Remediation of Learning Disabilities—Methods and Techniques

▪ The following selected bibliography has been compiled from Exceptional Child Education Abstracts (ECEA). It is intended as a supplement to “Remediation of Learning Disabilities—Methods and Techniques” in the area of the learning disabled child.

Johnson D. J. Myklebust H. R. Learning disabilities: Educational principles and practices. New York: Grane and Stratton, 1967.

Intended for teachers, educators, and specialists who are interested in the problems of learning disabilities, the text presents principles and practices necessary in the clinical teaching approach to children with learning disabilities. Areas considered include learning disabilities in general, the brain and learning, and special education and learning disabilities. Also treated are nonverbal disorders of learning and disorders of auditory language, reading, written language, and arithmetic. Implications and outlook are discussed. Approximately half of the 74 illustrations are teaching aids and half are examples of children's drawings or writings which show the effects of various learning disabilities. A reference list cites 186 items.

Kephart N. C. The stow learner in the classroom. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill, 1971.

The volume addresses itself to two basic competencies needed by teachers of the slow learning child: a rationale permitting consistent interpretation of the child's learning behavior and a repertory of techniques for presenting information in a myriad of ways, from which the teacher can select classroom presentation methods most appropriate for each slow learner. Part I, Development and Achievement, presents a rationale for learning based on two primary principles: development and generalization. Part II, Training Activities, is a series of teaching techniques related to successive steps in the rationale. Covered are the training process, perceptual-motor training, the perceptual-motor match, training ocular control, chalkboard training, and training form perception.

McCarthy J. J. McCarthy J. F. Learning disabilities. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1969.

An attempt to collate basic knowledge concerning learning disabilities, the text discusses the background and definition of learning disabilities, and its identification, etiology, and epidemiology. Guidelines for diagnostic evaluation are presented as are approaches from perceptual motor, developmental, visual, neurophysiological, linguistic, and diagnostic-remedial points of view. Additional topics considered are illustrative classroom programs, teacher preparation, educational research, parent groups, special education legislation, and future prospects.

Murphy P. A special way for the special child in the regular classroom. San Rafael: Academic Therapy Publications, 1971.

Guidelines for regular class activities in sensory training and academic skills are presented with the intention of helping the underachieving elementary school child. For each area of concentration in class activities, the need for the skill and suggested activities to develop the skill are presented briefly. Concentration areas in perceptual development covered include art activities, auditory training, color discrimination, form discrimination, gross-motor training, ocular control, speech development, tracing exercises, visual-motor coordination, and visual recall. Guidelines for improving reading and arithmetic achievement are also provided. Throughout the book, numerous commercial games and toys are suggested as fun instructional materials for the various skill areas.

Valett R. E. The remediation of learning disabilities. A handbook of psychoeducational resource programs. Palo Alto, Calif: Fearon Publishers, 1967.

Intended for special education teachers, remedial specialists, and psychologists, the handbook presents a series of concrete activities and exercises for children with learning disabilities. Fifty-three basic learning abilities or resource programs are grouped under six major areas—gross motor development, sensory motor integration, perceptual motor skills, language development, conceptual skills, and social skills. Each ability is defined operationally, illustrated, and provided with an educational rationale. Also, each activity is considered as a developmental task, and beginning, middle, and advanced level program ideas are suggested.