Student Assessment for Special Needs by Julian O'Leary

I observe a student struggling

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Is the student....

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Bilingual
Able to express themselves
Seems unable to focus/agitated

Interview student

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Discover:

Strengths/weaknesses
Family history
Daily struggles

Open a dialogue with the family

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Speak with the parents to discover what daily life is like at home. Does the student struggle there as well (problems will be apparent in both languages)?

No

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continue with normal regimen;

Yes, student shows sign of struggle at home as well as in class

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Begin standardized evaluation

Seek external aid

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Seek help outside of the classroom in assessing a students cognitive abilities.

Assessment domains

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Psychoeducational tests

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Asses for IQ through writing and interviews
Designed tshed light on underlying cognitive disabilites

Neuropsychological evaluations

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Gives more insight into how a child thinks and learns focusing on;

attention
memory
visual-spatial perception
motor skills
executive function

Classroom observation

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Student is observed in classroom setting to assess likelyhood of learning disabilities by a professional

Assessment results

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feedback sessions

Student isn't diagnosed

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Student is diagnosed

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Do difficulties with the language persist?

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No

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Yes

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create a plan of action to help improve language ability:

diversify teaching methods
emphasize language exercises
test/check for comprehension and fluency
foster an open and collaborative environment for learning

Identifying strategies to improve the learners abilities

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compensatory
skills based
strategy
capacity
a number of different "approaches" exist when teaching students with different disabilities that help identify the best way to teach them.
chunking
scaffolding
etc.

Track student progress

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keep logs of student progress and identify strength and weakness areas in more details
regular assessments

"Stay in the loop"

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keep co-workers and family members updated on student's progress and standing in class
foster collaborative relationships with other people who interact with the student in a leadership role

References

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LDRFA. (2020, July 3). Strategies For Teaching Children With Learning Disabilities. LDRFA. https://www.ldrfa.org/strategies-for-teaching-children-with-learning-disabilities/

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Learning Disabilities Association of America. (2013, October 15). Successful strategies for teaching students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Association of America. https://ldaamerica.org/info/successful-strategies-for-teaching-students-with-learning-disabilities/

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Taylor, B. (2025, March 15). 7 Tips to Support Dual Language Learners in the Classroom - CityU of Seattle. CityU of Seattle. https://www.cityu.edu/blog/how-to-support-dual-language-learners-in-the-classroom/

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Arrowsmith. (2024). Arrowsmith.ca. https://www.arrowsmith.ca/blog/learning-disability-diagnosis-what-happens-next

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Diagnosing Learning Disorders in Children. (n.d.). Nyulangone.org. https://nyulangone.org/conditions/learning-disorders-in-children/diagnosis

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Assessment for Learning Disabilities in Children. (2024, May 22). Blake Psychology. https://www.blakepsychology.com/therapy-formats/assessments-for-learning-disabilities-in-children/

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Iris Center. (2023). IRIS | Page 2: Distinguishing Between Disability and Language Difference. Iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu. https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/dll/cresource/q1/p02/

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Morin, A. (2021, February 18). Recognizing Signs of Potential Learning Disabilities in Preschool. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/recognizing-signs-potential-learning-disabilities-preschool/

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