Learning Disabilities: Educational and Assessment Considerations

Although not every learning disabled child is hyperactive, nor is every hyperactive child necessarily learning disabled, a significant percentage of learning disabled children display the behavioral characteristics of either sensory or motor hyperactivity. Having concomitant learning and management problems, such children provide teachers and school administrators with a most intricate and bewildering problem. Although no one can question the sincere dedication of most teachers, one finds from talking with them that they often find it difficult to deal with a child when he or she fails to respond to instruction or when the child continually disrupts classmates. Such unfortunate interactions between the teacher and the child, and between the child and other children, present a challenge to the teacher. This educational and behavioral stalemate will be analyzed through examining the issue of hyperactivity, considering the essential needs of hyperactive children, and indicating the appropriate educational setting and curriculum considerations that must be kept in mind for hyperactive children. Assessment and management reco~m~endations will be made throughout the analyses.