Nonverbal learning disabilities affect both a child’s educational and social sphere. In the educational sphere, nonverbal learning disabilities can mean that a student has poor psychomotor skills, having difficult with tasks such as picking up or writing with a pencil. Also, although they may be good with words and reading aloud, often they suffer deficits in reading comprehension. Visualizing is difficult for them, and they require clear, explicit, step-by-step instructions to help master tasks.
In the social sphere, nonverbal learning disabled children often find it difficult to interact with other students, as they have difficulty picking up on nonverbal cues and have an inability to read body language. Most nonverbal learning disabled children initially do not shy away from social situations, but their inability to function normally during them often leads to feeling of shame and isolation, which in turn causes them to show maladaptive traits in classrooms.
Such children then benefit from modeling and clear, direct instruction. Providing supports and scaffolding can ease the tension they feel about social interactions and make more likely to engage in them in the future.
For more information on working with children with nonverbal learning disabilities, check this website: [www.dldcec.org/pdf/Article9.pdf]
by Cary Sabados