Language Based Learning Disabilities CHECKLIST
Language-based learning disabilities interfere with age-appropriate reading, spelling and/or writing. This disorder does not impair intelligence. It is caused by a difference in brain structure that is present at birth, is often hereditary and often related to specific language problems. The term dyslexia has been used to refer to the specific learning problem of reading. Children with dyslexia, which actually means ‘dysfunction of the lexicon, or language’, often demonstrate the presence of spoken language problems as well as written language problems. Thus the term language-based learning disability is used.
Common Characteristics:
- Family history of delayed speech-language development or literacy problems
- Difficulty processing sounds in words
- Difficulty finding the words needed to express basic thoughts/ ideas and more complex explanations
- Difficulty with the comprehension of spoken and/or written language, including, for older children, classroom handouts and textbooks
- Delayed vocabulary development
- Problems with the understanding and use of grammar in sentences
- Difficulty remembering numbers and letters in sequence, questions and directions (phone numbers and addresses)
- Difficulty with organization and planning, including, or older students, the drafting of school papers and longer term-school projects
Other language problems:
- Expressing ideas coherently; utterances can be vague and difficult to understand (using unspecific vocabulary such as “stuff” and “thing” to replace words that cannot be remembered
- Learning new vocabulary that the child hears auditorally, without a visual reference
- Understanding questions and following directions that are heard and/or read
- Understanding and retaining the details of a story’s plot or a classroom lecture
- Slow reading and reduced comprehension of the material
- Poor spelling and mixing up letter order in words
Other Possible Problem Areas:
- Inattention and distractibility: irrelevant thoughts, visual stimulation gets in the way of paying attention.
- Organizational skills: these children lose track of possessions and have trouble completing tasks efficiently and thoroughly. Planning and organizing for writing letters, essays or papers is also affected, resulting in a lack of focus or an unorganized sequence of thoughts.
- Motor coordination: Some children may appear clumsy on the playground, or fall easily.
Disclaimer
These checklists are not intended to substitute for a professional opinion. If you have concerns, please have your child seen by an appropriate specialist.