Language-Based Learning Disabilities (LBLD) refer to a spectrum of difficulties related to the understanding or processing of both spoken and written language. The areas of vulnerability and severity of language difficulties can widely vary from person to person. Language difficulties can impact a student in the following areas:
- reading
- expressive language / word retrieval
- comprehension of spoken language
- written expression (spelling, grammar, and mechanics)
- mathematics
People who have been diagnosed with a language-based learning disability often have the specific diagnosis of dyslexia. Dyslexia is a reading disability that is phonologically based that results in difficulty decoding words accurately, which affects reading fluency and as a result reading comprehension. However, not all students with LBLD have dyslexia. Some may learn to decode, but struggle with comprehension of spoken and written language (reading comprehension) or expressive language (spoken or written).
Click here to learn more about dyslexia from the International Dyslexia Association.
Students who have language-based learning disabilities may also struggle with the following:
- Dysgraphia- a disorder that affects spelling, punctuation, and handwriting
- Dyscalculia- a disorder that affects someone’s number sense, math reasoning, and ability to process math facts
- Executive functioning difficulties- which impacts one’s ability to stay organized, plan, initiate, sustain and complete tasks
*People who have been diagnosed with LBLD may also have simultaneous (comorbid) diagnoses of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder) and/or anxiety disorder
(Adapted from landmarkschool.org)
The first step is to seek out proper testing. A thorough psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation will help identify your child’s current cognitive, academic and language functioning as well as areas of strength and weakness. Once testing is completed, the evaluator and our admissions team will help you determine possible services that can be helpful and if Yeshivat Shalshelet is the right school for your child.
Yeshivat Shalshelet is an independent yeshiva day school for students who struggle with language and learning difficulties. Due to their learning profiles, our students struggle in traditional classrooms because their reading, writing, mathematical, and organizational skills do not match their learning potential. Shalshelet is not housed inside another school and there are no pull-out groups. Our carefully designed special education dual curriculum is taught by teachers who specialize in differentiated learning. This ensures that each student has an individual access point to the lesson in both large and small group contexts.
Returning to the mainstream is dependent on multiple factors and looks different for each child. Once a child has gained the academic and student skills necessary to successfully navigate the academic program in a mainstream school, our outplacement team will work with your family to determine the best program and resources to help your child succeed.
Yeshivat Shalshelet currently serves grades 2–5, and is accepting applications for grades 2–6 for the 2023–2024 school year.