What grade is the person in?

Signs of LDs can be detected in children as young as 4. But often, signs don’t show up (or are not noticed) until grades 3-5 —or even later in life. And of course, no two people are exactly alike, even if they have the same type of LD.

Did you know?

Researchers have used brain imaging technology to study the structure of the brain and how it works. Comparing people with and without LDs, they found differences in brain structures and in how the brain works when reading and doing math.

Please select the areas where you think the individual is struggling.

Lots of people have more than one LD. For example, someone with a reading disability might also struggle with math. We recommend that you select all the categories you think might apply.

Did you know?

Many children with dyslexia also have dyscalculia. And almost half of the children who have ADHD also have LD. Learn more from NCLD’s “The State of LD” report.

Attention

Think about the person’s behavior over at least the past six months. Then select all the applicable scenarios below.
Is forgetful in daily/routine activities
Is easily distracted by sounds, motion, or other stimuli
Consistently loses things that are necessary for tasks/activities (e.g., toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools)
Has difficulty sustaining attention in play activities and work tasks
Fails to pay close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities
Avoids, dislikes, and/or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort (e.g., homework, organizing work tasks)
Has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace
Does not appear to listen when spoken to directly

Did you know?

The brain networks associated with paying attention and staying on task take longer to mature in children with ADHD. Also, girls with attention issues like ADHD may be identified less often than boys. Girls tend to display fewer signs of hyperactivity and other behaviors that attract negative attention.

Gross and Fine Motor Skills

Think about the person’s behavior over at least the past six months. Then select all the applicable scenarios below.
Dislikes and/or avoids writing and drawing tasks
Experiences difficulty using small objects or items that demand precision (e.g., Legos, puzzle pieces, tweezers, scissors)
Grasps pencil awkwardly, resulting in poor handwriting or trouble using utensils
Demonstrates poor ability to color or write “within the lines”
Has trouble copying and drawing shapes and simple figures and creates artwork that lacks detail and seems immature for age
Has trouble with buttons, hooks, snaps, zippers, and/or learning to tie shoes
Has limited success with games and activities that demand changes in body position and/or hand-eye coordination
Appears awkward and clumsy by dropping or spilling things, or knocking them over

Did You Know?

Well-developed motor abilities help people navigate and work with their environments. These skills set the stage for academic and social success.

Language

Think about the person’s behavior over at least the past six months. Then select all the applicable scenarios below.
Demonstrates slow and halting speech, using lots of fillers (e.g., uh, um, and, you know, so)
Has difficulty with pragmatic skills (e.g., understanding the relationship between speaker and listener, staying on topic, gauging the listener’s degree of knowledge, making inferences based on a speaker’s verbal and nonverbal cues)
Has trouble understanding idioms, proverbs, colloquialisms, humor, and/or puns (note: take into account regional and cultural factors)
Has difficulty understanding instructions or directions
Has limited interest in books or stories
Has difficulty rhyming
Inserts malapropisms (“slips of the tongue”) into conversation (e.g., a rolling stone gathers no moths; he was a man of great statue)
Confuses words with others that sound similar
Uses poor grammar or misuses words in conversation (note: take into account regional and cultural factors)
Mispronounces words frequently
Uses vague, imprecise language and has a limited vocabulary
Has difficulty retelling what has just been said and engaging in long conversations
Inserts invented words into conversation
Has difficulty staying on topic
Has trouble naming people or objects in conversation
Has difficulty modulating voice (e.g., too soft, too loud)
Demonstrates early delays in learning to speak

Did you know?

English has countless spelling, grammar, and punctuation rules—and exceptions to those rules. There are thousands of words that sound alike but that have different meanings. Some are pairs (dear/dear) and others are triplets (to/too/two). And some are even in groups of four or more. No wonder language learning can be so hard!

Math

Think about the person’s behavior over at least the past six months. Then select all the applicable scenarios below.
Has difficulty estimating (e.g., quantity, value)
Has trouble telling time (on either a digital or analog clock)
Has difficulty with comparisons (e.g., less than, greater than)
Has trouble positioning numbers in the correct places (e.g., one on top of the other), resulting in computation errors
Has difficulty learning to calculate and memorize basic addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts
Has difficulty estimating (e.g., quantity, value)
Has difficulty learning and performing strategic counting activities (e.g., by 2, 5, 10, 100)
Has difficulty recognizing quantities without counting
Has difficulty with simple counting and one-to-one correspondence between number symbols and objects
Has trouble reading and interpreting graphs and charts
Has trouble learning and applying formulas and rules for calculation and problem solving

Did you know?

Parents and educators can unintentionally create anxiety about math. This is especially true for girls but it can apply to boys as well. As a result, children may avoid math or give up trying new math tasks.

Other

Think about the person’s behavior over at least the past six months. Then select all the applicable scenarios below.
Is disorganized and poor at planning
Often loses things
Has trouble reading maps
Finds it hard to judge speed and distance (e.g., playing sports, driving a car)
Has a poor sense of direction; is slow to learn the way around a new place; is easily lost or confused in unfamiliar surroundings
Confuses left and right

Did you know?

LDs affect more than academics. People with LDs may also struggle with organization, visual-spatial learning, and social-emotional cues.

Reading

Think about the person’s behavior over at least the past six months. Then select all the applicable scenarios below.
Dislikes and/or avoids learning letters or reading
Has poor retention of new vocabulary
Substitutes and/or leaves out words while reading
Reads slowly, with great effort and poor intonation
Guesses at unfamiliar words rather than using word analysis skills
Has weak comprehension of ideas/themes
Needs to sound out words already encountered in printed text
Reverses letter order in words (e.g., saw/was) while reading and writing
Confuses similar-looking words (e.g., beard/bread) while reading
Has trouble naming letters (e.g., confuses similar looking letters and numbers)
Has difficulty recognizing and remembering common ‘sight words’
Has trouble blending sounds together to make words
Has problems connecting letters to the sounds they make
Has difficulty tapping or clapping out the syllables in words
Has difficulty recognizing the small units of sounds (phonemes) in spoken words

Did you know?

Reading doesn’t just happen! Children need to be taught how the 26 letters and 44 speech sounds in the English language work as the foundation for developing literacy skills. Early screening can help determine which children are most likely to struggle with learning to read.

Written Language

Think about the person’s behavior over at least the past six months. Then select all the applicable scenarios below.
Fails to develop ideas in writing (e.g., written work is incomplete, too brief or disorganized)
Has difficulty preparing outlines and organizing written assignments
Has difficulty proofreading and self-correcting written or printed work
Spells poorly and inconsistently (e.g., the same word appears differentlyother places in the same document)
Copies inaccurately (e.g. confuses similar-looking letters and numbers)
Uses uneven spacing between letters and words, and has trouble staying “on the line”
Frequently reverses or misdraws letters, numbers, and symbols
Has difficulty remembering shapes of letters and numerals
Has messy and incomplete writing, with many cross-outs and erasures
Demonstrates delays in learning to copy and write
Dislikes and avoids writing and copying

Did you know?

Up to 30% of school-age children struggle with handwriting and written expression. It can take a toll on both academic learning and self-esteem.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve completed the checklist, you’re well on your way to understanding and addressing concerns about key skills and behaviors that impact learning. Even if you didn’t check many items on the list, you may still think the child is struggling in one or more of these areas. Bring your concerns to teachers and other professionals—that’s the first step to getting children the help they need to succeed. Don’t hesitate to ask whether support can be provided, or if a screening or comprehensive evaluation would be appropriate. Ask how to begin the process. Sharing what you’ve learned from this checklist can be a great starting point.

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Questions to Ask

  • Pediatricians
  • Educators
Pre-K Reading/Writing

My child seems not to be interested in reading and writing activities. Is there something I can do, or should I wait and see if things change once formal schooling begins?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with reading and writing. Should I be worried? How can I request screening for learning difficulties in this area?

My child’s teacher said that I should have my child do more reading at home because this seems to be an area of weakness. Does this mean my child might have dyslexia?

Should I be concerned if a teacher said that my child is “not making enough progress”

Grades K–4 Reading/Writing

My child only reads when it’s required by a teacher. Is this OK or should I be concerned?

My child is having a hard time connecting the sounds of words and their letters. What should I do?

My child is able to sound out words, but the process is hard and progress is really slow. If my child doesn’t like reading, or isn’t good at it, should I ask for an evaluation?

My child is able to sound out words but often doesn’t understand what is read. Is this a problem?

Should I be worried if my child’s report card says “not making enough progress”? What should I ask the school to do?

Grades 5–8 Reading/Writing

The quality of my child’s work in reading and writing seems inconsistent: good one day and terrible the next. Should I be concerned? If so, what can I do?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with reading and writing. Should I ask for screening for learning disabilities in this area?

My child has difficulty with reading and writing, makes a lot of spelling errors, and doesn’t write complete and grammatically correct sentences. What should I do?

Even though my child can spell words and write sentences, there’s always resistance when it comes to writing paragraphs and compositions. Is this typical at this age?

Should I be worried if my child’s report card says “not making enough progress”? What should I ask the school to do?

High School Reading/Writing

My child still doesn’t read or write very well. Why has my child not been able to improve these skills? Can my child be evaluated for learning disabilities in these areas? If so, who can do the testing?

What kind of details about my child’s struggle with learning would be helpful to share with school personnel? How important is it to include my child in this discussion?

Pre-K Math

My child is having trouble with simple counting. Should I be concerned, or is this something that will likely improve by itself over time?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble understanding how numbers work. Should I ask for a screening or evaluation in this area?

My child can’t tell which is bigger when given two numbers. Should I be worried about this?

My child can count but doesn’t seem to understand that one number is “more” and one number is “less.” Should I be worried?

When should I be worried if a teacher said that my child is “not making enough progress”?

Grades K–4 Math

My child is much better at reading and writing than at math. Why would this happen, and should I be concerned?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble learning different types of math. Should my child be screened for possible learning disabilities in this area?

My child can count numbers and knows which number is “bigger” and which is “smaller,” but can’t add or subtract. Do I need to be worried about this?

The teacher said that my child is having difficulty with counting but will catch up. How long should I wait before I ask for an evaluation?

My child is able to add and subtract most numbers, but is struggling with multiplying or dividing. What should I do?

Should I be worried if my child’s report card says not “making enough progress”? What should I ask the school to do?

Grades 5–8 Math

I’m not familiar with how math is taught at school, so I can’t help when my child struggles with math homework. What should I do when my child needs help with math at home?

My child can add, subtract, multiply, and divide most numbers, but makes a lot of mistakes when a math problem has several steps. Is this typical?

My child struggles with many types of math (e.g., word problems, geometry, fractions, decimals, percentages). What steps can I take to ensure that my child receives the right kind of support?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with math. Should my child be screened for possible learning disabilities in this area?

High school Adult Math

My child still doesn’t seem to do very well in math, but no one has suggested being tested for a possible learning disability. What should I do?

What kind of details about my child’s struggle with learning would be helpful to share with school personnel? How important is it to include my child in this discussion?

Pre-K Attention

My child frequently needs reminders to pay attention. Is this typical of young children? Should I be concerned about this becoming a problem when formal schooling begins?

I always need to remind my child what to do. Is it normal for children to be so forgetful at this age?

I’ve noticed that my child seems to have a lot of trouble with paying attention. My child’s teacher agrees. Is it too early for my child to be screened for ADHD?

Grades K–4 Attention

My child’s teacher said that distractibility and inattention are keeping my child from making progress in school. Should I be concerned?

I’ve noticed that my child has a lot of trouble paying attention. Should I ask for an ADHD screening?

Grades 5–8 Attention

My child seems not to pay close attention to details and makes careless mistakes in schoolwork and even during activities at home. How can I help my child improve skills in this area?

How do I know if my child’s inattention is carelessness, a real disorder of attention, or something else?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble paying attention. Should I ask for an ADHD screening?

High School Attention

Difficulties with attention and organization are holding my child back from getting good grades and completing tasks. Is it possible that my child has ADHD? If so, how can I get my child screened or evaluated?

My child is disorganized, has a hard time keeping to a schedule, and needs frequent reminders to get things done. What should I do to help my child be more independent?

Pre-K Reading/Writing

I notice my child has trouble connecting letters to the sounds they make. What are some ways to improve this skill?

My child seems to struggle with holding a pencil. Is there some way to help develop this skill?

I notice my child has trouble writing letters and copying words. What activities can we do to work on this?

My child doesn’t seem to understand how rhyming works and is confused when asked to say what sound a particular letter makes in simple words. Is this going to be a problem when formal reading instruction begins?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble developing skills needed for reading and writing. Should I request screening or testing to understand why?

Where can I get more information on the screening process? Who is the best contact person

Grades K–4 Reading/Writing

I notice my child has trouble distinguishing between similar looking letters. Is this typical for children at this age?

I notice my child has trouble recognizing common “sight words.” What are some ways we can improve this skill?

I notice my child frequently loses their place while reading. Is this typical for children at this age?

I notice my child reads slowly and sometimes skips over words. Are there any activities we can do to work on this?

I notice my child has messy handwriting. What activities can help improve this skill?

I notice my child doesn’t always spell words correctly. Do you see the same issue with my child’s peers?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with reading and writing. Can we discuss what screening has been done, or could be done, and then review the results together?

Where can I get more information on the screening process? Who is the best contact person?

Grades 5–8 Reading/Writing

I notice my child often doesn’t understand or remember key information from reading assignments. Are there strategies to help improve this skill?

I notice my child is struggling to learn new vocabulary in areas like science, world history, and math. Are there any strategies to help with this?

I notice my child has difficulty preparing outlines and organizing written assignments. What are some ways to improve this skill?

I notice my child has trouble developing ideas in writing (e.g., written work is incomplete, too brief, or disorganized). Is this typical for children at this age?

I notice my child still has trouble with different reading tasks and is still reading slowly. Are there any activities to work on this?

What sort of technology can help my child with reading and writing tasks?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with reading and writing. What screening or evaluation options are available to better understand why this is happening? Who is the best contact person?

High School Reading/Writing

I notice my child is struggling to learn new vocabulary, especially technical terms in areas like science, world history, and math. Are there any strategies to help with this?

I notice my child has difficulty taking notes, preparing outlines, and organizing written assignments. What are some ways to improve this skill?

I notice my child has trouble developing ideas in writing (e.g., written work is incomplete, too brief, or disorganized). Is this typical for children at this age?

What sort of technology can help my child read and write?

My child still doesn’t read or write very well, and I suspect that an underlying learning disability may be the reason. What options are available to get an evaluation process started? Who is the best contact person?

Pre-K Math

I notice my child has trouble with simple counting. What are some ways to improve this skill?

I notice my child has trouble making a good guess about the number of things. Is this typical for children at this age?

I notice my child has trouble comparing the number of different things. Are there any activities that can help develop this skill?

I notice my child has trouble identifying different shapes. Is this something I should be worried about?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble developing skills around math. Should screening or testing be done at this time to understand why?

Where can I get more information on the screening process? Who is the best contact person?

Grades K–4 Math

I notice my child has difficulty learning to calculate and memorize basic addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts. What are some ways to improve these skills?

I notice my child has difficulty counting by groups (e.g., by 2, 5, 10, 100). Is this typical for children at this age?

I notice my child has trouble lining numbers up in the correct places (e.g., one on top of the other) and understanding place value when doing calculations. Are there any activities we can do to improve these skills?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with math. Can we discuss what screening has been done, or could be done, and then review the results together?

Where can I get more information on the screening process? Who is the best contact person?

Grades 5–8 Math

I notice my child has trouble learning and applying formulas and rules for calculation and problem solving. What are some ways to improve this skill?

I notice my child has trouble reading and interpreting graphs and charts. Is this typical for children at this age?

What sort of technology can help my child with math?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with math. What screening or evaluation options are available to better understand why this is happening? Who is the best contact person?

High school Math

My child still doesn’t seem to do very well in math. My child can do calculations but seems to have trouble with math words and concepts. Should I have my child evaluated for a learning disability, and if so, how can I get this process started?

What sort of technology can help my older child with math?

Pre-K Attention

I notice my child has trouble paying attention even when doing something enjoyable. What are some ways to improve this skill?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with paying attention. What screening or evaluation options are available to understand why this is happening?

Grades K–4 Attention

I notice my child has difficulty following through on instructions and doesn’t finish schoolwork or chores. What are some ways to improve this skill?

I notice my child has difficulty organizing tasks and activities. Is this typical for children at this age?

I notice my child constantly loses things that are necessary for tasks/activities (e.g., toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools). Are there any activities or strategies that can improve performance in this area?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with paying attention. What screening or evaluation options are available to understand why this is happening?

Grades 5–8 Attention

I notice my child is having difficulty keeping track of different classes, assignments, or materials. Are there some strategies that can help in this area?

I notice my child is spending a great deal of time on tasks, but the work is often of poor quality or incomplete. Are there strategies that can help with this?

My child seems not to pay close attention to details and often makes what looks like careless mistakes. What are some ways to improve this skill?

My child seems to have a lot of trouble with paying attention. What screening or evaluation options are available to understand why this is happening? Who is the best contact person?

High school Attention

My child still doesn’t seem to do very well with paying attention. What screening or evaluation options are available to understand why this is happening?

Next Steps

If you think a child is struggling, talk to the child’s teacher or pediatrician, or another professional. Ask what can be done to help this child succeed. Here are some sample questions to get the discussion started.