Literacy and Learning Disabilities

Many adults with learning disabilities possess limited background knowledge about the world simply because of their difficulties in obtaining information through typical reading and listening activities. This lack of knowledge may put the adult at a disadvantage in work and social situations. The purpose of this curricular approach is to provide instruction in information that the adult needs immediately. Critical content curricula involve a specific knowledge base, for example, information required for a job, knowledge needed to pass a driver's test or gain citizenship, or specific science or social studies content to pass the GED Tests.

Key Elements
Critical content curricula should

relate to a life need (e.g., driving, passing the GED Tests); address knowledge that is immediately useful to the adult; be be taught directly; and
contain sufficient practice to ensure intensity.

Appropriate Use of Critical Content Curricula
Many adults with learning disabilities need to learn large amounts of content. Typically, they have not yet learned the strategies necessary to independently acquire the knowledge needed for daily life experiences. This option is appropriate for the adult who presents a specific need for information. For example, a young man purchasing a car for the first time will need to know about insurance. If he has never learned that information and does not have the necessary reading skills to acquire the information independently, then it is appropriate to teach him about insurance.

Instruction in critical content requires that you sort through the conceptual information, select the most important concepts and supporting information, and then help the adult acquire the information. However, be aware that, without a strategic approach to learning new information, the learner will not be able to function independently. For this reason, incorporating a learning strategies approach as well may be advisable.

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