LEARNING DISABLED CHILDREN
Learning disability refers to the learning problems which manifest in an imperfect ability to listen to think speak read write or do mathematical calculations which are not primarily due to visual impairment, hearing impairment, motor handicap, mental retardation, environmental or economic disadvantages, but due to a disorder in the psychological process involved in understanding or in using language. Kirk (1968) defines, " a learning disability refers to a specific retardation or disorder in one or rnore of the processes of speech, language, perception, behaviour, reading, spelling, writing or arithmetic".

The General Characteristics of Learning Disability:-

1. They must have average or above intelligence
2. Attention disorder.
3. Disorder in memory and thinking
4. Disorder in speech and learning
5. Emotional Disorder.
6. Difficulties in-the acquisition and use of basic academic skills'
7. Greater discrepancy between what he knows and what is expressed.
8. Behaviour problems (anxiety, depression, hyperactive)
9. Conduct problems (cheating in tests, manipulating marks or exam results)
10. Reading ability may be 2 years below his grade level.
11. LD child is slow to write"
12. Arithmetic may not interest children with LD
13. Difficulty in applying the concepts of time, speed and distance etc.
14. Difficulties with grammar, sentence constructs vocabulary etc.
15. They may not understand facial expressions, jokes or hidden meanings in conversations.
16. Poor motor co-ordination.

Some children with poor school performance are actually intelligent. Their global brain development is normal but miniscule brain areas concerned with the academic skills of reading, writing, spelling mathematics or language have not developed adequately. This is a specific delay in development. This results in an intelligent child who understands what he is taught and expresses well orally, being unable, to put the same in writing. So a child with learning disorders becomes an under achiever.