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Many children have trouble reading, writing, or performing other learning-related tasks at some point. This does not mean they have learning disabilities. A child with a learning disability often has several related signs, and they don't go away or get better over time. The signs of learning disabilities vary from person to person.

Please note that the generally common signs included here are for informational purposes only; the information is not intended to screen for learning disabilities in general or for a specific type of learning disability.

Common signs that a person may have learning disabilities include the following:

Problems reading and/or writing

Problems with math

Poor memory

Problems paying attention

Trouble following directions

Clumsiness

Trouble telling time

Problems staying organized

A child with a learning disability also may have one or more of the following:

Acting without really thinking about possible outcomes (impulsiveness)

"Acting out" in school or social situations

Difficulty staying focused; being easily distracted

Difficulty saying a word correctly out loud or expressing thoughts

Problems with school performance from week to week or day to day

Speaking like a younger child; using short, simple phrases; or leaving out words in sentences

Having a hard time listening

Problems dealing with changes in schedule or situations

Problems understanding words or concepts

These signs alone are not enough to determine that a person has a learning disability. Only a professional can diagnose a learning disability.

Each learning disability has its own signs. A person with a particular disability may not have all of the signs of that disability.

Children being taught in a second language may show signs of learning problems or a learning disability. The learning disability assessment must take into account whether a student is bilingual or a second language learner. In addition, for English-speaking children, the assessment should be sensitive to differences that may be due to dialect, a form of a language that is specific to a region or group.

Below are some common learning disabilities and the signs associated with them:

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What are some signs of learning disabilities?

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Many children have trouble reading, writing, or performing other learning-related tasks at some point. This does not mean they have learning disabilities. A child with a learning disability often has several related signs, and they don't go away or get better over time. The signs of learning disabilities vary from person to person.

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Some common signs that a student may have a learning disability:

Problems reading and/ or writing

problems with math

Poor memory

Problems paying attention

Trouble following directions

Clumsiness

Trouble telling time

Problems staying organized.

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You want to review the student's background (language spoken at home, previous schooling, and academic records). Knowing this information will help you move on to the next steps.

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If there are no learning disabilities or language barrier and its just behavior concern you can take with the student and parents/guardians to gather any information.

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Teaching Basics 101: Communicating with Parents

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Implement general classroom support strategies for example:

small groups

visual aids

one-ones

peer suport

Monitor and document progress over 4-6 weeks

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5 Examples of Successful Academic Support - Effective Students

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Discover five effective academic support strategies that enhance student success, retention, and performance in educational institutions.

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If student is an English language learner (ELL) it is most likely language need

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5. Language Needs vs Learning Disabilities

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5. Language Needs vs Learning Disabilities

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Language need: This refers to the difficulties someone may experience while learning a new language or when they have limited exposure to a specific language. It's a temporary situation that can be addressed with appropriate support and instruction. For example, a student learning English as a second language may need help with vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation, but this is not necessarily a learning disability.

Learning Disability: A learning disability is a neurological condition that affects how a person learns and processes information. It can impact various skills, including reading, writing, spelling, math, and language. A learning disability is a persistent condition that requires ongoing support and interventions. For instance, a student with dyslexia might have difficulty with decoding words or reading fluency, even with adequate instruction

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Language Acquisition Difficulty or Learning Disability? How to Differentiate and Support English Language Learners with a Learning Disability - LD@school

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English Language Learners and students with learning disabilities are both at risk for lower achievement in language & literacy, but for differing reasons.

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Once you find out whether its either a Language Barrier or Learning Disability you can begin to collect work samples, IEP, Refer to any specialist.

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This support plan be as long as it needs to be based on the students progress.

Refer to the special education team

Support the individualized Education Program (IEP) for any disabilities.

504 plan accommodations

Continue ESL and SLP support if needed.

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Fifteen Things Teachers Can Do to Support ELL Success in the New Year

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During the New Year, we reflect on past joys and concerns from the previous year and take the opportunity to look ahead. As educators, it is especially important to take time for reflection, identify our strengths and challenges, and consider where our efforts will be most effective.In this article, I will recommend some specific and measurable actions you can implement to support the success of your English language learners (ELLs). You may wish to focus on just one of these strategies so you can work on it consistently, or try different strategies at different times through the year.I also suggest teachers employ the “support group” method and use the chosen strategy as a topic for a professional learning community. Sharing strategies, achievements, and challenges with colleagues will help you all grow professionally, and more students will benefit academically. It will also provide the team with much-needed support and you can use some of these ideas to jumpstart collaboration.Connecting with StudentsNew from Colorín ColoradoBest of 2024: New Resources from Colorín ColoradoFamily Literacy: Multilingual Video SeriesELL Strategy LibrarySupporting Newcomer Students: Resource GalleryColorín on the Go!1. Look for ways to build relationships with your ELLs.Specific and measurable goal: I will try one new strategy that can boost my connections with students.When asked for their top piece of advice for working with ELLs, veteran ELL educators often talk about the importance of building relationships with their ELLs and how the time invested in those relationships pays dividends in the future. There are lots of ways to support those connections by learning more about students’ interests, strengths, and talents, as well as by making sure students have information about extra-curricular activities.You can learn more strategies such as those in the article below, which also includes many tech tools that can be used online or in-person with students.Recommended resources8 Strategies for Building Relationships with ELLs Videos: Building relationships with ELLs 2. Look for ways to welcome your students’ languages and cultures.Specific and measurable goal: I will find a new way to incorporate students’ languages and cultures into my classroom and instruction. There are many ways to welcome students’ languages and cultures in your classroom. These include:posting signs in students’ languagesbringing in books in students’ languagesinviting students’ to teach the class some phrases from their languageslearning a few phrases of students’ languagesinviting students to share information about their culture and traditionslooking for ways to connect content to students’ experiencesincorporating students’ languages in instruction through bilingual glossaries, peer work, and bilingual materialsRecommended resourcesHow to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELLsVideo: Using students’ first languages as a resourceDearborn Public Schools ELD Director Rose Aldubaily discusses the value of using students’ home languages as a resource. You can see more from Dearborn in our award-winning video project from Dearborn, MI. 3. Ensure that ELLs are included in social and emotional learning (SEL).Specific and measurable goal: I will review our SEL and classroom routines, activities, and instruction with an eye on ELLs’ full access and participation.When you take a closer look at what SEL looks like in your classroom, you might find that ELLs aren’t accessing the same tools, strategies, and supports to the extent that their peers are. You can increase their access through the following:Make any routines and expectations explicit through visuals and repetition.Encourage students to express themselves in their home language as needed.Ensure students know the vocabulary and language needed to participate in activities.Be prepared to make adjustments in order to accommodate students who are still acclimating to a new culture and language by looking for ways to make students comfortable in the classroom.Recommended resources10 Strategies for Supporting SEL for ELLs: “Grow As You Go”“Feel Your Best Self”: A Bilingual Toolkit for Schools and FamiliesSEL for English Language Learners: What Educators Need to Know4. Make sure students know what supports are available for them.Specific and measurable goal: I will share information about 3 types of school supports that students may not be familiar with. ORI will connect with one community organization on behalf of my students and families.Students and families may not be aware of the kinds of support that are available within your school and community, including in the areas of health and wellness, mental health, social services, academic support and tutoring, college credits, college applications, financial aid, scholarships, enrichment activities, and much more.Take some time to think about what kinds of services and supports would be most beneficial to your students; you can start by asking for their input and even turn this into a research project so that the whole class can learn from each other. Avoid making assumptions about what students do or don’t need and remember that students can benefit from different kinds of support even if they haven’t asked for any help or shared information about their private situations. In addition, you may wish to reach out to organizations in the community that can provide further support and resources to your families.Working with Community Organizations to Support ELL StudentsVideo: How a Community School Helps ELLs SucceedVisit Wolfe Street Academy in Baltimore, MD, a school with more than 76% ELLs, to see how this community school is supporting its students and families through programs and services that include dental screenings, food giveaways, after-school activities, and much, much more! Strategies for Instruction5. Increase ELL students’ English language production and peer interaction.Specific and measurable goal: I will use one or two key strategies that can support oral language in my instruction and share ideas that work with my colleagues.Two key items students need in order to further develop skills in a new language are time and practice. If activities are structured to support peer interaction, ELLs will need to use their oral language skills to explain concepts and contribute to the work. This gives teachers an opportunity to gauge what the student has learned, and it demonstrates student progress in language development.Teachers can also informally assess for correct use of language structures and academic vocabulary. If ELLs are having difficulty with phrases or vocabulary, the teacher will be able to offer guidance or further instruction to support language development.Note: Our ELL Strategy Library features lots of ideas for encouraging language production. You can also filter strategies by skills such as speaking, listening, reading, writing, and collaboration.Recommended resources6 Strategies to Help ELLs Succeed in Peer Learning and CollaborationIncrease Student Interaction with “Think-Pair-Shares” and “Circle Chats”Teaching ELLs Online: How to Develop Students’ Language SkillsVideo: Writing a cooperative paragraphAlbuquerque teacher Ali Nava walks her students through a cooperative paragraph summarizing the beginning, middle, and end of the children’s book Burro’s Tortillas and uses the exercise as an opportunity to practice their writing skills. 6. Explicitly teach academic language vocabulary and structures.Specific and measurable resolution: I will identify one key area where my students need more practice in academic language and look for ways to support their language development.In, “What Teachers Need to Know about Language” by Lily Wong Fillmore and Catherine Snow, the authors state that:Teachers play a critical role in supporting language development. Beyond teaching children to read and write in school, they need to help children learn and use aspects of language associated with the academic discourse of the various school subjects. They need to help them become more aware of how language functions in various modes of communication across the curriculum. They need to understand how language works well enough to select materials that will help expand their students’ linguistic horizons and to plan instructional activities that give students opportunities to use the new forms and modes of expression to which they are being exposed. Teachers need to understand how to design the classroom language environment so as to optimize language and literacy learning and to avoid linguistic obstacles to content area learning (Wong Fillmore & Snow, p. 7).Academic language instruction plays a critical role in increasing ELLs’ access to grade-level content. However, very few teachers have had the formal training required to identify and teach the English vocabulary and structures found in specific content areas. When I first started teaching ESL, my students knew much more about grammar than I did. I joked with them, “I don’t know English; I just speak it.“Content teachers can begin by collaborating with ESL teachers to learn how to identify the academic language demands of content-area lessons and how to scaffold academic language and vocabulary instruction. With practice, it will become easier to review a content-area lesson and identify not just the vocabulary that every student needs to know, but other vocabulary words and grammar structures that ELL students may not be familiar with. The tip sheets, articles, and strategies in the resource list below offer some ideas.Recommended resourcesELL Strategy LibraryLanguage Acquisition: An OverviewIncreasing Academic Language Knowledge for English Language Learner SuccessWebcast: English Language Learners and Academic LanguageTeaching ELLs: Tips for Math Teachers (includes a printable tip sheet)Preparing an Engaging Social Studies Lesson for ELLs: 12 Tips for Educators (includes a printable tip sheet)Video: What are sentence frames?ESOL specialist Sheila Majdi explains what a sentence frame is and how she might use this strategy with ELLs. 7. Build on ELLs’ background knowledge to support comprehension.Specific and measurable goal: I will elicit background knowledge from ELLs in one content area through a variety of activities, including questioning and graphic organizers.Learning something new is like stacking building blocks. The more you have, the higher you can go. ELLs come with many building blocks, but it takes practice learning how to identify what they are. That is where the teacher’s skill at drawing on background knowledge becomes so important.Teachers can work creatively to elicit background knowledge from students on content topics in order to increase comprehension of the material. This may be as simple as taking the time to do a “K/W/L” (Know, Want to Know, Learned) chart, or as individualized as asking questions about the topic: “What do you see in a jungle? Has anyone ever visited the jungle?” Students can share their knowledge and see how it is connected to new academic information. The better you know your students, the more you can tailor your questions to their experiences and develop questions that are inclusive and sensitive.Recommended resourcesBackground Knowledge and ELLs: What Teachers Need to KnowHow to Connect ELLs’ Background Knowledge to Content Videos: ELL educators speak about background knowledge 8. Increase opportunities for writing.Specific and measurable goal: I will choose one targeted activity that focuses on developing a certain skill such as creative vocabulary use, the correct format of an essay, or the peer editing process.The ability to write effectively and accurately to convey a message is a critical skill for a college student and in most careers. Students need to have many positive opportunities to develop writing skills in a variety of formats in order to strengthen their communication skills, and for ELLs, this is particularly important. Depending on their writing skill level in their first language and their English language abilities, writing may be frustrating. Students need to engage in a variety of writing to develop an understanding of different types of writing and to identify their strengths and weaknesses as a writer.I want to underscore the importance of interacting with writing in a positive way by examining creativity and word usage, in addition to the mechanics of writing. Many ELLs will focus negatively on problems with mechanics and miss the strengths they display in their writing. We write the way we think and speak, and by analyzing our writing, we begin to analyze our thoughts and speech as well. When students discuss their writing, they are able to see their thoughts and statements from someone else’s perspective and they gain awareness of their own language development. In this age of technology where a lot of communication is done electronically, it is more important than ever that students develop the ability to state their thoughts clearly and accurately in writing — as well as to know the difference between texting a message to buddies and sending an email to the boss.Note: You can see strategies targeted to writing in our ELL Strategy Library.Recommended resourcesTeaching Writing in the Content Areas: Research to PracticeImproving Writing Skills: ELLs and the Joy of WritingWriting a Winning EssayVideo: Brainstorming a journal assignment with high school ELLsLearn how high school ELL teacher Michelle Lawrence guides her ELLs through the brainstorming process as they prepare to write a journal. Strategies for ELL Family EngagementMultilingual families are legally entitled to information in their home language. Here are some ideas to improve and expand outreach and partnerships with ELL families.9. Start positive, strengths-based conversations with families.Specific and measurable goal: I will contact one family each week to share a success story about their child.No matter what language they speak, ELL families want their children to succeed as much as any other family. Regular, open and friendly communication from the teacher can make a big difference in ELL parent engagement, especially if families are intimidated by the U.S. school system.It can feel daunting to call an ELL family, but often there is someone in the family who speaks enough English to interpret the message for the parent, or the parent speaks enough English to understand a simple message. You can also review which language access resources you can use to communicate with multilingual families, such as language lines and interpreters. (Bilingual staff may be able to help with family communication as well, but be sure to check with your bilingual colleagues about their schedules and how they handle such requests.)When you share students’ accomplishments and growth, ELL families will be very pleased and excited to hear positive news about their child and will feel more comfortable asking questions and visiting the school in the future. The more informed the families are, the more avenues families will have to support their students’ success.Recommended resourcesStrengthening Partnerships with ELL Families: 15 Strategies for Success Communicating with ELL Families: 10 Strategies for SchoolsEquity Through Language Access: Best Practices for Collaborating with InterpretersVideo: Our parents value education and their children’s teachersELD Specialist Diana Alqadhi explains how the fact that teachers are held in high esteem in Yemeni culture helps strengthen family partnerships at her middle school. 10. Try a new tool to support family engagement.Specific and measurable goal: I will try a new way to reach out to a multilingual family.There are more tools than ever before to support multilingual family outreach. These include the app TalkingPoints, as well as innovative ways to use social media and video conferences with families. The more you know about your district’s resources in this area, the more effective your outreach will be! You can also share what’s working with your colleagues and administrators to help promote family engagement.Recommended resourcesHow to Use Technology to Engage Multilingual FamiliesEquity Through Language Access: Best Practices for Collaborating with InterpretersVideo: Partnering with families in the service industryThis video features Juliana Urtubey, 2021 National Teacher of the Year and the 2021 Nevada Teacher of the Year, sharing her experiences in partnering with families who work in Las Vegas. Strategies for Collaboration & Advocacy11. Look for ways to collaborate informally with colleagues.Specific and measurable goal: I will reach out to one colleague to see if we can increase our collaboration.There are a lot of ways you can initiate collaboration on behalf of ELLs with very small steps.If you are an ELL/bilingual teacher or specialist, you can:write a letter to colleagues introducing yourself and some of the ways you collaborate with othersinvite colleagues to share questions about their ELLs with youinvite colleagues to observe their students in your classroom, which can lead to important insightsapproach a content-area colleague and ask them how their ELLs are faring.If you are a classroom or content-area teacher, you can:send your ELL or bilingual colleagues a question about a student or an area of instruction where you’d like some supportask your ELL colleagues to share some favorite strategies with you.There are a few different benefits to this kind of collaboration:Students can benefit as more teachers’ capacity for ELL instruction increases.Staff get to know each other’s areas of expertise better.Colleagues can team up to ask for more support for formal collaboration opportunities for ELLs.Staff can increase the number of voices speaking up for ELLs.Video: Tips for collaboration from an ESOL specialistESOL specialist Katy Padilla shares some of the tips she’s learned in her experience collaborating with classroom and content-area colleagues. 12. Identify an area where you’d like to advocate for your ELLs.Specific and measurable goal: I will choose one topic where I would like to see change for our ELLs and identify some small steps I can take to make a difference.When you consider how your ELLs are currently doing, you may feel overwhelmed by a constellation of factors that are impacting them. Try identifying one issue that you think could make a difference if it were to improve or change. This might be an area of instruction, family engagement, language access, services and support, or creating a more welcoming environment at the school. For some ideas on first steps you might take to work on that issue, take a look at the following resources.Recommended resourcesAll In! How Educators Can Advocate for English Language Learners13. Help administrators develop their capacity to serve ELLs.Specific and measurable goal: I will reach out to one administrator to set up a conversation about our ELLs.Communicating with administrators about ELL instruction, support, and family engagement can make a big difference. Not only can it bring important issues to administrators’ attention, it can help them understand the role and value of ELL educators and why collaboration on behalf of ELLs is so valuable.Try reaching out to an administrator with a question, issue, topic, or resource you’d like to share related to ELLs, such as the issue you identified above. Keep in mind, however, it doesn’t have to be a big question to get the conversation started. Shining a light on ELLs’ experiences, challenges, and needs can help put some important changes in motion.Recommended resourcesLearn more from the following:What is an ELL educator? Serving Multilingual Learners: Laws, Policies, and RegulationsVideo: What administrators need to know about what ESOL specialists doDr. Karen Woodson shares an overview of the expertise that ESOL educators bring to their schools and districts. 14. Strengthen your network of support.Specific and measurable goal: I will take one step to expand my network of support, such as reaching out to another colleague or joining an online community of educators.There is a lot of wonderful work being done and shared in schools, districts, professional learning communities, and online networks. If you need some ideas, encouragement, or validation, these can be powerful connections to make. There are recommended resources and ideas in the article below to help you get started.Recommended resourcesStrengthening Your Network of Support: Building Your Network15. Keep returning to self-care & reflection.Specific and measurable goal: I will share one self-care goal with a friend or colleague so we can check in about it in the near future.Even if self-care is the last thing you’ve been able to think about recently, it’s never to late to bring it back into focus.Keep conversations going with your colleagues about what self-care means to you and what might help support it at the school level.Don’t give up on trying to make the self-care you need for your physical and mental health a regular part of your routine.Share your success stories with colleagues to help boost motivation.Take some time for reflection. While the reflection article below focuses on end-of-school-year questions, they could be used at any time during the year.Together, colleagues can support each other and each other’s self-care as part of their important work on behalf of students.Reflection Questions for Teachers and Students: Looking Back at Our YearSelf care: Setting boundaries and keep the conversation goingWith teacher wellness “hanging by a thread,” one district tries walking and smoothies (The Hechinger Report)Closing ThoughtsI hope that this list will be helpful as you set goals for the upcoming year. You may find, of course, that if you create your own, they will be more meaningful, and you’re more likely to stick with your plan. I hope you will be able to pick at least one thing and give it a try. Baby steps are better than no steps at all. Go easy on yourself if it doesn’t go as well as planned or if you get busy and don’t keep up as well as you’d like.The most important thing is that you explore an area that you think will support your ELLs’ success and commit yourself to continued growth in the coming year. All the best in the New Year!Video: Bonus Tips from KristinaHere are some bonus tips from Kristina for educators ELLs!Video: Try one new thing at a time Video: When a new strategy doesn’t work

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Meet regularly with specialist and track students growth.

Adjust interventions based on progress and formal evaluation results.

Maintain open communication with parents and specialists.

Reassess needs periodically.

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Know the signs of learning disorders in kids

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Here’s how to find out what’s going on if your child often has trouble with reading, writing or other skills.