How to Test Children for Learning Disabilities
A learning disability makes it difficult for someone to comprehend certain subjects. Learning disabilities affect the brain's ability to understand and process certain information. School-aged children who have been determined to have a learning disability usually receive special attention and resources from their teachers, but evaluations must be done to make a diagnosis.
What you will need:
- An intellectual assessment test
- An achievement assessment test
- Scoring software for both types of assessments
- Assess the student's intelligence by administering a special assessment, such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scales. These tests help determine the child's intelligence quota.
- Evaluate the child's academic aptitude by giving her an achievement assessment like the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test--Third Edition. The assessment is designed to evaluate the student's ability in math, reading, listening skills and written language.
- Assess any discrepancies between the student's academic achievement and ability. To qualify for most learning disabilities, a child needs to show a major difference between her IQ and her overall performance. Refer to the assessment test's scoring software, which should help you determine any discrepancies.
- Go over the results with a school psychologist, special education teacher and the child's parents or guardians. Confirm the presence of a learning disability, and then determine whether the student would benefit from a special needs program. Depending on the type and severity of the disability, suitable attention could range from extra school lessons to enrolling the child in a new school that is better equipped to handle her.