Learning Disorder / Specific Learning Disability

Learning disabilities result from impairments in one or more cognitive processes due to genetic and/or neurobiological factors. A Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is a brain-based disorder that affects an individual’s acquisition, organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal or nonverbal information.

The most common SLD in the U.S. is Dyslexia, affecting more than 80% of people with learning disorders. Others include dysgraphia, dyscalculia, oral/written language disorder, and non-verbal learning disabilities.

SLD Definitions

A specific learning disability that affects reading and related language-based processing skills, including word recognition, spelling, pronunciation, and others.

Read more from LDA America.

A specific learning disability that is rooted in difficulty with storing and automatically retrieving letters and numerals, affecting a person’s handwriting ability, fine motor skills, and/or executive functions.

Read more from LDA America.

A specific learning disability that affects a person’s fundamental number representation and processing, including calculation skills, ability to understand numbers and quantified problem solving.

Read more from LDA America.

Learning disabilities that affect an individual’s understanding and/or expressing language often in both oral and written forms.

Read more from LDA America.

Individuals with non-verbal learning disabilities are associated with motoric skills, visual-spatial organizational memory, and social abilities.

These individuals typically have a well-developed vocabulary and strong reading recognition ability, but have trouble interpreting nonverbal cues like facial expressions or body language and may have poor coordination.

Read more from LDA America.

Resources

LDA learning disabilities association of america logo

Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) empowers individuals with learning disabilities, their families, educators, and professionals with key knowledge and evidence-based resources.

In addition to providing resources and support online, LDA has more than 35 state affiliates with volunteers that are eager to connect IWLD and their families to resources that are close to home.

Visit LDAAmerica.org to learn more.

National Center for Learning Disabilities logo

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) is a non-profit organization focused on building community, sharing resources, and shaping policy. NCLD works to improve the lives of individuals with learning disabilities and attention issues by empowering parents and young adults, transforming schools, and advocating for equal rights and opportunities.

Learn more from NCLD.org.

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