Evaluating and Assessing Learning Disorders and Disability

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), approximately 2.9 million school-aged children are currently classified as learning disabled. A learning disability is a neurological condition that affects the brain's ability to process, store, and recall information. The NCLD notes that early detection and assessment of learning disabilities in children is crucial to helping students find academic and social success.

Signs and Symptoms of Learning Disabilities

• The NCLD states that one of the most common indications of a learning disability is a gap between what is expected of a learner and what is actually being achieved. Young children with learning disabilities are often of average intelligence. Teachers and parents often notice that one area of learning will be markedly difficult for the student. The NCLD has published a checklist that aids teachers and parents in identifying early symptoms of learning disabilities. Symptoms include social-emotional difficulties, short attention spans, poor motor skills, and reading, math, or language difficulties.

Early Detection

• The NCLD emphasizes that early intervention and assessment of learning disabilities are often critical for school success. When a young child exhibits signs of learning difficulties, teachers and parents should carefully observe the child's progress. Students who are assessed and given learning support at an early age are less likely to suffer from negative self-esteem as a result of the learning difficulties.

Roles of Teachers and Parents

• The NCLD notes that teachers and parents have an important role to play in the detection and successful management of learning disabilities. The first step in assessment is often direct communication between parents, teachers, and students, in which concerns about academic progress or learning difficulties can be identified and documented. Teachers and parents should carefully track all of a learner's strengths and weaknesses. If learning difficulties appear to be a consistent pattern, concentrated in one area such as reading, math, or writing, teachers and parents can refer their concerns to a school's psychologist or learning specialist. These specialists will rely on detailed information and observations provided by those who work directly with the student.

Academic and Psychological Assessments

• The NCLD notes that a professional assessment with a qualified professional is the only way to diagnose a learning disability definitively. These assessments vary depending on the specific area of concern. A trained psychologist will administer a series of tests designed to assess an individual's basic academic skills, such as reading, math, and written expression. Other key assessment tools measure visual and auditory processing, memory, and concentration. The results of these assessments help psychologists to determine whether a student has a specific area of weakness and whether this weakness is significant enough to be considered a learning disability.

Considerations

• According to the NCLD, learning disabilities are not the same as learning styles. According to U.S. federal guidelines, a student must have a "severe discrepancy" between ability and achievement in one or more of seven designated achievement areas to be considered disabled. A learning style is a preferred method of learning whereas a learning disability is a specific area of weakness that a psychologist can assess based on specific test scores. Learning difficulties that arise from vision or hearing impairment, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or environmental factors are not considered learning disabilities.