"The heart of education is the relationship between the student and the teacher.

Everything else
depends on how productive and successful that relationship is. If that is not working, then the system
is not working. If students are not learning, education is not happening” (p. 71-72) 1. The belief of this
author is that you have built positive, trusting relationships with students and the focus of this article
is on the “education” that you are providing. The focus of your instructional practices is on students
and in meeting their needs.
What are the characteristics of a student with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD)? We know that 5%
of all school-aged students (6-17) are diagnosed as having a Specific Learning Disability. This
represents the largest disability category within Special Education and signifies 35% of all students
with disabilities in schools in the United States 2. Specific Learning Disability is a broad disorder that
limit students ability to understand or use language, spoken or written, manifesting itself in an
“imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations” 3.