Characteristics of Specific Learning Disabilities

Dyscalculia

Difficulty understanding place value, quantity, number lines, positive and negative numbers, and carrying or borrowing.
Struggles with understanding and solving word problems.
Difficulty organizing information or events.
Trouble following the steps involved in mathematical operations.
Difficulty understanding fractions.
Challenges in making change and managing money.
Difficulty recognizing patterns in addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.
Struggles with mathematical processes involving language.
Difficulty understanding concepts related to time (days, weeks, months, seasons, etc.).

Difficulty writing legibly and spelling, even with time and attention.
Shows inconsistencies in writing (e.g., inconsistent letter sizes, shapes, or slants).
May leave out words or letters, or write incomplete words.
Inconsistent spacing between words and letters.
Grips the pen or pencil awkwardly while writing.
Difficulty visualizing the formation of letters in the mind.
Slow or laborious copying or writing.
Difficulty writing in a straight line.
Finds it challenging to think and write simultaneously (e.g., taking notes).

Reads slowly and with difficulty.
Struggles with writing.
Shows a significant gap between listening comprehension and reading comprehension.
Difficulty with spelling.
May have poor handwriting.
Trouble remembering familiar words.
Difficulty with written language.
Struggles with mathematical calculations.

Difficulty recognizing non-verbal cues such as facial expressions or body language.
Struggles with coordination between visual and auditory input and actions.
Frequently bumps into or collides with other children.
Difficulty with fine motor skills, like tying shoes or using scissors.
Needs verbal descriptions to understand spatial orientation, directional concepts, and coordination.
Difficulty coping with changes in routine.
Struggles to generalize previously learned information.
Difficulty following step-by-step instructions.
Often takes instructions literally.
Asks too many inappropriate questions that may disrupt the flow of a lesson.
Appears knowledgeable due to strong verbal skills, but lacks understanding.