Academic Learning Difficulties
Elementary SchoolDifficulty learning basic skills such as:
- Recognizing letters and numbers - Reading words - Learning math facts - Spelling - Writing sentences |
Junior High SchoolSignificant and persistent difficulty with complex learning tasks such as:
- Reading Comprehension - Math Reasoning - Problem Solving - Report Writing - Test taking |
Children with FASD often plateau in their academic learning, particularly in math. At the high school level and beyond, arithmetic skills may show limited development beyond basic intermediate grade functioning.
MemoryMemory difficulties vary from weaknesses in short-term rote and working memory to inconsistencies in
long-term recall. - A typical short-term memory problem often noted is the inability to recall a series of directions - A frequently described long-term retrieval memory problem occurs when children appear to know a fact or procedure one day and forget it the next - Another memory difficulty is source memory deficit. At times, individuals with FASD may confuse what they were specifically asked to recall with random information they heard or thought. Then, when asked to retrieveinformation, they add the extra information and are unaware it came from another source. This may look like lying or inattention, but actually is related to inefficient or dysfunctional storage and retreival of information |
LanguageLanguage development weaknesses are common in individuals with FASD. Early articulation and expressive language delays may occur, but
are less evident as children reach school age and receive intervention. Individuals with FASD can be chatty or verbally fluent. However, the content and quality of their expressive language is often less complex, and more superficial, nonspecific and literal than other children their age. In language evaluations, children with FAS have comprehension scores that are generally lower than their expressive performance. This discrepancy between receptive and expressive language can be confusing. They tend to express themselves in ways that lead others to assume that they understand what is going on when actually they do not. Their ability to discern what others are saying is often poor. These individuals may have difficulty both interpreting figurative language and producing complex sentence structures in speech and written language. Special educator Susan Doctor has appropriately described this pattern as “they talk better than they understand.” This expressive receptive language discrepancy can lead to many social difficulties. Individuals with FASD often have difficulty understanding and using social communication. They lack the language needed for social awareness and complex expression of feelings. This often leads to difficulties in social and learning situations, such as understanding directions, social cues and fast-paced conversations; and interpreting satire, metaphor, parodies and other aspects of complex social interaction. |