Special Educational Needs, Social Cognitive Environments, and Preparing for the World of Work

Abstract

Dyslexia, specific learning difficulties (SLD), and specific language impairment (SLI) are some common terms used by specialists to refer to the learning disorders. Diagnosis of these disorders is primarily based on learning difficulties experienced by the individual. Learning disorders may be accompanied by other conditions such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), speech sound disorder (SSD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Literacy development, and how literacy attainments affect transition into the world of work, are aspects of learning of particular interest in this chapter. Here, we refer to literacy as the skills associated with basic and fluent levels of reading and writing. While most forms of learning disorders manifest in a degree of literacy difficulty, it is essential to be alert to the fact that difficulties with literacy also arise when there are sensory impairments, emotional and behavioral disorders, and, most importantly, low support for literacy learning. The most dramatic instances of low literacy support are print-starved environments or schools with disrupted instruction time. Research shows that in such low support environments, the lag in literacy attainments may be up to 2 years (Nag, 2007), and delays in skill development can mimic the deficit profile of a child with a learning disorder like dyslexia (Nag & Snowling, 2012). Literacy and learning difficulties that emerge from such environmental disadvantage and deprivation should most definitely not attract clinical labels, and attention to the career development needs of the learner from a deprived background is without question a pressing one (see, for example, Asian Development Outlook, 2012). This chapter will, however, only focus on groups that carry a specific diagnosis, and we will use the generic term of learning difficulty to refer to the several disorders that manifest in literacy learning difficulties. The full list of diagnostic categories is available from the World Health Organisation (ICD-IO) and the American Psychological Association (DSM-V), and categories of interest to this chapter, along with more common names, have been listed in Table 28.1. Individuals who qualify for any of these diagnoses have special educational needs and will perhaps experience challenges when preparing to enter the world of work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)