…(A) disorder in one or more of the … processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, which may (result in )… an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations.
LANGUAGE
- Repeats what he is told before he acts (subvocalizes)
- Asks the same question over and over
- Tends to forget what he has been told
- Talks continuously
- Is unable to differentiate sounds
- Cannot distinguish direction of sound
- Requests directions time and time again
- Speaks extremely softly or very loud
- Has delayed immature speech
- Has poor articulation
- Is unable to read orally
- Stutters
- Mumbles
- Loses the endings of words
- Is unable to vocalize thoughts rapidly
- Circumlocutions in oral speech
COORDINATION AND MOTOR ACTIVITES
- Has difficulty in walking upstairs
- Cannot skip
- Holds pencil or pen in a weak or clumsy grasp
- Has difficulty in using scissors
- Has jerky movements
- Trips often
- Bumps into objects
- Cannot tie knots, zip zippers, or button buttons
- Demonstrates poor balance
- Touches other children excessively
- Startles easily
- Appears hyperactive or hypoactive
- Is clumsy in general
- Cannot catch a ball
- Has sloppy eating habits
- Cannot balance objects
- Cannot stay neat for any length of time
CONCEPTUAL ABILITY
- Does not comprehend what is said
- Does not follow simple directions
- Constantly asks for help
- Cannot apply former experiences to new situations
- Demonstrates uneven capabilities in different subjects
- Is two or more grades below in reading ability
- Difficulty shifting from one activity to another
- Cannot reason abstractly
- Difficulty classifying/categorizing objects
PERCEPTION
- Is unable to focus on one item
- Obvious constant copying errors (b-d), (i-e), (f-l), (g-p)
- Has poor judgment of distance
- Spacing of letters
- Cannot spell words he can read
- Has spatial orientation problems
- Has difficulty in reading from the blackboard
- Has difficulty in visual scanning
- Has faulty body image
- Confuses left and right
SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS
- Has poor concept of time
- Cannot tolerate changes in routine
- Has temper tantrums
- Has difficulty with peer relationships
- Is gullible
- Maintains a blank expression
- Overreacts
- Is withdrawn
- Is anxious
- Appears hostile
ATTENTIONAL ASPECTS
- Drums fingers on the table constantly
- Is forgetful
- Has lack of emotional control
- Has nervous habits
- Appears disorganized in activities
- Is distractible
- Is impulsive / unable to control behavior
- Daydreams / tunes out
- Is unable to concentrate on activity
- Perseverates
