Persons with nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD) have difficulty interpreting nonverbal cues. This disorder manifests in the right-hemisphere of the brain and can affect motor skills, social skills, and the ability to process visual-spatial information. Nonverbal learning disabilities are less well understood by educators and the general population than language-based learning disorders, and can often go unrecognized because the person with NLD usually develops language skills such as reading, writing, and spelling at the appropriate time. Often the language skills are exceptional.
Symptoms of NLD:
- Development of advanced language skills at a very early age
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Remarkable memory skills
- Reliance on auditory perception
- Concrete thinker, strongly literal interpretations
- Excessive reliance on language skills
- Motor clumsiness
- Dysgraphia
- Inhibited exploration of environment
- Difficulty learning to walk
- Frequent loss of balance
- Problems with visual-spatial organization
- Lack of social awareness
- Poor social judgment
- Difficulty reading body language or facial expressions
- Inappropriate or unusual social behavior
Relationship of NLD to Autism Spectrum:
The relationship of NLD to the Autism spectrum, including Aspbergers, is still under debate. Since many of the symptoms of NLD are similar to those in the Autism spectrum, some believe that disorders of the Autism spectrum are at the far end of the NLD spectrum.
Considerations When Working with Students who have NLD:
Social:
- Allow for extra time for student to process requests and get from place to place.
- Offer calm, consistent assistance.
- Advocate for student against teasing and persecution from others.
- Avoid power struggles; offer choices.
- Offer clear expectations and boundaries, but allow for some flexibility.
- Know that student may not read voice tone or body language.
- Know that student may not understand sarcasm or figures of speech.
- Model appropriate social behavior.
Academic:
- Offer verbal activities to help memory.
- Create simple structure for visual-spatial material.
- Suggest computer word processing for help with dysgraphia.
- Provide support with organizing material.
- Provide extra time for written assignments, as well as other academic activities.
- Check for understanding.
- Provide clear, explicit verbal instructions.
- Create a predictable schedule.
Selected Resources:
Thompson, Sue. “Nonverbal Learning Disorders.” 1996. LDOnline.
