inattentiveness, impulsivity, and/or motor unrest Heritability estimates in children is ~ 80% ADHD associated with cognitive impairments in executive functions like inhibitory control and working memory Diagnosis & treatment is controversial 7 Intellectual Disability Intellectual Disability: shows significant deficits in cognition (as defined by an IQ below 70) and in ageappropriate adaptive skills to such a degree that they require ongoing support to adapt to everyday living Shows delayed development 8 Gi9edness Traditionally defined by IQ scores of 130 or greater, but recent definitions include wide range of human abilities Characteristics: Ability level is substantially above average Translate intellectual abilities and talents into outstanding performance and innovation in areas in which they are passionate Creativity 9 Giftedness Creativity: exceptional individuals apply their talents in unique ways Test with measures that examine divergent thinking (ability to generate multiple unusual possibilities when confronted with a problem whose purpose is not to identify a single correct answer but fresh and unusual lines of thought) Giftedness needs to be developed and nurtured. Enrichment or acceleration 10 Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) Textbook definition: ” children who demonstrate a measurable discrepancy between aptitude and achievement in a particular academic area given their age, intelligence, and amount of schooling” 11 Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) Textbook definition: ”diagnosed in children who demonstrate a measurable discrepancy between aptitude and achievement in a particular academic area given their age, intelligence, and amount of schooling” 12 Diagnosis of LD based on IQ-Achievement Discrepancy Normal Distribution Average Below Average Above Average SD -3 -2 -1 0 1 SS 55 70 85 100 115 2 130 3 145 IQ Discrepancy Model Math Score 62 Discrepancy 98 IQ Definition of LD Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM, APA, 2013) Academic difficulties present for at least 6 months, despite interventions. Difficulties in an academic area must be below what is expected of age. Not caused by: Intellectual disabilities (IQ score < 70) Sensory impairments Poor education or little motivation 14 What is Dyslexia? A severe difficulty in learning to read words 5-15% prevalence rate in school-aged children Phonological difficulties High co-occurrence with specific language impairment 15 What is dyscalculia? Specific math learning disability (DSM-V) Difficulties storing and retrieving arithmetic facts Immature strategy use Number sense deficit 5-15% prevalence rate in school-aged children 16 DSM-V (2013); Bugden & Ansari, 2014; Castaldi et al., 2020; Jordan et al., 2003 Number of publications on dyslexia and dyscalculia Number of publications (Pubmed) 600 Dyscalculia Dyslexia 500 400 300 200 100 0 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021 17 Living with Dyscalculia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlPFv_EDnvY