Although not considered a specific learning disorder, attention disorders can hamper a child or teen’s learning in very specific ways. Rosemary Tannock, Ph.D., and the team of educators and researchers at the Brain and Behaviour Center in Toronto identified a number of learning challenges often associated with ADHD.
Reading and Reading Comprehension Weaknesses
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Slow (but accurate) reading of single words and non-words
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Slower text reading rate and “uneven” fluency
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Inconsistent text accuracy
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Difficulty recalling details from stories
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Less sensitive to story structure
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Difficulty organizing events and identifying causal events in narratives
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Difficulty retelling stories in a well-organized and cohesive manner
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Difficulty making inferences
For help addressing your child or teen’s reading comprehension weaknesses, consider Dr. Davenport’s articles on active reading.
Written Expression Weaknesses
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Low productivity, poor writing fluency
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Slow and effortful and/or fast and careless approach
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Poorly written spelling (spells words the way they sound and over-applies spelling rules)
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Untidy, uneven, illegible handwriting
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Poor planning and disorganization
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Poorly written sentence construction
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Poor story composition (missing story elements, missing reasons or conclusion)
For help addressing your child or teen’s writing difficulties, try Dr. Davenport’s suggestions for written expression.
Math Weaknesses
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Procedural errors (subtracting a larger number from a smaller number, failing to carry a number)
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The tendency to rely on finger counting rather than direct retrieval of facts
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More overt (out-loud) self-talk to guide actions (rather than using inner speech)
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Slow computation speed
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Difficulty retrieving number facts fluently and accurately
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Difficulty ignoring irrelevant information in word problems
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Difficulty solving math problems with multiple procedures or steps