At The Grand River Academy, our smaller class sizes allow our teachers to more easily recognize classroom struggles and develop a learning strategy specifically suited for your child. In addition, the specialized staff at the Grand River Academy can work with your child in one-on-one sessions, helping students unlock their true potential and acquiring the educational tools they need for success in learning.

1. LEARNING
DISABILITIES
ANDYOURCHILD According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, there are
currently 2.4 million students diagnosed with a learning disability1
.
Even more go unnoticed, as there is no single test or widely accepted
approach to discovering learning disabilities. The difficulty lies within
the fact that within each child, a learning disability can manifest in a different method. With 45 percent of students with a learning
disability falling 3 or more grades behind their peers2
, quickly finding the best support can be the best way to guide your child
towards success.
The best method to identifying a learning disability in your child is through taking note of your child’s strength and weaknesses and
honing in on struggle areas. Often times, private boarding schools or private schools for learning disabilities offer the best support
solutions for your child to overcome a learning disability and achieve academic success.

2. The first step towards identifying a learning
disability in your child is to first research the
different types of learning disabilities. Once
you pinpoint your child’s problem areas, you
can better pinpoint which tests to conduct to
hone in on your child’s disability and how to
best support the disability. Some of the most
commonly found learning disabilities are
dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and ADHD.
Dyslexia is the common name for a reading
disability. Often characterized by spelling
difficulties, word recognition and decoding the
disability causes problems with reading skills
and the growth of vocabulary in your child.
Dyslexia is the most common of all the learning
disabilities. The National Institute of Child and
Human Development predicts that as many as
15 percent of Americans experience trouble
with reading comprehension and writing. With
much classroom activity based on both reading
and writing3
, dyslexia can severely affect your
child’s progress in school.
Children that demonstrate a difficulty in writing
related to motor and information processing
skills may be diagnosed with dysgraphia.
Poor spelling, handwriting or ability to write
down thoughts are some signs of dysgraphia.
Students diagnosed with dysgraphia often need
extra practice in learning the mechanical skills
behind writing.
TYPESOFLEARNINGDISABILITIES
While ADHD is not considered a learning disorder, it is often found in students with other learning
disabilities. By not being able to stay focused to tasks, being overly restless and inattention are all signs
of ADHD and can directly impact your child’s ability to learn. There are two main types of ADHD, being
hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive. Hyperactive impulsive creates restlessness in students, causing
them trouble with quiet activities and causing constant movement or fidgeting. Students experiencing
inattentive ADHD can offer find themselves being slow to processing information and instructions along
with poor listening and organization skills. Many of the symptoms of ADHD are caused by a breakdown of
executive functions in the brain and language based issues.

3. LEARNINGDISORDERSUPPORT
Many schools are required by law to develop
and Individualized Education Plan. While
these plans provide educational benefits,
improved achievement is not guaranteed. When
communicating with your child’s school, it is
important to be clear and confident in how the
school treats your child.
REMEMBER TO:
• Clarify your goals
• Allow the school to explain their
opinions and suggestions.
• Offer and research alternative solutions
• Remain focused on your child,
remembering each child has different
areas of disability.
• Don’t give up and remember the
school is on your side.
With early recognition and intervention, many students who suffer from a learning disorder can be directed
towards the support they need for academic success. Gathering and collection information on your child’s
progress in school is the first step to monitoring a learning disorder. Often times, a school will work with you
to help you discover the problem. Regardless of the disorder, encouragement and positive reinforcement can
give your struggling child a sense of self-worth.
Public schools have a lawful obligation to evaluate all possible learning disabled students, but they are
not forced to follow through on parent requests. If a school suggests increased academic intervention
while refusing to further evaluate a student for a possible learning disorder, be certain to ask for a written
explanation and keep all pieces as documentation of the process. Keeping a close, personal connection with
the special education staff of your child’s school allows you to better advocate for your child’s learning needs.
Occasionally, a public school will provide tuition assistance for students with learning disabilities seeking out
the improved special education facilities of a private boarding school.

4. In larger public schools, a child can often fall
between the cracks, as specialty teachers as
stretched thin with an increased amount of
learning disabled students. Private schools
for disabilities enable a parent and their child
to work closely with their teachers. Smaller
class sizes and increased student – teacher
interactions help both teachers and parents to
come up with a personalized learning strategy
geared towards the child’s success.
Many private schools offer specialists and
psychologists on staff, helping students achieve
academic success through close monitoring and
care. With the aid of a specialized staff member,
a child can learn the time management, study
and organizational skills that are fundamental
to academic achievement. At times, the school
will offer different financial aid options for
those students with disabilities.
PRIVATESCHOOLSFORDISABILITIES
Just because students with learning disabilities experience more difficulties in the classroom doesn’t
mean they are incapable of learning. Many times, classroom struggles can be overcome with effective
learning strategies geared towards their specific needs whether dysgraphia, dyslexia, dyscalculia or ADHD.
Promising small class sizes helps to engage every student in an active learning process as well as a 24/7
learning environment, The Grand River Academy allows students with learning disabilities to work closely
with a specialized staff dedicated to helping your child to best understand course material in a manner
best for them, learning how to become independent learners and unlock their academic potential.
Contact an admissions representative today for more information on disability schools in Ohio and your
child’s needs.

5. Sources
1. http://ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/what-is-ld/learning-dis-
ability-fast-facts
2. http://www.nlts2.org/reports/2003_11/index.html
3. http://ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia
WWW.GRANDRIVER.ORG
Grand River Academy
3042 College Street
Austinburg, Ohio
44010
Phone: 440.275.2811
Fax: 440.275.1825