Characteristics, Needs, and Instructional Modifications for Children with Learning Difficulties

Abstract

Children with specific learning difficulties have the same right to learning opportunities as typically developing children. Existing studies in Indonesia tend to examine dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia separately, or to describe learning difficulties without connecting them to practical classroom adjustments. This study offers a novel integrated synthesis that links the characteristics, learning needs, and instructional modifications of all three types of difficulty into one framework that educators can apply directly. It employs a library research design with a descriptive qualitative approach. The data were drawn from 18 journal articles and books on specific learning difficulties, instructional modification, and inclusive education, and were analyzed using content analysis. The results show that the characteristics of these children vary according to the type of difficulty, so their learning needs are individualized. Instructional modifications can be made by adjusting materials, methods, media, time allocation, delivery, and forms of assessment. Flexible instruction that fits each child’s characteristics and needs is therefore essential for helping them achieve optimal development and learning outcomes. This study is expected to serve as a practical reference for educators in designing more adaptive and inclusive instruction that supports the academic development of children with specific learning difficulties.