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>Checklist of Learning Disability Symptoms > >Test scores alone cannot identify a learning disability. Numerical >scores from standardized tests show only the shadow of underlying >patterns that block academic learning. Learning disability is seen as >cluster of behavior patterns that cause the student to struggle with >classroom work. To identify learning disability fully, we must study >how the student approaches academic tasks. Test scores can help >pinpoint learning disability in some students, but scores from >standardized tests by themselves show only 3 percent or less of most >learning disability syndromes. The following clusters of problems are >seen in most learning disabled students who struggle with academic >performance. > >Poor Vision for Near Work > >¨ Eyes quickly become tired soon after starting to read, copy, do >handwriting, or work with a computer screen >¨ Eyes begin to hurt or ache back behind, above or below, at the inside >corners, at the outside corners >¨ Eyes being to water profusely and feel a burning sensation after a few > >minutes of prolonged close work >¨ Headache starts across the forehead, over the temples, or at the back >of the head after a certain length of time doing close work >¨ Print beings to “pulse” in and out of focus at a certain point in >reading, copying, or handwriting >¨ Double image begins in an off-and-on cycle after working with small >details for a certain length of time >¨ Student complains of headache, eye strain, or “not feeling well” in >prolonged reading or writing tasks >¨ Student shakes head frequently, leans back, squints to relieve blurred > >vision > >Symbol Reversal > >¨ Writes letters or numbers backwards >¨ Reads or interprets letters, numbers or words in reversed order >¨ Exhibits mirror image (reading from right to left) >¨ Turns letter or numbers upside down >¨ Reads whole words backwards > >Loss of Sequence > >¨ Cannot recall information in a given sequence (alphabet, days, months, > >math facts) >¨ Loses the sequence after starting to remember it correctly >¨ Cannot tell events in the right order >¨ Cannot work math problems in the right direction >¨ Cannot remember the right time frame when things occurred >¨ Cannot remember several tasks to do in a certain order >¨ Cannot follow directions that involve turning corners or changing >geographical direction > >Poor Oral Telling > >¨ Cannot tell events in the right order; scrambles the sequence in >telling >¨ Stumbles over words, names, important parts of the message >¨ Loses words as they story is being told >¨ Leaves out important elements which changes the meaning as the story >is told >¨ Tongue becomes twisted while saying words, names, phrases >Poor Listening > >¨ Cannot keep track of incoming oral information: misses the point, >misunderstands, gets lost in listening >¨ Misconstrues the oral message; later remembers it another way >¨ Continually responds by saying: “What?” or “Huh?” or “What do you >mean?” immediately after the speaker has finished >¨ Cannot take adequate notes in listening situations >¨ Later says “You didn’t tell me that” or I didn’t hear you say that” > >Poor Writing > >¨ Penmanship is messy and poorly organized >¨ Writing cuts down through the line or drifts up about the line in an >uneven pattern >¨ Student mixes capital and small letters in writing >¨ Student mixes cursive and block printing >¨ Quality of writing deteriorates, becomes poorer the longer the student > >writes >¨ Size of writing inappropriately large for the given space >¨ Columns zigzag away from left margin, often float in a curve toward >lower right hand corner of the page >¨ Writing hand becomes cramped; student stops writing to shake out the >cramps >¨ Student continually loses the place copying from the board or from a >book >¨ Student lays head won on left hand with nose close to pencil while >writing >¨ Student turns writing paper at 90 degree angel or turns head at an >angle with writing > >Poor Phonics > >¨ Cannot make correct letter/sound connections from memory >¨ Word sounding is labored, slow, difficult >¨ Many pauses with whisper rehearsing before attempting to sound out a >word >¨ Student frequently says “Wait!” or “Hold it!” whole sounds out words >¨ Student cannot blend sounds together in the right sequence when words >have more than tow or three syllables >¨ The sequence of sounds becomes scrambled or reversed while saying the >word > >Poor Spelling > >¨ Spelling is phonetic instead of regular. Words are spelled the way >they are said instead of how they should be spelled (Twosday, Winsday, >Thersday) >¨ Spelling patters are partly reversed (brid or bird, gril or girl, >Apirl or April) >¨ Words are misspelled while copying or rewriting papers >¨ Students cannot retain spieling patters after they are memorized > >Short Attention Span > >¨ Attention drifts or darts off on rabbit trails instead of staying on >the task >¨ Students changes the subject midway through without finishing what was > >started >¨ A question is asked, then the speaker is interrupted by another >question before the first on has been answered >¨ Body of listener restless and disruptive during listening situations > >Poor Reading Comprehension > >¨ The meaning of the printed passage does not register even though >student says all the words correctly >¨ Reader habitually skips or omits key words or phrases, which changes >the meaning of the passage >¨ Rate of reading is very slow, only a few words decoded per minute >¨ Reader wants to whisper while reading >¨ Reader wants to trace the line with finger while reading >¨ Reader needs to go back and read again two or three times before the >full meaning registers >¨ Reader cannot connect what was read to the test questions over the >passage > > > >-- >JanMarie Swadling >Assistant Director, Center for Academic Success >Roosevelt Hall- Room 100, Chapman University >1 University Drive >Orange, California >714.997.6828 fax 714.744.7699 >http://www.chapman.edu/arc > >"Tell me - and I may forget. >Show me - and I may remember. >Involve me - and I will learn." > >------------------------------------------------- >The information transmitted is intended only for the >person or entity to which it is addressed and may >contain confidential and/or privileged material. >Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other >use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, >this information by persons or entities other than >the intended recipient is prohibited. If you >received this in error, please contact the sender >and delete the material from any computer. Guillermo Uribe PhD. Manager, Learning Technology and Systems University College University of Arizona P.O. Box 210021 Tucson AZ 85721-0021 520.621.5983