Washington, Apr. 27 (ANI): About 10 percent of population is affected by specific learning disabilities (SLDs), like dyslexia, dyscalculia and autism, a new study has found.
The findings roughly translate to two or three pupils suffering from these disabilities in every classroom.
Led by Professor Brian Butterworth, a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s School of Psychological Sciences and Emeritus Professor of cognitive neuropsychology at University College London, the study gives insight into the underlying causes of specific learning disabilities and how to tailor individual teaching and learning for individuals and education professionals.
The study found that kids are frequently affected by more than one learning disability and that specific learning disabilities co-occur more often than expected.
Butterworth said that the results showed that there were many neurological development disorders that result in learning disabilities, even in kids of normal or even high intelligence.
Specific learning disabilities come from atypical brain development with complicated genetic and environmental factors, causing conditions like dyslexia, dyscalculia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder and specific language impairment.
The study suggests that causes of SLDs are because of difficulties processing speech, language and numbers at a cognitive level.
From a neurological basis, evidence suggests each SLD is associated with an abnormality in a distinct neural network. A single neurophysiological cause may affect distinct regions in the brain, affecting an individual’s learning ability. (ANI)