Practitioner observations and self-management skills and behaviours

Only when the behaviour is consistent and observed over a considerable period of time should you acknowledge that the behaviour(s) may indicate the possibility of a learning disability.

Attention

The learner:

• Has difficulty concentrating/focusing (needs to be brought back to task)
• Is easily distracted, has difficulty sitting still and is restless
• Displays off-task behavior
• Lacks productivity and seems confused at times
• Fidgets and is impatient
• Talks excessively
• Acts impulsive (for example, acts without thinking and without seeming concern for the consequences, says one thing and means another, blurts out answers and interrupts)
• Appears not to listen to what is being said
• Displays memory problems

Organization:

The learner:

• Has poor organizational skills for his or her physical environment, time and tasks
• Experiences difficulty sequencing, prioritizing, grouping or categorizing
• Experiences difficulty grasping similarities between items and relating parts to the whole
• Experiences orientation problems and difficulty with directionality: left/right, up/down, and north/south/east/west