Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a language-based disorder, a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. The difficulties associated with dyslexia result from impaired phonological awareness, which is the auditory analysis of spoken language that relates the sounds of language to print. The characteristics of dyslexia are difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. Dyslexic students also can have weakness in reading comprehension and vocabulary development. The practice effect is especially important in reading; students who don’t read much don’t improve as much as frequent readers. Students who have reading difficulties don’t read as much because reading is difficult for them.
Executive Function Problems
Executive Function includes the cognitive abilities that control and regulate other abilities such as: attention, memory, and motor abilities. It is important for goal-directed behavior. Dr. Lawless works with students who have weaknesses in Executive Function. She directs and supports students to: monitor and change behavior where needed, anticipate outcomes, adapt to situational changes, and to plan future behaviors. The following are important skills which students with weaknesses in Executive Function need to develop and practice: planning, sequencing, prioritizing, organizing, self-monitoring, and completing tasks. Dr. Lawless uses, among other resources, calendars, check-lists, and assignment books as aids in strengthening Executive Function.
Autistic Spectrum Disorders
Another area where Dr. Lawless can provide assistance is with children who have Autistic Spectrum Disorders which includes children who have a range of poorly misunderstood brain conditions from mild Asperger’s Syndrome to more severe Autism. The characteristics of these conditions include: poor social interactions, impaired communication, and repetitious behaviors. The disorder impairs the individual’s ability to take in and process information. Working with the strengths of these kinds of children includes using their often outstanding abilities at classifying and systemizing, their encyclopedic memories, and their lighting-fast abilities to calculate. Many people with autism have difficulties understanding some aspects of language. Dr. Lawless works with this kind of student by providing opportunities for understanding figurative language, metaphors, and phrases with double meanings. She also recognizes that students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders often have interests that occupy their attention for long periods of time. These interests can be incorporated into the curriculum so that, for example, a student interested in weather could consider writing a story about a natural disaster or researching the history of meteorology. Since verbal presentations can be difficult, children on the autistic spectrum often benefit from visual instruction and therefore Dr. Lawless includes the use of posters, photographs, charts, graphs, and diagrams to access content. Again the needs of each child are different and observation is needed to provide the best strategy for each student.
ADD/ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
Dr. Lawless works with another student population, those children who have attentional issues. These students may be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD; they are characterized by a greater than usual degree of any combination of the following: inattention, impulsiveness, and sometimes hyperactivity. Evidence that a child might need additional support in these areas can often be seen at home, but very likely will be seen in the classroom. Children may not stick to tasks through completion; they also may have difficulty organizing and completing work correctly. Work may often be messy and may be performed carelessly. Impulsivity can be seen when a student regularly blurts out answers before questions are completed, frequently interrupts when others are talking, and fails to fully heed directions before beginning assignments. When working one-to-one with these students, Dr. Lawless teaches strategies to remediate the areas in which the student shows a relative weakness.