Learning disorders with reading, writing, mathematics
Learning disorders hinder achievements
May 21: Learning disorders are academic difficulties experienced by children
and adults of average to above-average intelligence. People with
learning disorders have difficulty with reading, writing, mathematics,
or a combination of the three. These difficulties significantly
interfere with academic achievement or daily living. Description:
Learning disorders, or disabilities, affect approximately 2 million
children between the ages of six and 17 (5% of public school children),
although some experts think the figure may be as high as 15%. These
children have specific impairments in acquiring, retaining, and
processing information. Standardized tests place them well below their
IQ range in their area of difficulty. The three main types of learning
disorders are reading disorders, mathematics disorders, and disorders
of written expression. The male: female ratio for learning disorders is
about 5:1. Reading disorders: Reading disorders are the most
common type of learning disorder. Children with reading disorders have
difficulty recognizing and interpreting letters and words (dyslexia).
They aren't able to recognize and decode the sounds and syllables
(phonetic structure) behind written words and language in general. This
condition lowers accuracy and comprehension in reading. Mathematics
disorders: Children with mathematics disorders (dyscalculia) have
problems recognizing and counting numbers correctly. They have
difficulty using numbers in everyday settings. Mathematics disorders
are typically diagnosed in the first few years of elementary school
when formal teaching of numbers and basic math concepts begins.
Children with mathematics disorders usually have a co-existing reading
disorder, a disorder of written expression, or both. Disorders
of written expression: Disorders of written expression typically occur
in combination with reading disorders or mathematics disorders or both.
The condition is characterized by difficulty with written compositions
(dysgraphia). Children with this type of learning disorder have
problems with spelling, punctuation, grammar, and organizing their
thoughts in writing. Causes and symptoms: Learning disorders are
thought to be caused by neurological abnormalities that trigger
impairments in the regions of the brain that control visual and
language processing and attention and planning. These traits may be
genetically linked. Children from families with a history of learning
disorders are more likely to develop disorders themselves. In 2003 a
team of Finnish researchers reported finding a candidate gene for
developmental dyslexia on human chromosome 15q21. Learning
difficulties may also be caused by such medical conditions as a
traumatic brain injury or brain infections such as encephalitis or
meningitis. The defining symptom of a learning disorder is
academic performance that is markedly below a child's age and grade
capabilities and measured IQ. Children with a reading disorder may
confuse or transpose words or letters and omit or add syllables to
words. The written homework of children with disorders of written
expression is filled with grammatical, spelling, punctuation, and
organizational errors. The child's handwriting is often extremely poor.
Children with mathematical disorders are often unable to count in the
correct sequence, to name numbers, and to understand numerical
concepts. Diagnosis: Problems with vision or hearing, mental disorders
(depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), mental
retardation, cultural and language differences, and inadequate teaching
may be mistaken for learning disorders or complicate a diagnosis. A
comprehensive medical, psychological, and educational assessment is
critical to making a clear and correct diagnosis.
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Gomal varsity teacher on ECL
Dera Ismail Khan: Commissioner Humayun Khan on Thursday recommended to the provincial government to put the name of a teacher of Gomal University on Exit Control List (ECL), officials said. Rashid
Muneer, a teacher in Statistics Department at Gomal University,
reportedly had an affair with a married woman in Dera city and both of
them were willing to marry once she would get divorce from her husband. However,
the video clip of their immoral act brought the matter to light. The
teacher escaped and went into hiding while the city police registered a
case under sections 376, 337-L and 354-A PPC against him. Gomal
University Vice Chancellor Mansoor Akbar Kundi constituted a
three-member committee comprising Dean of D-Pharmacy Faculty Dr Gul
Majeed, Dean of Agriculture Faculty Professor Dr Said Muneer and
Professor Dr Khalid of Physics De-partment to investigate the case. Meanwhile,
DI Khan Commissioner Humayun Khan intimated the Additional Home
Secretary for putting the name of the accused on the ECL, besides
informing the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and inspector general of
police about his recommendation to the provincial government against
the accused. The sources said the medical examination conducted into
the case proved the occurrence of the incident. The news
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Education department refuses to surrender building to police
Peshawar: The education department has refused to hand over the
building of Government Degree College Badbher to police for setting up
a police station there. During a visit on Thursday, the
college staff said that police had requested the provincial
government to give the college building to them for changing it into a
police station. The police station in the areas was blown up in a bomb
blast last year. The teachers said that there was no other
college in the area. If the building was handed over to police the
students would have to say goodbye to education as most of them
belonged to poor families and could not afford to go to the city for
getting education, they added. They said that the covered
area of the college was about 22 acres while the police station needed
hardly four acres. But if police were shifted to the college the rest
of the building would be of no use, they added. They said
that the college was damaged in the suicide bomb blast last year and
government approved funds for its repair and reconstruction. "The
repair work of some portions of the college has also been started,"
they said. The Badbher police station was blown up by
terrorists last year and since then police have been trying to occupy
the college building. The college is located very close to the police
station site."For the time being, police have hired a residential house
to use it as police station. But it is located away from the main road
and cannot fulfil the requirements," an official of the police station
said. He said the police station also needed a vast ground
for parking the impounded vehicles and other properties cases. He said
it was duty of the government to reconstruct the building of police
station. He admitted that government had allocated sufficient
funds for the reconstruction of police station but it would take a lot
of time and the delay would cause problems for police as they were not
safe in the residential area. The official said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Assembly deputy speaker was trying to help expedite reconstruction of
the police station. Dawn
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