Sometimes, learning challenges originate from a specific processing difficulty that results in unexpected academic underachievement in reading, writing or maths. This is a specific learning disorder, often referred to as dyslexia (reading and spelling difficulties), dysgraphia (written expression difficulties) or dyscalculia (maths difficulties). On many occasions, these challenges are present in the absence of any other concerns regarding social, emotional or behavioural development. Or, other neurodevelopmental differences have already been identified and are well
supported, and finding out about a possible learning disorder is the final piece to the puzzle. A targeted learning assessment through our Dyslexia Clinic is a thorough, timely and cost-effective way to explore whether one of these diagnoses is applicable for you or your child, and to provide personalised recommendations for intervention and accommodations at home, school or work.
However, sometimes there are alternative or additional reasons why learning is difficult. Brains are complex, and it is not uncommon for neurodivergent individuals to be diagnosed with more than one co-existing difference in sensing, processing and using information. Many people with a specific learning disorder also have another diagnosed neurodevelopmental difference, such as autism or ADHD.
In our experience at Raise the Bar Psychology, a very common example we see for people attending the clinic for a learning disorder assessment is difficulties self-regulating attention, emotions or behaviour. This can impact the way an individual approaches and processes academic tasks (and possibly other tasks of daily living as well).
It is important to understand the main issue that is underlying learning difficulties so that the correct skill-building interventions and accommodations (adjustments to the way a child is learning) can be put in place. As an example, if we have four children who have reading comprehension difficulties, the approaches taken to support each of these four children may overlap, but sometimes need to be very different, based on their entire learning profile.
- Student A may be identified with dyslexia due to slow and laborious reading and significant challenges decoding words accurately. This child may benefit from phonics intervention to strengthen their letter-sound knowledge, and accommodations, such as audio books or extra reading time.
- Student B may be identified with autism spectrum disorder. Their reading difficulties may stem from autistic differences, such as difficulty understanding things from another person’s point of view and ‘reading between the lines’ in text. This child may benefit from intervention to build their social communication skills with a speech pathologist or psychologist, and explicit support to build their inferential reading skills.
- Student C may be identified with ADHD. Their poor comprehension of text may be due to difficulties sustaining attention during tasks, becoming easily distracted, or struggling to persist with non-preferred tasks that they find effortful or boring. This child may benefit from accommodations, such as shortened reading tasks followed by immediate positive feedback, using noise-cancelling headphones to reduce external distractions, or reading along to an audiobook to increase interest.
- Student D may be identified with autism, ADHD and dyslexia, and need a combination of the intervention and accommodations suggested above.
It is often important that all of the underlying factors are identified. In order to most effectively support a learner’s needs, it is best to identify all areas of difference or difficulty.
If you are concerned about your child’s literacy or numeracy achievement development but also have concerns about any social, emotional or behavioural factors (especially if these concerns are present outside of academic situations and happen a lot), it may be useful to consider a comprehensive neurodevelopmental and learning assessment rather than a targeted assessment exploring only the presence of a specific learning disorder. In some cases where developmental differences are identified during the course of the assessment, our psychologists will discuss this with you and may recommend further assessment, providing a suggested plan of action as required.
If you are unsure about what might be most beneficial, Raise the Bar Psychology offers free 20-minute telephone consultations, which can be requested by calling or emailing our friendly administration team.
