Specific Learning Disorder (SLD)
A Specific Learning Disorder could surface during a child’s school-going years and is characterised by difficulties in learning and using specific academic skills, such as reading, written expression and Mathematics.
The child with affected academic skills substantially and quantifiably falls behind their peers. The affected skills are not better accounted for by intellectual disabilities, uncorrected visual or auditory acuity, other mental or neurological disorders, psychosocial adversity, lack of proficiency in the language of academic instruction, or inadequate educational instruction. These difficulties persist longer than 6 months, despite the intervention that target the specific issues.
Possible indicators of SLD include:
Reading
- Inaccurate or slow reading with great effort
- Slow reading rate or fluency
- Difficulty understanding the meaning of what is read
- Difficulty recognising familiar/high-frequency words
Written Expression
- Difficulty spelling accurately
- Difficulty with grammar and punctuation accuracy
- Poor standard of written work as compared to oral ability
- Poor clarity or organisation of written work
Mathematics
- Difficulty mastering number sense
- Difficulty memorising number facts
- Inaccurate or slow calculations
- Difficulty with mathematical reasoning (i.e. struggling with word problems despite adequate ability to solve arithmetic operations)
