For Families, For Parents, Psychotherapy

What is a Learning Difference? Signs, and How to Get Help

Learning—particularly in school—is an essential part of growing up. School offers kids the chance to pick up foundational skills, develop those abilities, discover their passions, and ultimately unlock the things they’re good at and passionate about. In recent decades, though, we’ve begun to learn more about the different ways that children learn, and have started to consider ways to adapt the learning process to different needs.

Learning differences, or learning disabilities, refer to specific needs and challenges that a child may have in a typical school environment. Depending on the nature of these differences, they might find aspects of school very difficult, often leading to frustration, lack of interest, and falling grades.

In this guide, we’ll explain what a learning difference truly is, the common signs of these challenges, and the steps parents can take to get their children the help they need.

What is a Learning Difference?

The idea of a learning difference is actually an umbrella term for a huge variety of learning-related challenges. Four of the most common learning differences include:

Dyslexia – Difficulty connecting written letters and sounds, leading to challenges with reading, writing, speaking, and listening

Dysgraphia – Challenges with both the physical motor skills of handwriting as well as with translating thoughts into words [1]

Dyscalculia – Trouble with math-related symbols, processes, and concepts, leading to struggles with mental and written math

Dyspraxia – Issues with planning, coordinating, and executing movements, as well as trouble with certain motor skills and doing tasks in the correct order (also called developmental coordination disorder, or DCD)

Other common learning differences include neurological conditions affecting the way a person processes auditory and visual information and issues with executive functioning (mental skills for planning, focusing, prioritizing remembering information, and multitasking). [2]

In the past, you may have heard these challenges described as ‘learning disabilities’, however this term is falling out of favour. Calling them ‘disabilities’ can frame the challenge as something inherently ‘wrong’ with the person, which is a concern for younger kids who need encouragement and support more than anything. Some other experts call these challenges ‘diagnoses’ (this is most common when discussing autism, however may also be used for the learning differences above), as a way to recognize these concerns as legitimate without coming across as demeaning. [3] For this article, we’ll continue to call them ‘learning differences’.

While not considered learning differences, there are a few other neurodevelopmental conditions that can seriously affect the way children learn at school. These include ADHD—which presents as challenges with focus, impulse control, and self-regulating levels of hyperactivity—and autism spectrum-related differences.

Common Misconceptions About Learning Differences

There are many, many misconceptions about learning differences; for instance, that they only affect children. While learning differences are typically considered in children, many people don’t simply outgrow these challenges—they still face them as adults.

The term ‘learning difference’ is also not interchangeable with other mental and intellectual challenges that children may face—even if these obstacles make it more difficult for the child to learn. For example, sensory challenges that make it harder for a child to take in information will certainly make school more difficult, but they’re not considered learning differences like dyslexia or dysgraphia.

Another misconception is that learning differences are really just a term to excuse laziness or low intelligence. In fact, we know that these differences indicate a different ‘wiring’ in the brain, meaning these people simply learn and think in a different way than most others. Children with learning differences aren’t any more or less smart than their classmates—they simply need a particular approach in order to succeed. [4]

Potential Signs of a Learning Difference

While there are many, many ways for learning differences to manifest in children and youth, we tend to see certain signs more commonly. Depending on the age of a child, the same type of learning challenge may present differently. Here are a few signs that your young child might be struggling with a learning difference, broken up by age range:

Pre-School Age (2-4)

This is the time when kids really begin to learn new things, making it your first opportunity to spot potential signs of a learning difference. These might include:

Trouble pronouncing simple words
Having more trouble learning fundamentals (e.g., the alphabet, colours, counting to 10, days of the week, etc.) than their classmates
Difficulties rhyming words
Issues finding the right words to communicate their thoughts
Challenges with simple motor skills, such as holding crayons, using scissors, or colouring inside the lines
Trouble following directions
Issues with learning and following routines
Challenges using zippers, buttons, snaps, or learning to tie their shoelaces

Ages 5-9

By ages 5-9, children have entered elementary school, where they begin to build on the fundamentals taught in pre-school. Possible signs of a learning difference in this range might include:

Trouble blending sounds in order to say multi-syllable words
Confusing or misreading simple words when reading
Issues connecting sounds to letters when reading and writing
Difficulties with telling the time, naming the days of the week, and remembering routines and sequences
Taking a longer time to learn new skills than classmates
Making frequent, consistent spelling errors when writing
Difficulties with foundational math skills
Particularly messy handwriting

Ages 10-13

By ages 10-13, kids are finishing elementary school and headed to either middle or high school. At this point, learning differences can become much more challenging, as the material taught in schools becomes more challenging and advanced. Signs of a learning difference for kids 10-13 include:

Strong dislike of reading and writing
Unwillingness to read out loud
Issues with reading comprehension
Spelling the same word in different ways in a single piece of writing
Challenges when writing text-based test questions
Struggling with word math problems
Consistent challenges with age-appropriate math skills
Poor handwriting
Limited organizational skills (e.g., frequently forgetting about tests and due dates, keeping a very messy room)
Issues keeping up with classroom conversations and reluctance to contribute [5] [6]

Bear in mind that for all three of these younger age ranges, seeing these signs occasionally may not indicate a notable learning difference. This list is just for general information and awareness of common signs of learning challenges, and should not be used as an at-home screening tool for your child. However, if you notice these signs happening repeatedly and consistently, you might be wondering how you can help.

How to Support a Child with a Learning Difference

As parents, we want to give our children every opportunity to thrive, find their passion, and grow into the adults they’re meant to be. A learning difference may initially seem like a huge obstacle to that goal, but it doesn’t have to be.

Learning differences come from a variety of sources, from genetics to trauma. The first step in intervening with a learning difference is to get professional guidance on the source of the challenge, which will allow your child to learn new skills and adaptations that allow them to learn in a way that works for their needs.

If you’re wondering if your child is facing a learning difference, a psychoeducational assessment is an excellent way to begin giving the support they need. For parents in the Greater Toronto Area, Hopewoods can be an excellent resource. Our psychoeducational assessments provide a deep, thorough, evidence-based insight into the learning challenges your child is experiencing, making it possible to create a plan to help your child learn in a way that works for them.