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The following is
a list of observable behaviors. If you have students in your class who
exhibit any of these characteristics, please discuss this with the parents
of the child, his/her principal and consider a referral to your Student
Support Team.
Possible Indicators of Disabling Conditions
Sight
-
The student
frequently complains that his/her head or eyes hurt.
-
The eyelids of
the student are red, watery, puffy and encrusted.
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The eyes of the
student appear to be crossed or do not seem to focus on the same point.
-
The student
holds his/her head in an awkward or tilted position when reading or working.
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The student
copies from the board with difficulty.
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The student sits
on the front row and still has difficulty seeing the board.
Hearing
-
The student
talks loudly during normal conversations.
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The student has
difficulty understanding direction or does not respond to direct questions.
-
The student
complains that his/her ear aches or that liquid runs from his/her ear.
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When listening,
the student always turns the same ear to the person talking.
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The student has
serious speech difficulties.
Speech and
Language
-
The speech of
the student is difficult to understand.
-
The student
consistently substitutes or omits particular sounds in his/her speech.
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The student
speaks in a halting manner and appears to have difficulty in remembering
appropriate words and in organizing his/her response correctly.
-
The student has
difficulty in understanding verbal directions.
Social Skills
-
The student has
difficulty observing rules during group games or is often involved in
conflict on the playground and/or recess, and in small group situations.
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The student is
very reluctant to interact with others.
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The student
cannot function successfully without adult supervision or support.
-
The student is
hostile to and aggressive with others.
Play
-
At the age of 1,
the child is unable to play infant games such as “peek-a-boo”.
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Between the ages
of 2 and 3, the child is unable to imitate adults doing simple tasks.
-
At the age of 3,
the child is unable to play alone with toys.
-
At the age of 4,
the child is unable to play group games such as “hide-and-seek” or to
understand taking turns.
-
At the age of 5,
the child is unable to play competitive games, express sympathy or concern,
and does not play “pretend/show-off” activities once in a while. At the age
of 6, the child has problems in the understanding of “fair play”; he/she is
unable to participate in simple table games and is unable to plan and build
constructively or to cross the street safely.
Thinking
-
At the age of 1,
the child is unable to respond to a call by looking directly at an adult;
he/she cannot recognize simple problems such as finding an object that has
been hidden under a cup.
-
At the age of 2,
the child is unable to identify body parts or to match like objects; he/she
is unable to recognize himself/herself in a mirror.
-
At the age of 3,
the child is unable to recognize his/her own name and/or is unable to use
familiar objects.
-
At the age of 4,
the child is unable to name colors; he/she is unable to tell of an action in
a picture and is unable to count to 2.
-
At the age of 5,
the child is unable to make simple comparisons – which is heavier, which is
lighter – is unable to count up to 4, and has a problem in understanding
time sequence such as “yesterday,” “today,” and “tomorrow.”
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At the age of 6,
the child is unable to distinguish left from right, to understand size and
weight relationships, to count to 6 and/or to understand numbers to 10.
Motion
-
At the age
of 1, the child cannot sit without support, pull himself/herself to a
standing position, reach for objects or pick up objects with a pincer grasp.
-
At the age of 2,
the child is unable to walk alone, to kick a large ball, to scribble or to
build a tower with 3 blocks.
-
At the age of 3,
the child cannot walk up or down stairs, pedal a tricycle, run without
falling, turn the pages of a book, copy circles, or draw a cross mark.
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At the age of 4,
the child cannot balance on one foot, jump from the bottom step, catch a
bounced ball, close a first and wiggle a thumb or trace a diamond shape.
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At the age of 5,
the child is unable to turn somersaults, pump himself/herself on a swing,
fold a paper triangle from a 4” square, print a few capital letters, or cut
with scissors on a straight line.
-
At the age of 6,
the child cannot skip on alternate feet, jump rope, throw a ball 10 feet
away so that it can be caught, print his/her first name, lace his/her shoes,
and draw a person that includes a head, trunk, arms, and other features.
If you think
your child may have a problem or delay in development, it is important to
have a professional evaluation and begin intervention as soon as possible.
For evaluation resources, visit our online
Special Needs Database to search for diagnostic and evaluation
resources. Reprinted
from "Community Resources for Special Needs", East Georgia Learning
Resources System, April 2003.
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The impact of a
disability can always be lessened to some degree by early intervention. |
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