A learning disorder, also known as a learning disability, is a disability that interferes with someone's ability to learn. These disabilities involve variations in cognitive function that cause people to have problems acquiring, storing, processing, and retrieving knowledge. The severity of a learning disorder can vary considerably and may be complicated by the presence of other disabilities like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism.
People with learning disorders do not experience impairments in cognitive function that lead to decreased performance on intelligence tests. In fact, many notably intelligent people including individuals like Albert Einstein had learning disorders, illustrating that these disorders do not have an impact on intelligence. Instead, they complicate the way that people learn, whether in classroom environments or the outside world.
A person with an undiagnosed learning disorder might struggle to complete work, spend more time on tasks than other students, express frustration with schoolwork, or develop behavioral abnormalities in response to feeling frustrated in the school environment. Teachers and parents may note that someone seems to have trouble processing information that the rest of the class is understanding, or that a student appears inattentive and unfocused.
There are numerous conditions classified as learning disorders, including both verbal and nonverbal disorders. These include problems with auditory and visual processing, dyspraxia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. Students can have trouble with everything from understanding spoken language to comprehending symbols like plus and minus signs in math. Trouble with processing can make it difficult for a person with a learning disorder to acquire and store information, and some students process information very effectively, but cannot retrieve it.
It is not possible to cure a learning disorder, but there are a number of approaches to treatment. These students have different learning styles and some can benefit from interventions like tutoring, small adjustments in the classroom environment to make teaching materials more accessible, or placement in specialized classes with other students who have similar disabilities. Medications to manage conditions like ADHD can be beneficial for some students with learning disorders and some students also find it helpful to work with a counselor or advisor.
Schools increasingly provide intervention programs for students with disabilities that are designed to identify and address disabilities early. These include free screening for students with suspected learning disorders, along with access to community programs that provide assistance to students and their parents. With support, students with learning disorders can be highly successful in school and some even become educators themselves.