SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES 101 SIGNS SYMPTOMS AND ELIGIBILITY

SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES 101: SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND ELIGIBILITY PRESENTED BY: DAVID BRIGGS, ED. S. , NCSP

GOALS FOR TODAY • By the end of this presentation, you should be more familiar with and better able to identify: • • What is a learning disorder. The different areas a student could meet eligibility in the state of Wyoming. How eligibility is determined. Warning signs of learning disorders. Specific symptoms of different learning disorders. How to drill down and better identify the specific skill deficits. Intervention and accommodation ideas for each area.

A LEARNING DISORDER IS… The Mayo Clinic defines a learning disorder/disability as: • A learning disorder is an information-processing problem that prevents a person from learning a skill and using it effectively. Wyoming Department of Education defines a learning disability as: • A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including, conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia.

CATEGORIES OF LEARNING DISABILITIES • (1. ) Oral expression; • (2. ) Listening comprehension; • (3. ) Written expression; • (4. ) Basic reading skill; • (5. ) Reading fluency skills; • (6. ) Reading comprehension; • (7. ) Mathematics calculation; • (8. ) Mathematics problem solving

ELIGIBILITY In Wyoming, one of two processes must be used to determine eligibility: • The Wyoming Severe Discrepancy Formula: The group may determine that the child demonstrates a severe discrepancy between current achievement level and expected achievement level of at least 22 points (or 1. 5 Standard Deviations) upon an initial evaluation, utilizing Appendix A of these rules. Expected achievement is based on the correlation between tests of the child's composite intellectual standard score compared to the child's composite achievement score in one (1) or more core achievement areas. • Or a response to intervention process: The group may determine that the child does not make sufficient progress to meet age or Wyoming grade-level standards in one or more of the areas in paragraph (D)(I)) of this section when using a process based on the child's response to scientific, researchbased intervention.

ELIGIBILITY CONT’D • Also, teams must provide data (pre-referral data) that demonstrates that prior to, or as a part of, the referral process, the child was provided appropriate instruction in regular education settings, delivered by qualified personnel; and data based documentation of repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals, reflecting formal assessment of student progress during instruction, which was provided to the child's parents. • And the team must determine that underachievement of a child suspected of having a Specific Learning Disability is not primarily the result of: • • • A visual, hearing, or motor disability; Cognitive disability; Emotional disability; Cultural factors; Environmental or economic disadvantage; or Limited English proficiency.

WARNING SIGNS OF A LEARNING DISABILITY Early warning signs: Preschool • Late talking, compared to other children • Pronunciation problems • Slow vocabulary growth, often unable to find the right word • Difficulty rhyming words • Trouble learning numbers, the alphabet, days of the week • Extremely restless and easily distracted • Trouble interacting with peers • Poor ability to follow directions or routines Early warning signs: Kindergarten through fourth grade • Slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds • Confuses basic words (run, eat, want) • Makes consistent reading and spelling errors including letter reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w), transpositions (felt/left), and substitutions (house/home) • Transposes number sequences and confuses arithmetic signs (+, -, x, /, =) • Slow recall of facts • Slow to learn new skills, relies heavily on memorization • Impulsiveness, lack of planning • Unstable pencil grip • Trouble learning about time • Poor coordination, unaware of physical surroundings, prone to accidents

AREAS WE WILL NOT COVER • (1. ) Oral expression; • (2. ) Listening comprehension; • Typically assessed by speech/language pathologists and treated as language disorders. • WJ-IV and KTEA-III do not assess these areas nearly as well as a speech pathologist can.

READING IN THE BRAIN COPYRIGHT © 2007 GEORGE MCCLOSKEY, PH. D.

DIAGNOSIS OF READING DISABILITIES COPYRIGHT © 2007 GEORGE MCCLOSKEY, PH. D.

5 BIG AREAS OF READING • Phonemic Awareness. • Alphabetic Principle. • Fluency with Text. • Vocabulary. • Comprehension READING DEVELOPMENT 1. The emerging pre-reader (typically between 6 months to 6 years old); 2. The novice reader (typically between 6 to 7 years old); 3. The decoding reader (typically between 7 - 9 years old); 4. The fluent, comprehending reader (typically between 9 - 15 years old); and 5. The expert reader (typically from 16 years and older).

BREAKING DOWN READING DIFFICULTIES Improvemen t Issue is likely in another area.

INTERVENTI ONS FOR SOUND/ SYMBOL ASSOCIATIO N AND PHONETIC CODING

INTERVENTI ONS FOR WORD RECOGNITIO N AND AUTOMATICI TY

INTERVENTI ONS FOR READING FLUENCY

INTERVENTION S FOR READING COMPREHENSI ON

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR READING DISABILITIES Presentation: • Provide on audio tape • Provide in large print • Reduce number of items per page or line • Provide a designated reader • Present instructions orally Response: • Allow for verbal responses • Allow for answers to be dictated to a scribe • Allow the use of a tape recorder to capture responses • Permit responses to be given via computer • Permit answers to be recorded directly into test booklet Timing: Setting: • Provide preferential seating • Provide special lighting or acoustics • Provide a space with minimal distractions • Administer a test in small group setting • Administer a test in private room or alternative test site Test Scheduling: • Administer a test in several timed sessions or over several days • Allow subtests to be taken in a different order • Administer a test at a specific time of day Other: • Provide special test preparation • Provide on-task/focusing prompts • Provide any reasonable accommodation that a student needs that does not fit under the existing categories

MATH PROBLEM-SOLVING IN THE BRAIN COPYRIGHT © 2007 GEORGE MCCLOSKEY, PH. D.

MATH CALCULATION IN THE BRAIN COPYRIGHT © 2007 GEORGE MCCLOSKEY, PH. D.

ASSESSING MATH DISABILITIES COPYRIGHT © 2007 GEORGE MCCLOSKEY, PH. D.

BREAKING DOWN MATH DIFFICULTI ES Developmental Stages of Math Learning • Number Sense – Understanding Quantity. • Representation – Using Symbols and Words to Represent Numbers. • Shapes and Spatial Relationships (Geometry) • Measurement – Comparing and Communicating about size. • Patterns – Recognizing and Making Patterns. • Problem Solving.

MATH INTERVENTIONS

ACCOMMODATIO NS FOR MATH DISABILITIES Introducing New Concepts/Lessons • Review what the student already learned before teaching new skills. • Teach students to “self-talk” through solving problems. • Let the student write out charts or draw sketches to solve problems. • Use graph paper to help line up numbers and problems. • Give the student a list of the math formulas taught in the class. • Use manipulatives like coins, blocks, and puzzles to teach math ideas. • Use attention-getting phrases like, “This is important to know because…. ” • Use concrete examples that connect math to real life. • Check in frequently to make sure the student understands the work. • Use graphic organizers to organize information or help break down math problems into steps. Giving Instructions and Assignments • Create separate worksheets for word problems and number problems. • Highlight or circle key words and numbers on word problems. • Allow extra time on tests. • Give step-by-step instructions and have the student repeat them. • Provide charts of math facts or multiplication tables. • Use visual aids or manipulatives when solving problems. • Let the student use a calculator when computation isn’t what’s being assessed • Give a rubric that describes the elements of an assignment. • Use an extra piece of paper to cover up most of what’s on a math sheet or test to make it easier to focus on one problem at a time. • Give more space to write problems and solutions. • Break down worksheets into sections.

WRITING IN THE BRAIN COPYRIGHT © 2007 GEORGE MCCLOSKEY, PH. D.

ASSESSING WRITING DISABILITIES COPYRIGHT © 2007 GEORGE MCCLOSKEY, PH. D.

OTHER ISSUES THAT COULD IMPACT WRITING

WRITING DEVELOPME NT

Cognitive Instruction INTERVENTIO NS FOR WRITING (Zwicker & Hadwin, 2009) Cognitive approach includes letter identification, directional modeling, imitation, discussion, practice, and evaluation effective Skills targeted: Motor coordination, visual-motor integration, and directionality of handwriting Target age group: Grades 1 -2 • Student Alphabet Warm-Up for mapping sounds and letters • Teacher modeling of directionality and steps for producing letter parts (e. g. , Berninger approach) • Student traces letters following teacher model (imitation) • Teacher and student discussion of similarities/differences of letter formation • Student names letter, directional steps, and then writes; repeats without arrows, then copies • Student circles best formed letter (visual discrimination required) Cover-Copy-Compare (Skinner, Mc. Laughlin, & Logan, 1997) An intervention that increases spelling proficiency through training and repetition Skills targeted: accuracy, fluency, and maintenance of spelling Target age group: Grades 2+ • Student looks at a correctly spelled word • Correctly spelled word is covered • Student spells the word from memory • The correct spelling of the word is unveiled for the student to compare with their spelling • If the student spelled the word correctly, they move on to a new word; if the student is incorrect, they repeat the cover-copycompare method with the same word again

• ACCOMMODATIONS • FOR WRITING DISORDERS The rate of producing written • work The complexity of the writing task • Allow more time for written tasks including note-taking, copying, and tests • Allow students to begin projects or assignments early • The volume of the work to be produced • • Instead of having the student write a complete set of notes, provide a partially completed outline so the student can fill in the details under major headings. • Remove 'neatness' or 'spelling' (or both) as grading criteria for some assignments, or design • assignments to be evaluated on specific parts of the writing process. Break writing into stages and teach students to do the same. Teach the stages of the writing process (brainstorming, drafting, editing, and proofreading, etc. ). The tools used to produce the written product • Allow the student to use cursive or manuscript, whichever is most legible • Encourage primary students to use paper with the raised lines to keep writing on the line. The format of the product • Offer the student an alternative project such as an oral report or visual

SOURCES • Mc. Closkey, G. (2007). Use and Interpretation of the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement – Third Edition (KTEA-3) • Fitzer, K. & Hale, J. (2015). https: //www. ldatschool. ca/teaching-thebrain-to-read-strategies-for-enhancing-reading-decoding-fluency-andcomprehension/ • Hale, J. & Kubas, H. (2015). https: //www. ldatschool. ca/evidencebased-interventions-for-math/ • Carmichael, J. & Hale, J. (2015). https: //www. ldatschool. ca/developing -interventions-for-students-with-writing-disabilities-addressing-themost-complex-academic-problem/

FINAL THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS • If you have any additional questions, you can reach me at • davidbriggs@boces 5. org