Tips for Student Helpers Working with Learning Disabled Students

For the last two years, I have taught a class of learning disabled students, ranging from mildly mentally retarded to high functioning children that maybe have only a processing problem. One of my children actually comprehended on the ninth grade level, although he was only in the sixth. When his reading was tested, he read on a second grade level. This discrepancy pointed to Dyslexia. Therefore, from all outward appearances, this child was a normal child. As such, he really noticed and took offense to how other students treat learning disabled children. The children that are mentally retarded, even severely so, probably do not take much notice on the treatment. However, a child that is only learning disabled, notices more, and is highly insulted.

Our class went twice a year to participate in the county's Special Olympic Games at the local high school. The school paired a child from the Honor Society or a child from the Beta Club with each of my special ed children. I did not realize the extent of the problem, until my dyslexic learning -disabled child informed me and actually asked what he could do.

As he stated it, the helper students spoke down to him in a demeaning fashion, as if he was not capable of learning or speaking. He said they were trying to be kind, but he noticed they spoke slower and spoke to him in a "Kiddy" Voice as he called it. So how can students working with the learning disabled avoid this problem? Sometimes they think we might be doing learning-disabled children a service by helping out, but really they are doing them a disservice by not treating them with the respect they deserve. So what follows are four simple tips to help a student who might be part of a program that works with learning disabled children. Of course any one working with a learning disabled child can do the following also..

1) First thing to remember is that just because the child may not have the vocabulary of the average person, this does not mean that they have to spoken to slower or directly. They are learning disabled, not hard of hearing. I think people who are working with learning disabled children for the first time may not consider this.