Five Learning Disabilities

An infographic by Manalastas & Mencias

 Dysgraphia

Dyspraxia Dysphasia

Dyslexia Dyscalculia
 Difficulty in handwriting, possibly caused
Dysgraphia by brain damage and is often
associated with ADHD and dyslexia.

Characteristics

● Poor grip/body position when

writing
● Incorrect spelling, incomplete
words, illegible writing
● Struggling to write between lines
● Inconsistent letter spacing
● Difficulty thinking and writing at
the same time
Source: [Link]
 Difficulty in handwriting, possibly caused
Dysgraphia by brain damage and is often
associated with ADHD and dyslexia.

Recommendations

● Provide handouts of lectures

● Allow alternate means of taking
notes
● Less writing and more oral
assignments
● Give extra time for taking notes
● Provide dictation exercises

Source: [Link]
 Difficulty in verbal communication.
Caused by brain damage. Can be
Dysphasia Expressive (unable to speak fluently),
Receptive (speaking nonsense), or a
combination.

Characteristics

● Slow, slurred speech

● Incorrect Grammar
● Limited vocabulary
● Misinterpreting sentences
● Difficulty understanding long
sentences of complex words
 Difficulty in verbal communication.
Caused by brain damage. Can be
Dysphasia Expressive (unable to speak fluently),
Receptive (speaking nonsense), or a
combination.

Recommendations

● Reduce unnecessary noise

● Use alternative modes of
communication (non-verbal)
● Use gestures and visual cues
● Speak clearly
● Give shorter instructions
● Be more hands-on (interactive)
 Dyscalculia Difficulty with math (aka Numbers Dyslexia).
They may excel in other areas, however.

Characteristics

● Difficulty counting
● Trouble counting forwards or
backwards
● Poor visual and spatial skills
● Unable to estimate distance or
time

Source: [Link]
 Dyscalculia Difficulty with math (aka Numbers Dyslexia).
They may excel in other areas, however.

Recommendations

● Break tasks into smaller steps

● Talk or write down problems
● Give visual directions
● Use physical cues/objects
● Allow extra time to solve a
problem
● Review what was done before
proceeding to next step
Source: [Link]
 Difficulty in reading & comprehension.
Often associated with dysgraphia.
Dyslexia However, this does not necessarily mean
they have low intelligence.

Characteristics

● Difficulty reading & writing

● Poor organizational skills
● Unable to differentiate similar
letters and numbers
● Trouble following instructions
● Difficulty with sequences
● Problems learning new words

Source: IMDb
 Difficulty in reading & comprehension.
Often associated with dysgraphia.
Dyslexia However, this does not necessarily mean
they have low intelligence.

Recommendations

● Dictation/phonics exercises
● Give simpler, slower-paced
instructions
● Allow for more time to process
● Provide peer or teacher support
● Use visual indicators (such as
pictures)
● Give co-op activities
Source: IMDb
 Difficulty in motor skills and coordination,
Dyspraxia also known as Developmental
Coordination Disorder (DCD)

Characteristics

● Poor gross motor and fine motor skills

● Tend to get stressed and anxious easily
● Hypersensitive interpretation of the
different senses
● Tend to get frustrated easily and
option out of things which are too
difficult
● May use either hand for tasks at
different times
 Difficulty in motor skills and coordination,
Dyspraxia also known as Developmental
Coordination Disorder (DCD)

Recommendation

● Regular exercise helps with

coordination.
● Pay attention to writing utensils and
paper.
● Emphasize directions in step-by-step
form.
● Provide written, visual and recorded
support.
● Help with tasks that require fine motor
skills.