Specific Learning Disorders

Question 1

What are the 4 attainment areas on the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test? (WIAT) (Orator reciting when mating)

Answer 1

1. Oral language (i.e., listening comprehension and oral expression)
2. Reading (i.e., word reading, reading comprehension, and pseudo word decoding)
3. Written language (i.e., spelling and written expression)
4. Maths (i.e., mathematical reasoning and numerical operations)

Question 2

What are the 3 types of specific learning disorders? (Really Weird Martian)

Answer 2

1. Reading
2. Written expression
3. Maths

Question 3

How are standardised tests (e.g., WIAT, WISC, WAIS) used to diagnose a SLD?

Answer 3

Achievement scores on WIAT significantly lower than the average for their age (1.5 std. deviation, std. deviation of 1 may be acceptable if converging evidence suggestive of SLD)
Achievement scores significantly lower than expected based on general intelligence (this criterion has been removed from DSM-5)

Question 4

What is phonology?

Answer 4

Manifests as inaccurate articulation of specific sounds (typically consonants: R, L, F, V, and S). For example, children may substitute eep for sleep, berry for very).

Question 5

What central deficit to dyslexia commonly persists in to adulthood?

Answer 5

Phonology deficit

Question 6

Children with dyslexia who receive additional tuition and practise reading regularly are likely to show improvements in what skill?

Answer 6

Reading skills

Question 7

What is the paired reading intervention?

Answer 7

Brief period of daily reading with child (no more than 15 mins)
Child chooses book and read together initially
When child ready to read alone they tap parent on the arm
When child encounters problems they tap parent on arm and the parent models correct pronunciation

Question 8

What is simultaneous oral spelling?

Answer 8

Multi-sensory approach
Parent spells a word with plastic letters and child copies word, saying each letter out loud as they go
After three correct trials model word is hidden so child can copy from memory
Same spelling lists (no more than 5 words) should be repeated for three nights in a row

Question 9

What is the TOWRE and what does it measure?

Answer 9

Test of word reading efficiency
Measures ability to pronounce printed words and phonemically regular non-words accurately and fluently