THE ELEMENTARY LEARNING DISABILITY PROCESS
GROUP AND THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
GARY W.
LEDEBUR
Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate
Unit
This
paper proposes
a
model
of
a
roces group conducted with elementary
learning disabled students. The
sc$ool
psychologist is roposed
&s
leader
of
the group. Five goals are identified and the process of tge group is discussed.
Specific procedures are mentioned
to
enable the school psychologist to con-
duct
a
process group. The process group can be an effective addition to the
various intervention strategies used with learning disabled children.
All children have developmental tasks and specific coping behaviors that they
must master (Gazda,
1971).
They need to develop a sense of belongingness and
worth (Dinkmeyer,
1968),
and an understanding
of
“cause and effect” in social
interaction (Ojemann,
1964).
The learning disabled (LD) student is no different
from other students in these areas; in fact, often the LD youngster has a greater
deficit in these social and behavioral areas because of his/her learning problems.
It
has been my experience that often the LD youngster has had
a
long history of
academic failure, peer ridicule, pressure to succeed, and low self-esteem.
The
mere fact of being placed in a special class can be socially and emotionally traumatic.
In spite of this situation, the affective needs of LD youngsters are often over-
looked. There is much pressure on the LD teacher to bring the youngster to “grade
level” academically. The innovative methods of diagnostic-prescriptive teaching,
individualized academic curriculum, and establishing instructional behavioral
objectives leave little time to work on affective concerns. In this age of “account-
ability,” teachers are challenged to achieve measurable academic gains for their
students. Furthermore, the behavioral orientation in many
LD
classes does not
lend itself to facilitation of the teacher’s relationship with individual youngsters,
nor does it facilitate relationships between youngsters.
If
affective work is at-
tempted,
it
is often when there is “spare time” in the schedule;
it
is rarely an in-
tegral part of the curriculum.
A model of a process group conducted with elementary learning disabled students
is
advocated.
It
is felt that the school psychologist should take an active role in
the social and emotional development of learning disabled students, since he/she
often is the person responsible for placing a youngster in a learning disability
class and often is also the consultant to that class. Therefore, he/she is
in
an unique
and positive position to lead a process group. Although research is still incomplete
regarding the efficacy of process groups, there is much evidence accumulating
that they produce positive change and growth (Gazda
&
Larsen,
1968).
GOALS
FOR
THE
GROUP
Specific goals for the
LD
process group have been identified which are im-
portant
to
work towards; also, they are necessary in order to give meaning and
direction. These goals are:
~
Requests for reprints should be sent to
Gary
W.
Ledebur, Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit,
2370
Main
St.,
Schnecksville,
PA
18078.
62