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In the current decade, learning disabilities are recognized as significant disturbance and hindrance in child's academic and overall development. Assessment of these disturbances is a challenge for teachers, parents, and school counselors. This study was designed to validate a screening tool Learning Disabilities Checklist (National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2007) for assessment of learning disabilities among children. Sample of the study was 427 students from 6th to 10th grade. Participants were recruited from four government schools of Lahore through systematic random sampling technique. Initially, validation was restricted to public sector schools as the structure of education system at public school lacks mandatory administration of any screening tool to asses these difficulties. Cronbach's alpha reliability and exploratory factor analysis indicated that this checklist is valid screening tool of assessing learning disabilities among girls and boys. Teachers and school authorities are suggested to administer these kinds of screening tools to assess childrens' learning difficulties in order to improve their academic functioning.
Keywords: Learning disabilities, reading disability, writing disability, mathematical disability, public schools
Learning disabilities (LDs) have a significant impact on the lives of many students as it affects their academic performance and causes behavioral and cognitive malfunctioning and poor adjustment (Minister of Education, 2011). World Health Organization (WHO, 1993) defined LDs as a generic term that refers to a heterogeneous group of problems manifested by significant, unexpected, specific, and persistent difficulties in the acquisition of and efficient reading, writing, and mathematical abilities. Generally, there is limited understanding that adolescents' behavioral, health, and adjustment problems could be a consequence of LDs particularly in developing countries such as Pakistan where childrens' learning problems are not assessed and dealt properly. Manifestation of LDs varies across various children's developmental phases. Along with social, cognitive, and emotional malfunctioning, learning difficulties in academia are also observed (Geary, Hamson, & Hoard, 2000).
LDs cannot be attributed to mental retardation, emotional disturbance, cultural difference or disadvantage. Direct and indirect impact of LDs in childhood and adolescence continue into adulthood and affect their general physical and mental health. In the last fifteen years, emergence of psychological and health problems of LDs have caught the attention of health psychologists, school counselors, educators, and researchers across multiple disciplines, particularly, those who deal with cases of dysfunctional...