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About Learning Disorders
Reading disorders (dyslexia): Young children may be having significant difficulty with phonics and learning to read. Older children may read slowly, inaccurately, and with great effort. They may also struggle to comprehend what they are reading.
Math disorders (dyscalculia): Students may struggle to solve word problems because of difficulties learning the vocabulary of math or translating the language used in the word problem into an appropriate number sentence. They may have difficulty making mathematical calculations or automatically recalling basic math facts they memorized when younger (e.g., multiplication tables).
Writing disorders (dysgraphia): Students may struggle with handwriting. For example, they may write at a substantially slower rate than their peers or have very sloppy handwriting that is almost illegible. Students may struggle to put their ideas into written format or have poor essay composition skills.
Reasons to Evaluate
​Testing provides parents with a detailed picture of their child’s academic strengths and weaknesses. Testing helps parents and teachers go beyond observations like “My child is bad at math” or “My child is a struggling reader” and learn where specific deficits exist in order to identify the most appropriate intervention strategies. Some parents request an evaluation to identify if a different school setting might better suit their child or if additional supports are needed at the current school. Sometimes parents also want to know if their child is struggling with things like anxiety or self-esteem in addition to a learning disorder.
The Testing Process
Testing begins with a diagnostic interview conducted with parents. The interview involves an in-depth review of your child’s history. Several testing appointments with your child follow, during which your child will be asked to complete a wide variety of activities. For example, your child might be asked to solve math problems, isolate sounds within words, read out loud, write sentences quickly, or compose a brief essay. Parents and two teachers will be given detailed rating scales that assess how your child functions compared to other same-aged peers. All results are reviewed with parents in a final feedback meeting. A written report that describes all findings and provides recommendations for home and school supports is provided.
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In a learning disorder evaluation, the following are assessed:
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Reading: Phonics skills, spelling, reading rate and accuracy, and reading comprehension
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Math: Calculation skills, quick recall of math facts, problem-solving abilities, visual-spatial reasoning, and other constructs relevant to math performance
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Writing: Fine motor skills, writing speed, use of correct grammar and syntax, essay composition
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Language skills, vocabulary, and the ability to focus on and comprehend oral information
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Reasoning abilities
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Efficiency of information processing and the ability to memorize and retain information in different forms
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Attention and executive functioning
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Social functioning, emotional challenges (e.g., anxiety, problems with self-esteem) and behavior challenges
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The fee for an evaluation is $2250. Learning disorder evaluations are typically not covered by insurance.