Types of Learning Disabilities Explained, and How Private Tutoring Can Help Identify and Manage Them

When a person finds it hard to perceive or process information, most likely they are suffering from a neurological disorder or learning disability. These can greatly affect a person’s primary abilities such as reading, writing, arithmetic, and even their social skills. Thus, parents, educators, and caregivers need to understand these conditions for them to provide support to those suffering from learning disabilities. This article explains the various types of learning disabilities, specifically how private tutoring can identify, address, and manage them properly.

Types of Learning Disabilities

1. Dyslexia: Perhaps it is the most common type of learning disability. It targets a person’s comprehension, particularly reading, spelling, decoding, and language-based processing skills. Some dyslexic students often encounter problems with their overall academic performance due to their reading difficulty. 
2. Dyscalculia: When a person finds it hard to understand numbers and math-related problems, they might have dyscalculia. Other characteristics of this condition are the inability to understand number-related concepts, memorize arithmetic facts, and make accurate calculations. Thus, students with dyscalculia often struggle with subjects such as science and technology which focuses more on numerical reasoning.
3. Dysgraphia: This mostly affects a person’s writing abilities. They feel incapable of writing with coherence and accuracy, and often struggle with spelling, and organizing their thoughts. This poses a challenge to the academic performance of those with dysgraphia, as most schoolwork requires translating thoughts into written words. 
4. Auditory Processing Disorder (APD): When a person’s spoken language is affected, it may be caused by Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). Rather than hearing difficulty, it is more like the inability to differentiate various sounds. Thus, it may lead to students suffering from APD to struggle with classroom discussions, understanding verbal instructions, and identifying vital sounds.
5. Visual Processing Disorder: The primary concern of this disorder is a person’s poor visual information. Their eyesight might be okay, but their brain struggles to interpret visual signals. This might affect how students read and write in school, as well as in performing visual-related tasks such as copying from a board or recognizing graphs and charts.

Early Signs of Learning Disabilities

Now that we know the kinds of learning disabilities, let us take note of the early signs to provide the necessary support to people suffering from them:  

• When a person finds it hard to read, write, or comprehend math with standard instruction.
• When a person struggles to understand and follow instructions or directions.
• When a person is unable to recall what they just heard or read.
• When a person is having problems with organization, time management, or completing their schoolwork.
• When a person dodges assignments related to reading, writing, or math.
• When a person exhibits poor coordination, clumsiness, or difficulty with fine motor skills (writing, cutting, etc.).

Private Tutoring: The Help Parents Need

As most parents attend to the distinct needs of their children, private tutoring is becoming popular these days due to its modified approach to education. Through private tutoring, areas where a child struggles can be improved through one-on-one coaching. This is to address the challenges that the child encounters while studying, while also improving their learning style and pacing. Moreover, private tutors can consult the teachers and parents to improve the child’s overall learning ability. 

Private tutoring is beneficial for children suffering from learning disabilities as it offers a flexible learning environment where students can boost their confidence and minimize their anxieties. To achieve this, specific techniques and tools are used by tutors to develop the reading, writing, and math skills of children, as well as to help them get used to having study habits and coping strategies. More importantly, private tutors offer the encouragement and support that a child needs to manage their disabilities and achieve feats in their studies.

Children with learning disabilities may develop anxieties and poor study habits, which is why parents and educators need to give them the necessary support for them to overcome these challenges. As guardians, parents should know how to recognize the various types of learning disabilities and identify if their children show early signs of disability. One effective way to do that is to engage with private tutoring. It helps the children manage their difficulties and to focus on developing their abilities and skills.