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What is Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLD)?

  • Frequent in males than in females
  • 17,700 people with SpLD in Hong Kong (0.3% of total population)
    (Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics, 2015)
  • Disorder in basic psychological process related to understanding or in using language, written or spoken*
  • 6 Common types of SpLD in Hong Kong:
    • Dyslexia
    • Dysgraphia
    • Specific Language Impairment
    • Dyspraxia
    • Dyscalculia
    • Visual-Spatial-Perceptual Impairment

Features / Challenges

  • Dyslexia - related to reading difficulties, the most common type of SpLD
  • Dysgraphia - related to writing difficulties
  • Specific Language Impairment - referred to the delay or problem in language development
  • Dyspraxia - about motor skill deficit 
  • Dyscalculia - about difficulties in doing mathematical calculation
  • Visual-Spatial-Perceptual Impairment - related to the sense of spatial arrangement and perceptual skill deficits

Possible support for students with Dyslexia (most common type of SpLD)

Learning support

  • Provide study room in library exclusively for students with special needs
  • Allow extra time for tests and examinations
  • Give them course materials in advance
  • Provide text-to-voice software / reading machine
  • Do not penalize spelling or grammar errors, unless they are an integral element of the course outcome
  • Special arrangement of the printing materials for classes and examinations
    →Enlarged print

Tips for peers

  • Help them to take notes
  • Try to provide more support to them
    →Sharing study tips
    • e.g. Organization skill etc.
  • Try to give them more time to finish the jobs
    →Set clear and break down instruction

*With reference to Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA)

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