School Entry, School Failure, and the Discovery of Learning Disabilities

Performance in school can be affected by a wide range of traumas. When one is experiencing a crisis in one's life, it can influence one's ability to concentrate, think, remember, relate to others, and maintain one's psychological balance and feelings of well-being. In this respect, when a child is experiencing a crisis at home, in the community, or at school, school achievement needs to be understood within a broader context than what takes place in the classroom. Students who are experiencing a crisis need additional support to help them cope with the crisis and to reduce lasting effects on their learning at school.