Comprehensive Diagnostic Testing for Learning Disabilities, including Dyslexia
Dyslexia Solutions Center offers diagnostic testing using a full battery of criterion-referenced and norm-referenced assessments used to evaluate foundational skills underlying dyslexia. 80% of learning disability diagnoses is dyslexia. Dyslexia can impact all aspects of reading, spelling/writing and can affect math (for example, causing symbol confusion, difficulties with word problems and sequencing issues). Oral language skills are often a strength of someone with dyslexia.
Results of testing are presented in a detailed, analytical written report and discussed in a conference. Also included in the testing service is attendance at a school meeting, usually an IEP meeting, to present testing results and to advocate on behalf of the student to obtain appropriate and effective services, specialized instruction and other learning supports.
Our reports have been used for special education eligibilty, IEP development, education planning and placement decisions and to support parents in due process hearings. Our reports have also been used to obtain accommodations on standardized tests including the AP exams, SAT, ACT, LSAT, MCAT and Bar exams.
What is Dyslexia?*
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin.
Brain imaging has indicated these differences in brain.
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA)’s definition
“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”*
Definition of Dyslexia.” International Dyslexia Association (IDA). Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov.
12, 2002 https://dyslexiaida.org/definition-of-dyslexia/
Dyslexia results from a deficit in the
phonological component of language.
Phonological awareness, processing and memory are at the sound level of language, specifically the sounds in words. The term phonology refers to the sound system of language. Phonemes are the smallest unit of sound in speech and are the building blocks we use to construct words when speaking. This process is a precursor for reading and writing. It occurs before becoming aware that written letters correspond to those speech sounds. Weakness in this area would interfere with accurately associating specific letters (graphemes) with the sounds (phonemes) in a word. Weakness at the phonological level is a hallmark of Dyslexia.
Essential characteristics of dyslexia include:
a. poor decoding
b. poor spelling
c. difficulties with accurate
word recognition
d. difficulties with fluency
(accuracy and speed) of word
recognition
3. Secondary consequences may include problems with reading comprehension and impact the acquisition of vocabulary. These two area may be affected but are not essential to the diagnosis
Reading Comprehension scores are misleading diagnostically.
b. Reading comprehension is not fully reliant on decoding skills. Even when a passage is not read with 100% accurately, words can be memorized as whole words, context clues are provided from the other words in the passage, and any background knowledge of the subject can also aid comprehension.
Low reading comprehension scores do not necessarily mean dyslexia; it could be due to oral language comprehension deficits rather than difficulties with word identification. High reading comprehension scores does not necessarily mean it isn’t dyslexia since compensating strategies described above could result in reasonably high scores.
Reading fluency, spelling and written expression
Reading Fluency is impacted by decoding weakness. There is typically a discrepancy between Oral Reading Fluency scores and untimed Reading Comprehension scores where the reader can read slowly and reread parts or all of the passage and to find answers. Low Fluency scores are an indicator of Dyslexia.
Dyslexia is often erroneously thought of as a reading disability only, but Dyslexia also affects Spelling and Written Expression. This is because Dyslexia is rooted in weaknesses in phonological processing of the sounds in words and sound-symbol correspondence (in identifying and manipulating letters). Phonological processing and sound-symbol correspondence is essential to both reading (decoding) and its counterpart spelling (encoding).
Who is qualified to make a dyslexia diagnosis?
The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) and the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) designate what professionals are qualified to administer a diagnostic testing to make a clinical diagnosis.
NCLD states:
“Professionals with expertise in several fields are best qualified to make a diagnosis of dyslexia. The testing may be done by a single individual or by a team of specialists. A knowledge and background in psychology, reading, language and education are necessary. The tester must have a thorough working knowledge of how individuals learn to read and why some people have trouble learning to read. They must also understand how to administer and interpret evaluation data and how to plan appropriate reading interventions.”
“Who is Qualified to Make a Dyslexia Diagnosis?” Lexercise. 10 October 2016.
https://www.lexercise.com/blog/qualified-make-dyslexia-diagnosis
IDA states:
Professional clinicians who assess Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)
and dyslexia may have M.A., M.S., M.Ed., Ed.D., or Ph.D. degrees in
Education, Reading, Speech Language Pathology, School Psychology, Psychology, or Neuropsychology. Evaluation by a medical doctor is not
required for assessment or identification of SLD or dyslexia.
Lowell, Susan C., et al “Dyslexia Assessment: What It Is and How Can It Help?” International Dyslexia
Association (IDA). (2020) https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-assessment-what-is-it-and-how-can-it-help/
Our diagnostic evaluation service
consists of three components:
1
DIAGNOSTIC STANDARDS-BASED EVALUTATIONS
The source of a child’s literacy challenges are determined via thorough and prescriptive testing.
* Criterion-referenced and norm- referenced assessments, which include testing of the foundational skills behind reading and writing as well as acutal skills in reading, writing, spelling (and in some cases, math)
* Specific tests chosen are based on a child’s age and grade level, developmental history, and tests already administered by the school district
2
COMPREHENSIVE WRITTEN REPORT of RESULTS
Testing results are presented in a detailed, analytical written report.
*Our detailed report summarizes and analyzes results, explains their significance, provides a diagnosis, if applicable, and recommends school interventions and supports, typically provided under an IEP.
*The report can be used to support education needs, including: providing a foundation for special education eligibility and IEP development, serving as an Independent Evaluation (IEE), obtaining accommodations and modifications in school, and documenting the necessity for specialized reading and writing instruction.
3
INTERVENTION PLANNING AND ADVOCACY for your child
Evaluation results provide the foundation for intervention planning. Our evaluation service includes:
*Parent conference to discuss results, recommendations, applications, and planning
*Advocacy for your child at school meeting, which involves presentation of testing results and advocating for the district’s acceptance of recommendations. Recommendations would include classification for special education, if your child is not yet on an IEP, and support for specialized reading/writing instruction (Orton Gillingham when possible). In addition, accommodations and modifications are recommended in order to assist the student in accessing grade level curriculum content.