Webinar Series: Identification and Diagnosis of Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Webinar Series
Identification and
Diagnosis of
Specific Learning
Disorders (SLD)
Tobby Philip Jacob
Senior Psychologist
M.Phil. Learning Disabilities (Psychology),
M.A Applied Psychology (Clinical)
All carers of children with
special needs, you are the
center of our universe.
Every child wants to thrive. Our

mission is to make things easier
for you.
Technology could help a lot,
but without the carers,
technology is insufficient.
No one should have to
do this alone.
We bring a community
and other resources
to enable the best
chance of the child’s
true potential.
Program for Parents & Professionals
WEBINARS WORKSHOPS
Foundational Interactive
Knowledge Building Learning
Introduction to Specific
Learning Disorders
SLD Identification &
Diagnosis of Specific
Webinar Learning Disorders
Series Planning Instruction for Children
with Specific Learning Disorders
Support Systems for Children
with Specific Learning Disorders
Understanding Dyslexia: Reading

& Comprehension difficulties
Understanding Dysgraphia:
Writing Difficulties
Understanding Dyscalculia:
Difficulties in Mathematics
M.Phil. Learning Disabilities
(Psychology)
More than 6 years of experience
in Clinical Psychology
Senior Psychologist & Program
Coordinator for Professional
Certification Courses at The
Sashaktikaran Trust, Cochin
Specialised in assessment of
children with special needs, Tobby Philip Jacob
Senior Psychologist
remedial intervention, and
behaviour therapy
Recap from
Last Webinar
Specific Learning Disorder or SLD is a neurodevelopmental disorder.
Intellectual functioning or IQ more than 70, i.e., near average, average,

and above-average intellectual functioning.
Difficulties in Academic Learning.
Deficits in Skills and Behaviours that contribute to academic learning.
Types: Dyslexia (Reading), Dysgraphia (Writing), Dyscalculia (Mathematics)

and Non-verbal LD
Early identification and
screening
Informal assessment for

planning of intervention
Diagnosis
Our Focus
Tools
Today
Specific Simply
S Learning
Learning
L
Disorder D Difficulties
WHY?
Process of
Identification WHAT?
and
WHEN?
Diagnosis
HOW?
WHY? - Why Assess?
1 2 3 4 5
To identify To provide To prevent To better To pave

difficulties effective secondary social and way for
as early as remedial behaviour emotional holistic
possible programs and other well-being inclusion
related
issues
Informal
Early Assessment
Identification for
WHY? Intervention
The Purpose
of Assessment
Formal Disability
Diagnosis Certification
WHAT? - To Note
What are the things that you
need to keep in mind for the
identification of learning
difficulties?
Markers of SLD
WHAT? - Markers of SLD
Early identification markers

Indicators/risk factors for SLD differ based on grade levels
Indicators at Pre-School Indicators for Grades

Level K1 - 4
Indicators for Grades Indicators for High

K5 - 8 School & Adults
Indicators at Pre-School Level
Delay in speech development Difficulty learning numbers, Restless, easily distracted
& pronunciation alphabets, days of the and/or shifts from tasks
week, colours & shapes especially with regard to
academic activities
May have difficulty in Difficulty following Delay in fine motor skills

interacting with peers directions & routines development
Indicators for Grades K1 - 4
Difficulty in letter-sound Difficulty in reading, even Makes consistent reading
association with common words and spelling errors
Number / letter reversals Confusion in arithmetic Poor pencil grip, faces

signs (+, -, x, /, =) handwriting difficulties
Difficulty in learning about Poor motor coordination,

time prone to tripping over,
dropping things. etc.
Indicators for Grades K5 - 8
Effortful reading with lots of Weak spelling skills - may Notes often incomplete,
errors, avoids reading aloud spell the same word slow to finish writing tasks
differently in a single piece
of writing
Avoids writing assignments Poor math skills - Poor memory with regard to
calculation and reasoning academic concepts
Difficulty making friends Difficulty in understanding

gestures, body languages
and facial expressions
Indicators for High School & Adults
Weak spelling skills, avoids Difficulty in summarizing a Weak in study and exam-
reading and writing tasks story and/or relating an taking skills
experience
Poor grasp of abstract Pays too little attention or Misreads information,

concepts focuses too much to details cannot comprehend well
and misses the big picture
Poor functional math skills -

handling money, time, etc.
WHEN? - To Act
As early as possible
When academic learning

difficulties and related
behaviours are noticed
SCREENING INFORMAL
To identify learning issues ASSESSMENT
HOW? For intervention planning
Options
Available FORMAL CERTIFICATION
ASSESSMENT For availing
For the purpose of accommodations and
diagnosis modifications from
respective academic
boards
SCREENING TOOLS
BCSLD (India), DST-J, and DST-S (UK; currently
available with Indian norms), etc.
INFORMAL ASSESSMENTS
Teacher-made tests, curriculum-based tests,
grade-level assessments TOOLS
FORMAL ASSESSMENTS
Options
1. Case History
Available
2. IQ Assessment: BKT, WISC, WAPIS, MISIC,
etc. – Done by psychologists
3. Educational Assessment: GLAD, NIMHANS
Index, DTLD, DTRD, CTOPP, Schonnel’s
Reading and Spelling test, etc. – Done by
special educators / rehabilitation practitioners
with expertise in the area of SLD
Certification
Done for availing provisions for board
examinations
Every board has its own guidelines and

provisions
In India,
1. Ruling out of neurological issues including vision
and hearing
2. IQ assessment through MISIC / WISC should be
done (IQ >85)
3. NIMHANS Index for SLD
Thank You
Eblity Team.

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Webinar Series

Every child wants to thrive. Our

Understanding Dyslexia: Reading

Specific Learning Disorder or SLD is a neurodevelopmental disorder.

Intellectual functioning or IQ more than 70, i.e., near average, average,

Difficulties in Academic Learning.

Deficits in Skills and Behaviours that contribute to academic learning.

Types: Dyslexia (Reading), Dysgraphia (Writing), Dyscalculia (Mathematics)

Informal assessment for

To identify To provide To prevent To better To pave

Early identification markers

Indicators at Pre-School Indicators for Grades

Indicators for Grades Indicators for High

May have difficulty in Difficulty following Delay in fine motor skills

Number / letter reversals Confusion in arithmetic Poor pencil grip, faces

Difficulty in learning about Poor motor coordination,

Difficulty making friends Difficulty in understanding

Poor grasp of abstract Pays too little attention or Misreads information,

Poor functional math skills -

When academic learning

Every board has its own guidelines and

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