Learning Disability Assessment

The term ‘Learning Disability’ is used to describe a specific population of children and adolescents who face problems in learning. These problems are generally in the areas of spoken language (English, Hindi, Marathi etc), reading, written expression, cursive or manuscript writing, spellings and math. These disorders are primarily due to central nervous system dysfunction or when the brain functions differently.

Owing to these different brain functions, there are certain deviations observed in psychological development as well as in the behavior of these children. Few of them are:

Behaviour

  • Low Self Esteem
  • Aloofness
  • Problematic social relations
  • Aggression

Function impairment

  • Poor organizational skills
  • Poor Motor Co-ordination
  • Low Logic and Reasoning
  • Poor short Term Memory
  • Poor visual Memory
  • Poor Auditory and visual Perception

Academic difficulties

  • Difficulty in Word Recognition
  • Slow pace of reading
  • Unable to understand the meaning of the text (Comprehension Difficulties)
  • Inability to copy and write words
  • Difficulty in written expression
  • May perform well orally but not when asked to write
  • Difficulty in Maths

NOTE:

  • LD is present in 10 % of school going children
  • Average to above Average intelligence
  • All underachieving students do not have a learning disability
  • All children may not have the above mentioned symptoms. It varies from child to child
  • LD is NOT mental retardation, visual and hearing impairment or an emotional/behavioral disorder

How is Learning Disability addressed at iThrive?

  • Formal as well as informal assessment is provided in order to make a proper diagnosis of the academic difficulties faced by the children
  • On the basis of this assessment report, an Individualized Education Plan is charted.
  • The need and importance of remedial Education is explained to the parents.
  • Remedial Education assists the child to learn and understand the curriculum according to his pace and style of learning.
  • Special one-on-one attention is also provided.

Differently Abled Children (Slow Learners):

A slow learner is a child with below average intelligence and lesser developed thinking skills than the children of his/her age. The child is able to attain all the developmental milestones similar to a child with Average intelligence, however, comparatively at a slower pace.

Characteristics of Differently Abled Children (Slow learners)

  • Lower IQ
  • Multitasking is a challenge
  • Usually below grade/class level
  • Ability to survive in the environment and
  • Can complete formal education through efforts

Addressing the challenge of slow learning

At iThrive, we

  • Assess the child’s IQ to analyse his mental capability.
  • Provide tips to parents on how to support their child at home
  • Provide the required Intervention, Remediation and counselling to the child to reduce the stress and meet the academic challenges.
  • Career Guidance and Aptitude Test for children who are near the completion of grade 9 or 10