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 Identifying and Helping a Struggling Student  

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 Identifying and Helping a Struggling Student  

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Patricia Haynes

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Observe Student's Behaviors and Learning

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Observe Student's Behaviors and Learning

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By observing a student's behaviors and work performance, I will be able to determine whether the student might be struggling.
Some signs of a struggling student are:
-Displays behavioral changes like irritability, defiance, agitation, apathy, evasiveness, and avoidance
-Takes longer than others to complete activities or does not complete activities
-Scores low on quizzes or tests
-Feels overwhelmed and/or demotivated
-Makes careless mistakes or errors
-Does not seem organized
-Engages in negative self-talk and self-deprecating remarks

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Once the need for a more thorough assessment is determined, the Multidisciplinary Team (MT) meets to decide the best assessment tools to use and who will administer each component of the assessment.
The MT consists of:
-Teachers
-Administrators
-School Psychologist
-Learning Specialist
-Occupational Therapist
-Speech and Language Pathologist

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Not all children learn at the same speed or through the same ways, but persistent challenges with reading, writing, and mathematics may warrant testing for a learning disability.

Learning disabilities are brain-based disorders that impact how efficiently learning takes place. In children, learning disabilities may present in common areas of academics, but they can also emerge as attention issues, diminished social skills, and altered motor function.

Living with a learning disability doesn't indicate low intelligence. In fact, most people living with learning disabilities have average or above-average intelligence.

Up to of American children under the age of 18 may live with a form of learning disability.

The diagnosis of a learning disability involves testing across multiple areas of function.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a learning disability can't be diagnosed based on any singular test result.

"Most commonly, evaluating/testing includes overall cognitive testing, achievement testing in reading and math, evaluation of processing speed and attention, and language-specific testing ... in addition to measures of spelling and writing development," explains Rebecca Rolland, a speech pathologist and oral and written language specialist from Boston.

Intelligence testing

Intelligence testing, also known as intelligence quotient (IQ) testing, is intended to evaluate cognitive strengths, weaknesses, and problem-solving skills. In some situations, cognitive tests may be chosen that assess function but don't provide an overall IQ score.

Common intelligence tests include:

Wechsler Intelligence Scale

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale

Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children

Differential Ability Scales

Cognitive Assessment System

Achievement testing

Achievement tests look at how well your child has retained and applied information after a period of learning.

Achievement tests that might be administered can include:

Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement

Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test

Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults

Visual-motor function testing

Visual-motor function tests are a part of determining how well your child can incorporate motors skills with visual skills. These tests involve abilities related to handwriting and drawing and are also an important component of assessing nonverbal learning disabilities.

One of the most visual-motor tests is the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration.

Language testing

Language tests can help gauge how well your child understands what they've read, as well as their ability to form sentences and put words together.

Language tests may include:

Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals

Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation

Expressive Picture Vocabulary Test

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test

Preschool Language Scale

In 2017, " The State of Learning Disabilities," a report by the National Center for Learning Disabilities, indicated the most common specific learning disorders and their prevalence among children were:

dyslexia (5 to 17%)

dysgraphia (7 to 15%)

dyscalculia (5 to 7%)

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a learning disability that has to do with spelling, word recognition, and accurate word and sound structures.

Signs of dyslexia may include:

slow reading

incorrect pronunciation

use of the wrong words

inability to distinguish letters, sounds, or both

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia involves an impaired ability to form symbols when writing. Both written letters and numbers may be affected, and commons signs :

uncomfortable positioning or gripping when writing

inversed letters or numbers

illegible handwriting

poorly shaped symbols

challenges with written thought organization

Dyscalculia

When a learning disability seems related to math calculations, it may be dyscalculia, a deficit in the ability to quantify and process numerical operations.

Signs of dyscalculia may include challenges related to:

counting

memorizing number sequences

putting numbers to symbols

comparing quantities or large to small

Common signs a child may need testing for a learning disability can include challenges in:

telling left from right

reversing words, letters, or numbers

coordination

telling time/understanding time

writing

remembering/understanding instructions

organization

math

reading

speaking

memorizing

spelling

sequences

Learning disabilities can be dismissed as underperformance because of other reasons such as inadequate studying or lack of motivation.

"If a child continues to struggle learning new material after all other obstacles were considered and addressed -such as environmental stressors, testing vision and hearing, providing academic support in the classroom - the child should be referred for testing for learning disabilities," states Dr. Nafisa Sekandari, a licensed clinical psychologist and author from Avondale, Arizona.

In addition to immediately connecting with educators and school officials, the next steps Rolland recommends are:

educating yourself on the diagnosis

engaging with support networks for both you and your child

regularly communicating with your child's teachers

encouraging open communication with your child about the diagnosis

Other considerations

There are several other ways you may help your child find success after a learning disability diagnosis.

Inspiring your child with examples

Sekandari reminds parents that children living with learning disabilities are fully capable of being highly successful in life.

"Identifying highly successful individuals such as Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Cruise, Albert Einstein, and Charles Schwab who have a history of learning disabilities but continued to be highly successful can help your child feel inspired instead of defeated," she suggests.

Getting learning disability-specific guidance as soon as possible

Dr. Amy Serin, a neuropsychologist and founder of Serin Center from Peoria, Arizona, urges parents to get intensive, focused treatments for their children as soon as possible.

"Traditional tutoring typically does not work," she says. "Reading more or doing more math problems will not typically change the way the brain processes information. This method usually becomes a cycle of intense work and catch-up rather than fixing the root of the problem."

Non-school alternative treatments

Serin says the best outcomes she's seen often occur when parents utilize treatments outside of school because schools often don't possess the necessary resources or training to support children with learning disabilities.

"Some parents have pulled their children from school to home-school them for a year while they get interventions," she says. "Others have tried the summer programs where available. These are the best outcomes I have seen in remediating the problem."

Learning disabilities are brain-related disorders that impact how information is processed.

They're not universal indicators of low intelligence, and many people living with learning disorders go on to lead successful lives.

Educating yourself about your child's diagnosis, engaging with targeted treatments as soon as possible, and regularly communicating with teachers may help your child adjust to a learning disability as quickly as possible.

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Testing for Learning Disabilities: Diagnosis and Treatment

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If you suspect your child has a learning disability, getting them tested is the first step.

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Multidisciplinary Team and Family Meeting

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Multidisciplinary Team and Family Meeting

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Once the results of the assessments are gathered and a final report is generated, the pertinent members of the Multidisciplinary Team meet with the student's family to communicate the findings, to make recommendations, and/or to propose a plan of action that may include differentiated instruction and RTI.

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Think out loud: Encourage students to vocalize about what they are doing to solve the problem, and when they do, share why you think their approach is the right one. When people talk out loud, they often listen as if they were hearing another person, and the source of a mistake or problem may jump out.

Break it down: Teach students how to take a large and complex task or problem and break it into smaller steps.

Write down what they know: Have students write down what they know or what they can do in order to identify what they don’t know. When they have identified the gaps in their knowledge or skills, encourage them to seek help to fill in those gaps.

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Clarify the task: Have students carefully reread the directions or ask for more information on the assignment to be sure they understand what they are being asked to do.

Ask for help early: Students shouldn’t wait until they are lost and discouraged to seek help. Ask them to be as specific as they can about what they need help with

Check their steps: Review the process they used to try to complete the assignment, checking to be sure nothing was wrong or forgotten.

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Try another method: If they know more than one way to complete the task or assignment, encourage them to try a different method. Even if the new method isn’t successful, a new approach may help them better understand the task or the assignment.

Make a plan: For tasks and assignments that will take a significant amount of time to complete, have students develop a plan to identify the steps they need to take to complete the task—and clarify when they will take those steps.

Reteach lessons as many times as it is necessary

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I will re-assess the student to gauge their learning gains.

Ipsative assessments compare student performance to their previous performance on the same topic. In ipsative assessment, students are often given a test on a previous learning segment and then reevaluated. The data gathered from the second assessment determines how well the student has maintained this knowledge over time and whether they have made improvements.

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If the student still displays deficit in their learning despite the interventions, it is time to make a referral for a formal evaluation for Special Education eligibility and services

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When is a child's eligibility for special education and related services determined?

In most states the eligibility of a child for special education and related services is considered when a child has arrived at the Tier 3 level of RTI (Response to Intervention). When a child has been in Tier 2 for a pre-determined amount of time and an evaluation is given, then a meeting is called to determine eligibility for special education services. Who makes the decision about whether a child is eligible for special education and related services?

The parent of the child and a team of qualified professionals must determine whether the child is a child with a disability and in need of special education and related services.

(The determination of whether a child suspected of having a specific learning disability is a child with a disability, must be made by the child's parents and a team of qualified professionals which must include the child's regular teacher; or a regular classroom teacher qualified to teach a child of his or her age if the child does not have a regular teacher; or, for a child of less than school age, an individual qualified by the SEA to teach a child of his or her age; and at least one person qualified to conduct individual diagnostic examinations of children, such as a school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, or remedial reading teacher.)

What must the team consider in determining eligibility?

In interpreting evaluation data for the purpose of determining if a child is a child with a disability and in need of special education, each public agency is to draw upon information from a variety of sources, including aptitude and achievement tests (but not restricted to these results), parent input, teacher recommendations, physical condition, social or cultural background, and adaptive behavior.

Are there additional procedures for evaluating children and determining the existence of a specific learning disability?

Yes. IDEA includes the following additional procedures when evaluating and determining the existence of a specific learning disability:

1. A team may determine that a child has a specific learning disability if:

The child does not achieve commensurate with his or her age and ability levels in one or more of the areas listed below, if provided with learning experiences appropriate for the child's age and ability levels; and

The child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in one or more of the following areas: Oral expression; listening comprehension; written expression; basic reading skill; reading comprehension; mathematics calculation; mathematics reasoning, and/or a presented portfolio, and/or teacher reports on daily work which shows academic performance is not in an acceptable range and the learning processing disability can be seen or it was stated.

2. The team may not identify a child as having a specific learning disability if the severe discrepancy between ability and achievement is primarily the result of:

A visual, hearing, or motor impairment;

intellectual disabilities;

Emotional disturbance; or

Environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage.

3. Observation:

At least one team member other than the child's regular teacher shall observe the child's academic performance in the regular classroom setting.

In the case of a child of less than school age or out of school, a team member shall observe the child in an environment appropriate for a child of that age.

4. Written report For a child suspected of having a specific learning disability, the documentation of the team's determination of eligibility must include a statement of:

Whether the child has a specific learning disability.

The basis for making the determination.

The relevant behavior noted during the observation of the child.

The relationship of that behavior to the child's academic functioning.

The educationally relevant medical findings, if any.

Whether there is a severe discrepancy between achievement and ability that is not correctable without special education and related services.

The determination of the team concerning the effects of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

Each team member shall certify in writing whether the report reflects his or her conclusion. If it does not reflect his or her conclusion, the team member must submit a separate statement presenting his or her conclusions.

What are the two components that must be present in order for a child to be eligible for special education and related services?

In order for a child to be declared eligible for special education and related services it must be determined that the child is a "child with a disability" and is in need of special education and related services.

How does the law define a "child with a disability?"

The term "a child with a disability" means:

A child evaluated according to IDEA as having intellectual disabilities, a hearing impairment including deafness, a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment including blindness, serious emotional disturbance (referred to in IDEA as emotional disturbance), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, another health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and

Who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

Is there a non-categorical designation of a child with a disability in addition to the above categories?

At the discretion of the State and Local Education Agencies, a "child with a disability," aged three through nine, may include a child who is experiencing developmental delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

What does IDEA require when determining eligibility for special education and related services based on "developmental delay?"

When determining eligibility for special education and related services based on "developmental delay" rather than a specific category, IDEA requires the following:

If the state decides to allow eligibility based on developmental delay, local districts will be able to choose whether or not they wish to follow suit. If the state does not adopt the developmental delay category, local districts may not use the category for establishing eligibility for special education and related services.

States may not require local districts to adopt and use the term "developmental delay" for any of its students.

States that adopt the developmental delay category may apply it to children aged three through nine or a subset of that age range, e.g. aged three through five

States and local districts who choose to use the developmental delay category may also use one or more of the specific categories.

States may adopt a common definition of developmental delay for its programs under IDEA, Parts B and C.

If a local district uses the developmental delay category, it must conform to the state's definition of developmental delay and the age range adopted by the state.

What are possible implications for students with learning disabilities when they are identified as having a developmental delay?

The use of a "developmental delay" category to determine whether a child is eligible for special education and related services could make it possible to identify some children early before they experience failure in school and fall behind their peers. Many children with learning disabilities show delays in one or more of the areas specified. There is, however, some concern that children with learning disabilities will be included in the "developmental delay" category without identifying the specific processing disorder/s present and, thus the specific intervention strategies needed will not be provided. Parents should ensure that:

Assessment tools and strategies used gather relevant functional and developmental information.

Tests and other evaluation materials used include those tailored to assess specific areas of educational need.

Assessment tools and strategies provide relevant information that directly assists persons in determining the education needs of the child.

Since States and Local Education Agencies are not mandated to follow a certain course, but can make a choice regarding whether to use "developmental delay" for children aged three to nine, parents need to determine the eligibility criteria used by their State and Local Education Agencies. Contact special education administrators at the State Department of Education or the local school district for this information.

Are there other non-categorical designations?

Some states have expanded the non-categorical age past the "developmental delay" age span (3 through 9 years) to include students birth through twenty-one years of age. If states use a designation instead of categorical disabilities, certain guidelines must be followed. While the state determines the criteria for eligibility, the team must provide a comprehensive evaluation of the child that could determine a disability as defined by IDEA.

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Eligibility: Determining Whether a Child is Eligible for Special Education Services

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In most states the eligibility of a child for special education and related services is considered when a child has arrived at the Tier 3 level of RTI (Response to Intervention). When a child has been in Tier 2 for a pre-determined amount of time and an evaluation is given, then a meeting is called to determine eligibility for special education services.

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"Within sixty days of parental consent to an assessment

plan, the school must complete the evaluation and  hold an

Individualized Education Program (IEP). At the meeting,

the IEP team will discuss the assessment results and reach

an agreement about whether a student is eligible and,

if so, under what eligibility category." (https://allianceforchildrensrights.org/resources/special-education-eligibility-checklist)

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After the IEP is signed by all parties and put into place, I will continue to monitor the student's learning and make sure they are receiving the services they need. I will continue to be an ally and advocate for their academic best interest.

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RTI models generally include three levels of intervention. The first two occur in the general classroom, and the third, the most intense, occurs when a student has been identified as having disabilities and special education services are provided.

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At a glance

RTI aims to identify kids who are struggling in school.

It uses targeted teaching to help them catch up.

An important part of RTI is measuring progress and providing more support to kids who need it.

If you look inside any general education classroom, chances are good that you'd see different students struggling for different reasons. It can be hard for a teacher to tell right away which students are struggling or why.

Response to intervention (RTI) aims to identify struggling students early on and give them the support they need to thrive in school. The word intervention is key to understanding what RTI is all about. The goal is for the school to intervene, or step in, and start helping before a student falls really far behind.

Teachers can provide targeted teaching - called interventions - to help struggling students catch up. A big part of the RTI process involves closely monitoring student progress. That way the school can see which students need more academic support.

RTI isn't a specific program or type of teaching. It's a proactive approach: RTI measures students' skills and uses this data to decide which interventions to use.

Tell us what interests you

About the author

About the author

Amanda Morin is the author of "The Everything Parent's Guide to Special Education" and the former director of thought leadership at Understood. As an expert and writer, she helped build Understood from its earliest days.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Elaine M. Niefeld, MA, MBA is a consultant and former associate director of the RTI Action Network.

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What Is Responsive to Intervention (RTI)? | Understood

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RTI aims to identify kids who are struggling in school. It uses targeted teaching to help them catch up. An important part of RTI is measuring progress and providing more support to kids who need it. If you look inside any general education classroom, chances are good that you'd see different students struggling for different reasons.

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Language Learning Issue vs Academic and/or Learning Issue 

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Language Learning Issue vs Academic and/or Learning Issue 

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(Teachers) "must also gather data about ELLs who are struggling to learn in order to determine whether the difficulties that students are experiencing are due to the typical developmental process involved in learning English while also learning academic content or an underlying learning disability that occurs in both the home language and English. When difficulties are only seen in an English-only instructional context and not in the student’s primary or home language, it is less likely that there is an underlying disability. When difficulties occur across all settings and in both languages, it is more likely that a referral for a special education evaluation may be an appropriate course of action" (Hamayan et al., 2007).

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Then I will focus on helping the student learn the language skills they need in order to meet the grade expectations and become successful.

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Differentiated Instruction for English Language Learners

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Each student comes to school, not only with unique academic needs, but also with unique background experiences, culture, language, personality, interests, and attitudes toward learning. Effective teachers recognize that all of these factors affect how students learn in the classroom, and they adjust, or differentiate, their instruction to meet students' needs.

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At a glance

Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to students' different learning needs.

It lets students show what they know in different ways.

It doesn't replace the goals in a child's IEP or 504 plan.

Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to all students' learning needs. All the students have the same learning goal. But the instruction varies based on students' interests, preferences, strengths, and struggles.

Instead of teaching the whole group in one way (like a lecture), a teacher uses a bunch of different methods. This can include teaching students in small groups or in one-on-one sessions.

Students have "multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they learn," says Carol Ann Tomlinson, an educator who has done innovative work in this area.

According to Tomlinson, there are four areas where teachers can differentiate instruction:

1. Content: Figuring out what a student needs to learn and which resources will help

2. Process: Activities that help students make sense of what they learn

3. Projects: Ways for students to "show what they know"

4. Learning environment: How the classroom "feels" and how the class works together

This approach works well with the response to intervention (RTI) process used in some schools. The goal of RTI is to address learning struggles early. Students get extra support before they fall behind their peers.

Dive deeper

About the author

Reviewed by

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Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to students' different learning needs. It lets students show what they know in different ways. It doesn't replace the goals in a child's IEP or 504 plan. Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to all students' learning needs.

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Martínez-Arboleda, A. (2021). Ipsative assessment: measuring personal improvement. In T. Beaven & F.
Rosell-Aguilar (Eds), Innovative language pedagogy report (pp. 77-82). Research-publishing.net. https://doi.org/10.14705/

Tucker, G. C. (n.d.). What is differentiated instruction? Understood for All. Retrieved October 2, 2023, from https://www.understood.org/articles/differentiated-instruction-what-you-need-to-know

(n.d.). Eligibility: Determining Whether a Child is Eligible for Special Education Services. Learning Disabilities Association of America. Retrieved October 2, 2023, from https://ldaamerica.org/info/eligibility-determining-whether-a-child-is-eligible-for-special-education-services/#:~:text=The%20child%20has%20a%20severe,presented%20portfolio%2C%20and%2For%20teacher

Ford, K. (n.d.). Differentiated Instruction for English Language Learners. Colorín Colorado! Retrieved October 2, 2023, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/differentiated-instruction-english-language-learners