Educator
Portal · Recognizing
Learning Disabilities
Although
it may seem simple, IT IS NOT LEGAL TO ASK if a
student has a learning disability.
A
student may disclose a learning disability
-
The student may self-disclose a learning disability
during his/her intake interview
-
A parent or guardian may disclose a learning disability
for a learner under 18
-
A student may be referred from a public school
with an IEP (Individual Education Plan) that includes
a diagnosis of learning disability
- A
student may be referred by an agency such as Vocational
Rehabilitation with information about a learning
disability
A
program may screen all entrants for indications
of possible learning disabilities
-
It is legal to give the same screening to ALL
entrants, but not to single out particular students
for screening without their written permission.
-
In New Hampshire, learners referred to TANF adult
education classes by the New Hampshire Employment
Program have usually completed the 13-question
Learning
Needs Screening Tool (PDF) developed by Nancie
Payne.
- Screening
instruments cannot diagnose learning disabilities,
but they may indicate learners who could benefit
from referral to a specialist
-
Screening instruments may also suggest teaching
strategies and classroom accommodations
-
Screening instruments may lead to discussions
with learners about strategies for learning and
compensations for weaknesses
A teacher may observe behaviors that suggest the
possibility of a learning disability
The learner…
-
Reads slowly and laboriously
-
Shows persistent problems in spelling
-
Does not understand jokes or comic strips
-
Adds, substitutes, or rearranges sounds in words,
as in “Pacific” for “specific”
-
Uses a calculator or counts on fingers for answers
to simple problems, (e.g., 2 x 5)
-
May have good ideas which seem disjointed, unrelated,
or out of sequence
-
Omits or substitutes elements when copying information
