Recognizing Learning Difficulties

Learning-disabled (LD) students account for approximately three to six percent of the student population. The identifying characteristics of learning difficulties are very specific and thorough testing is usually required to make an accurate diagnosis. Understanding these characteristics can help parents and educators identify a child's difficulties earlier so that appropriate help can be offered to prevent further frustration and secondary problems such as behavior problems, low self-esteem, and low motivation.

Identifying Characteristics

Intellectual Criteria

The first step in identifying a learning-disabled student is to ascertain the child's potential intellectual ability. Since children with learning disabilities must have average to above-average intelligence, one needs to review the child's intellectual profile. Does the child's IQ fall between 90-109 or higher? A trained psychologist can usually make this decision based on testing.

Academic Performance

A history of low academic performance is usually a key indicator in the identification of a learning disability. An LD student usually has a history of academic problems in one or more areas. Test scores and grades may reflect this pattern. Generally, a deficit of six months to one year below grade level is considered mild, one to two years moderate, and a deficit of more than two years a severe academic deficiency.

Process Criteria

Many of the series of tests used to identify a learning disability will rely on perceptual testing to identify possible difficulties in the child's learning process. In general terms, the learning process involves receiving information, organizing and giving meaning to the information, and then expressing it in some way. These tests can determine if the child's ability to receive, organize, memorize, and express information are intact or in need of remediation. This is what makes the LD population different from the underachieving population, whose main reason for poor performance is usually due to emotional reasons rather than limitations in learning.

Exclusion Criteria

An LD student cannot be hindered by other factors that may affect learning such as emotional factors, mental retardation, visual or hearing problems, poor teaching, cultural deprivation, inconsistent attendance, or other social factors.

Behavioral Criteria

1. Not succeeding in one or more of the following areas:

• Basic reading skills
• Reading comprehension
• Mathematic calculation
• Mathematics reasoning
• Written expression
• Oral expression
• Listening comprehension

2. Attention problems:

• Inability to concentrate for even short periods of time
• Very easily distracted
• Attention to irrelevant details

3. Organization problems:

• Poor organization of information
• Poor organization of school materials
• Poor organization of time

4. Perceptual problems:

• Confusion with words and numbers that look or sound alike

5. Poor motivation

6. Memory problems:

• Retrieving information
• Short-term memory
• Long-term memory
• Sequential memory

7. Language deficits:

• Problems with listening, speaking, and/or vocabulary

8. Poor motor abilities:

• Problems with fine motor skills
• Problems with gross motor skills

9. Inappropriate social behavior:

• Poor social perception
• Poor emotional behavior
• Inability to establish social relationships

Here are some early warning signs for parents to watch for:

1. The child has a hard time remembering what sounds go with what letters.

2. The child ignores details of words and has difficulty remembering the words.

3. The child guesses at the word or uses the pictures as clues.

4. The child reverses letters or numbers.

5. The child has a poor ability to hear the difference in sounds.

6. The child has a hard time remembering right from left.

7. The child typically loses his or her place on the page, and might even skip lines.

8. The child has problems with jigsaw puzzles, holding a pencil, and/or walking straight on a chalk line.

9. Newly learned words or concepts are forgotten from day to day.

10. Reading rhythm is usually slow and labored.

11. The child has a hard time forming letters.

12. The child has a hard time writing in an organized format.

13. The child's handwriting is very poor.

14. The child's frustration level grows, and he or she becomes reluctant to attend school.

If your child exhibits one or more of the behaviors above, a full series of tests may be needed to adequately diagnose, and ultimately treat, the underlying learning disability. It is often the case that many parents are left with questions and confusion regarding this process. Don't be hesitant to ask for help or seek outside professional guidance if you suspect a learning disability. Feel free to phone us—we are always happy to give our professional opinion and advice.

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