Learning Disabilities

Rafael, Sam, and Kris are in the tenth grade. Assessments for LD show that all three need help with reading and writing.

Rafael reads at a sixth-grade level. He understands most of what he reads, but he has trouble reading big words with lots of syllables. He likes to write on a computer, and with the help of a spell-checker, his teacher reports that he does well.

Sam reads at a fourth-grade level. He can pronounce most of the words but has trouble understanding com plex ideas. His writing shows progress, but he has a lot of trouble reading his textbooks.

Kris reads at a second-grade level. Her reading abil ity is so poor that she has trouble understanding very easy stories. Her writing makes little sense even to her when she looks back on it a few days later. She is so upset by her school problems that she stays home from school whenever she can.

Gifted and LD

If you are a gifted student with a learning disability, you face special problems. In a gifted and talented class, you may not keep the pace needed in reading and writing. If left in regular classes, or even worse, if placed in special education classes, you may be bored. Your giftedness cannot be ignored in the IEP process. Like all other gifted young people, you need to be challenged regardless of your learning disability.