What are Specific Learning Difficulties?
Enable SpLD Assessment offers comprehensive and targeted assessments for all specific learning difficulties: dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. In some cases an exploration of difficulties in AD(H)D can be included in adult assessments. Each evaluation utilises qualitative and quantitative testing to produce a thorough appraisal with recommendations for on-going educational support and referrals to health-care practitioners, if necessary. Assessments are individualised for each client based on developmental and cognitive profiles and educational attainment.
A comprehensive assessment includes evaluation of cognitive/intellectual functioning, executive functioning, attention/concentration, motor and perceptual functioning, language, learning, memory and emotional/ personality function. Each assessment is tailored to the the individual's needs based on referral information, symptoms, previous educational history, medical history, developmental history and more.
Psychoeducational testing includes a set of assessment procedures administered and interpreted to obtain information about the individual’s development, learning and memory. Different assessment procedures are used depending upon the referral questions, presenting problems and any past tests administered with careful consideration of cultural differences and possible impairments in speech/language, hearing, vision and motor development.
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which is classified as a disability under the 2010 Equality Act. It is not linked to intelligence, but can make learning more difficult. Many people who have dyslexia are creative and good at visual thinking and problem solving. Dyslexia is a condition that is lifelong and can have a significant effect on a person’s daily activities, including education. It varies from person to person and it often co-occurs with conditions such as dyspraxia, dyscalculia and attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder.
What is Dyspraxia?
Dyspraxia, a form of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a common disorder affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults. It may also affect speech. DCD is a lifelong condition, formally recognised by international organisations including the World Health Organisation. DCD is distinct from other motor disorders such as cerebral palsy and stroke, and occurs across the range of intellectual abilities. Individuals may vary in how their difficulties present: these may change over time depending on environmental demands and life experiences.
What is Dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia affects a person's ability to acquire basic arithmetical skills. People with dyscalculia have significant difficulty in understanding basic number concepts, number relationships, recognise symbols and comprehend quantitative and spatial information. Dyscalculia has varying levels of severity and can affect different areas of mathematical calculations. These difficulties will have an adverse effect on many day-to-day activities such as dealing with finances, managing a diary and keeping track of time. However, it is important to remember that many people find maths difficult, but this does not necessarily mean that they have dyscalculia. It is estimated that between 4% and 6% of the population may have dyscalculia. However, this research is based on data from children, and figures relating specifically to the adult population are non-existent. For this reason, and because of limited understanding and recognition of dyscalculia, many people go undiagnosed.
What is Dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that affects written expression: spelling, poor handwriting and trouble putting thoughts on paper. Many children and adults have poor handwriting, but dysgraphia is more a more significant difficulty. Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder that generally appears when children are first learning to write. A child with dysgraphia may write their letters in reverse, have trouble recalling how letters are formed, or when to use lower or upper case letters. They may struggle to form written sentences with correct grammar and punctuation, with common problems including omitting words, words ordered incorrectly, incorrect verb and pronoun usage and word ending errors.
What is Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD(H)D) affects children and teens and can continue into adulthood. AD(H)D is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder of children. Children with AD(H)D may be hyperactive and unable control their impulses, or they may have trouble paying attention. These behaviors interfere with school and home life. It’s more common in boys than in girls. It’s usually discovered during the early school years, when a child begins to have problems paying attention. ADD is a type of ADHD that doesn't involve constant movement and fidgeting, but it's a blurry distinction. Adults with ADHD may have trouble managing time, being organized, setting goals, and holding down a job. They may also have problems with relationships, self-esteem, and addiction.
Please note that Enable SpLD Assessment can assess adults (post 16) for AD(H)D as a specific learning difficulty. If you require a medical diagnosis, you should consult with your GP in the first instance. The SpLD Assessment Standards Committee advise that ‘practitioner psychologists and specialist teacher assessors who have relevant training can identify specific learning difficulties and patterns of behaviour that together would strongly suggest a student has AD(H)D; and in this situation they can make relevant recommendations for support at Further and Higher Education institutions’ and to enable students to qualify for the Disabled Students Allowance.