Many people are aware that children who have learning disabilities usually cannot cope with academics. Although it is widely known that children diagnosed with LD process learning differently, there are other areas of child development that may also be impacted. Most educators and parents do not realize how learning disabilities affect social skills. Poor social skills can prevent a child from forming meaningful relationships with family members, friends, and peers.
The impact and degree of the lack of social skills is unique to each child and depends on the nature of the specific learning disability and the child’s basic temperament. Developing effective social skills (also called social competence) is essential for all children.
Impact of Dyslexia and ADHD on Social Skills
Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects a child’s skills in writing, reading, and spelling. It also has an impact on social skills development. Here are five common social challenges faced by children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD and dyslexia:
1) Unable to understand jokes- A child who is a struggling reader may not read as frequently as other children. As a result, he might not be exposed to different words and how they’re used. This makes understanding puns and idioms very difficult for the child.
2) Difficulty finding suitable words- A child with dyslexia is unable to find the right words about topics they feel strongly about or when a quick response is required.
3) Miss out on social cues- Dyslexic children have a hard decoding body language, social cues, and facial expression.
4) Difficulty messaging friends/peers- A dyslexic child might shy away from sending text messages because they’re unable to spell or understand abbreviations.
5) Remembering things incorrectly- The child is unable to recall specific details or words. It can lead to confusion about what someone said.
A child diagnosed with ADHD or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder might be impulsive, inattentive, hyperactive or any combination of these three traits. If the child is inattentive, they might find it difficult to observe social cues and body language signals. His attention may suddenly switch to something else or his mind will wander.
If the child is hyperactive and or impulsive, he might constantly interrupt others during a conversation and find it hard to await their turn. The child is not behaving this way on purpose but others may get frustrated and even offended. Social and emotional impacts of in-classroom learning versus at home
The Importance of Social Competence
Social competence refers to interpersonal skills. These are both verbal and non-verbal behaviors that are valued in social relationships.
A child with learning disabilities may have a hard time forming and maintaining relationships with his friends, family, peers, teachers, and acquaintances. For example, if the child has a language processing disorder, he might find it hard to understand what the other person is saying.
This child may have difficulty in expressing their ideas through speech. These issues can significantly interfere with forming meaningful interpersonal relationships.
The 3 Elements of Social Interaction
Every interpersonal interaction has three components:
1.Social Intake- Art Of Small Talk, taking note and comprehending what the other person is saying, body language, cultural-specific behaviors, voice emphasis, and eye contact. A child with learning problems may be unable to pick up on unspoken and spoken cues. They might also misread the moods and meanings of others.
2. Internal Process– Improve Your Emotional Control, identifying and managing your reactions and emotions and interpreting what others are saying. A child diagnosed with a learning disorder may misinterpret or miss out on another person’s mood, meaning, and words. They might process the information incorrectly. This leads to inappropriate reactions and or conclusions.
3. Social Output- how the child communicates and reacts to other people via body language, speech, and gestures. A child with LD might give inappropriate responses such as nervous giggling, irrelevant answers, angry words, etc. The child might not respond well.
Social Skills Training For Learning Disabilities
When it comes to providing social skills training, parents can help immensely. Consider the following tips:
1.Practice the 3 R’s- Provide relevant skills instruction, that addresses real life, and is offered in real time. Look for teaching opportunities or moments as they arise in your child’s life. For example, when you take your child to the playground, guide him in his communications or interactions with other kids. He may need help in asking another peer to play with him or share the see-saw, etc.
You may have to offer prompts so that your child interacts appropriately with others. Don’t forget to offer praise for successful interactions.
2. Model correct behavior- Parents demonstrate appropriate interactions with their child. Observational learning is a powerful learning mechanism for your child.
3. Encourage generalization-Teach your child when and how to use specific social skill sets as situations arise. For instance, once he has learned to take turns while playing board games, help him use the same skill when you’re waiting in line at the toy shop.
4. Promote role-playing- Create “pretend” play situations with your child. With your support, he can practice certain social skills and even improve on them. This will help him apply them in real world scenarios.
Why is learning social skills for people with learning disabilities important? Simply put, it builds confidence. Many children with children with learning disorders have low self-esteem. Building your child’s social competence will help boost their self-confidence.
In addition, if your child is equipped with sound strong social skills he or she will be capable of advocating for themselves. In a classroom situation, this can be him asking the teacher for help.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dysgraphia, autism, etc. are learning disabilities that affect social skills and significantly hinder your child’s social development. By helping your child tackle various social challenges, they will develop self-confidence and better interpersonal relationships with others.
Useful Links-
Help! My Learning Disabled Child is Being Bullied!
8 Tips For Students With Learning Disability and Dyslexia Transitioning To College
Adult ADHD Procrastination. Tools and Strategies for Better Learning.