Gifted Children With Learning Disabilities

by Linda Silverman, PhD

Signs of Giftedness	Signs of Learning Disabilities
excellent long-term memory extensive vocabulary excels in reading comprehension excels in mathematical reasoning advanced verbal skills in discussions facile with computers grasps abstract concepts performs better with more challenging work thrives on complexity highly creative, imaginative reasons well is a keen observer may have acute hearing has very interesting ideas extremely curious; asks many questions has high degree of energy perceptive and insightful (seems "wise") excellent sense of humor may excel at art, science, geometry, mechanics, technology, or music	poor short-term memory speaking vocabulary more sophisticated than written vocabulary struggles with decoding words does poorly at computation refuses to do written work handwriting is illegible has great difficulty with spelling and phonics struggles with easy, sequential material difficulty with rote memorization often inattentive in class emotions can overpower reasoning poor auditory memory poor listening skills weak in language mechanics, such as grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc. may be unable to learn unless interested performs poorly on timed tests hopelessly disorganized finds clever ways to avoid weak areas may fail at foreign languages and subjects emphasizing audition, sequencing, memory

Signs of Giftedness

Signs of Learning Disabilities

excellent long-term memory

extensive vocabulary

excels in reading comprehension

excels in mathematical reasoning

advanced verbal skills in discussions

facile with computers

grasps abstract concepts

performs better with more challenging work

thrives on complexity

highly creative, imaginative

reasons well

is a keen observer

may have acute hearing

has very interesting ideas

extremely curious; asks many questions

has high degree of energy

perceptive and insightful (seems "wise")

excellent sense of humor

may excel at art, science, geometry, mechanics, technology, or music

poor short-term memory

speaking vocabulary more sophisticated than written vocabulary

struggles with decoding words

does poorly at computation

refuses to do written work

handwriting is illegible

has great difficulty with spelling and phonics

struggles with easy, sequential material

difficulty with rote memorization

often inattentive in class

emotions can overpower reasoning

poor auditory memory

poor listening skills

weak in language mechanics, such as grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc.

may be unable to learn unless interested

performs poorly on timed tests

hopelessly disorganized

finds clever ways to avoid weak areas

may fail at foreign languages and subjects emphasizing audition, sequencing, memory

Finding and Serving Gifted/Learning Disabled Children

SYMPTOMS	SOLUTIONS
chronic ear infections in first three years, often related to allergies does not hear name when watching TV hyperactivity interspersed with periods of intense concentration occasionally gets "glazed look" easily distracted in noisy situations cannot remember three-step directions has difficulty learning phonics has difficulty spelling has difficulty learning math facts asks to have directions repeated or copies children nearby cannot perform on timed tests in school illegible handwriting; letter reversals does not complete written assignments has difficulty taking notes in class has difficulty completing easy work, but does well with harder concepts does poorly at rote memorization and drill does not respond well to remedial efforts performs poorly in some classes and well in others (may be poor at arithmetic, biology, foreign language, composition, but good at geometry, physics, creativity math reasoning skills, dictating stories)	immediate medical attention; talk louder; enunciate words; get eye contact before talking touch shoulder to get attention relaxation exercises; check diet with allergist; test for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder talk louder and more animated, use gestures provide quiet work space. earphones write directions on paper teach sight words and context cues visualize word, spell backwards and forwards with eyes closed, write word have child complete a multiplication chart and look for patterns write directions on board; get eye contact before giving directions allow student to take timed tests at home, trying to beat own record teach student to use a computer or typewriter allow child to use word processor for assignments use tape recorder: provide carbon paper to a "buddy" to copy notes skip easy, sequential material: teach advanced material holistically let child learn complex, abstract concepts instead teach compensation techniques instead concentrate on child's strengths; use visual presentations; allow child to pursue interests; use computer-assisted instruction; emotionally engage child

SYMPTOMS

SOLUTIONS

chronic ear infections in first three years, often related to allergies

does not hear name when watching TV

hyperactivity interspersed with periods of intense concentration

occasionally gets "glazed look"

easily distracted in noisy situations

cannot remember three-step directions

has difficulty learning phonics

has difficulty spelling

has difficulty learning math facts

asks to have directions repeated or copies children nearby

cannot perform on timed tests in school

illegible handwriting; letter reversals

does not complete written assignments

has difficulty taking notes in class

has difficulty completing easy work, but does well with harder concepts

does poorly at rote memorization and drill

does not respond well to remedial efforts

performs poorly in some classes and well in others (may be poor at arithmetic, biology, foreign language, composition, but good at geometry, physics, creativity math reasoning skills, dictating stories)

immediate medical attention; talk louder; enunciate words; get eye contact before talking

touch shoulder to get attention

relaxation exercises; check diet with allergist; test for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

talk louder and more animated, use gestures

provide quiet work space. earphones

write directions on paper

teach sight words and context cues

visualize word, spell backwards and forwards with eyes closed, write word

have child complete a multiplication chart and look for patterns

write directions on board; get eye contact before giving directions

allow student to take timed tests at home, trying to beat own record

teach student to use a computer or typewriter

allow child to use word processor for assignments

use tape recorder: provide carbon paper to a "buddy" to copy notes

skip easy, sequential material: teach advanced material holistically

let child learn complex, abstract concepts instead

teach compensation techniques instead

concentrate on child's strengths; use visual presentations; allow child to pursue interests; use computer-assisted instruction; emotionally engage child

Seqential And Spatial Learners

Sequential Learner	Spatial Learner
Step-by-step learner Learns by trial-and-error Analytic thinker Good at computation Follows oral directions well Learns phonics easily Good at spelling Good at rote memorization Good at timed tests Good handwriting; neat Well organized Progresses sequentially from easy to difficult material Learns from models May need repetition to reinforce learning Can show work easily Good at biology and foreign languages Academically talented Early bloomer	Whole-part learner Learns concepts all at once Systems thinker-- sees complex relationships Good at mathematical reasoning May be inattentive in class Poor at phonics Poor at spelling Poor at rote memorization; excellent with abstractions Poor at timed tests Poor handwriting May be disorganized Learns complex systems easily; struggles with easy work Prefers to develop own methods of problem solving Learning usually permanent; turned off by repetition Arrives at correct solutions without taking steps Good at geometry and physics Creatively gifted Technologically gifted or Emotionally gifted Late bloomer

Sequential Learner

Spatial Learner

Step-by-step learner

Learns by trial-and-error

Analytic thinker

Good at computation

Follows oral directions well

Learns phonics easily

Good at spelling

Good at rote memorization

Good at timed tests

Good handwriting; neat

Well organized

Progresses sequentially from easy to difficult material

Learns from models

May need repetition to reinforce learning

Can show work easily

Good at biology and foreign languages

Academically talented

Early bloomer

Whole-part learner

Learns concepts all at once

Systems thinker-- sees complex relationships

Good at mathematical reasoning

May be inattentive in class

Poor at phonics

Poor at spelling

Poor at rote memorization; excellent with abstractions

Poor at timed tests

Poor handwriting

May be disorganized

Learns complex systems easily; struggles with easy work

Prefers to develop own methods of problem solving

Learning usually permanent; turned off by repetition

Arrives at correct solutions without taking steps

Good at geometry and physics

Creatively gifted

Technologically gifted or

Emotionally gifted

Late bloomer