School psychologists & educators can spot signs of processing disorders. Learn how these challenges appear & how to better support affected students.

<h2>How School Psychologists Can Spot the Signs of Processing Deficits</h2><p>Students with processing issues often struggle in the classroom. But school psychologists who are observing students in the classroom can watch for key behaviors that may signify deficits in auditory, visual or phonological processing. They can then recommend students for further evaluation and get them the support, intervention, and strategies they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.</p><p>Here’s a look at a few different types of processing disorders and how they commonly show up in the classroom.</p><h2>Signs of Auditory Processing Disorder in the Classroom</h2><p>In auditory processing disorder (APD), the way in which the brain processes what is heard is disrupted; APD is not a type of hearing loss, although those with the disorder do struggle with hearing-related tasks (<a href="https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/auditory-processing-disorder" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NCH</a>). When observing a student in the classroom, the school psychologist can note whether the student is (Forsyth.k12):</p><ul><li>Struggling to hear</li><li>Misunderstanding what others say</li><li>Daydreaming</li><li>Frequently replying with incorrect answers to questions</li><li>Having difficulty tuning out ambient noise</li><li>Showing distraction, frustration or impulsivity</li><li>Not following oral directions</li><li>Frequently asking for repetition; often saying “what? or “huh?”</li><li>Having a short auditory attention span</li><li>Showing mild speech-language impairments</li><li>Struggling with phonics, reading or spelling</li><li>Having poor short-term and long-term memory</li><li>Showing delayed response time</li></ul><h2>Signs of Visual Processing Disorders in the Classroom</h2><p>There are various types of disorders in which the brain has challenges processing visual information. These include issues with visual figure-ground discrimination, visual sequencing, visual-motor processing, visual memory, spatial, visual closure and letter and symbol reversal (<a href="https://www.churchillstl.org/learning-disability-resources/visual-processing-disorder/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Churchill</a>). When watching for visual processing disorders, educators can look for students who are (<a href="https://www.churchillstl.org/learning-disability-resources/visual-processing-disorder/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Churchill</a>):</p><ul><li>Struggling to distinguish between similar shapes, letters or objects</li><li>Having trouble distinguishing letters or shapes from their background</li><li>Skipping lines, reading the same lines repeatedly or having difficulty seeing letters or words in order</li><li>Bumping into things when walking, being uncoordinated</li><li>Struggling to write within lines</li><li>Having trouble remembering symbols or shapes they have seen</li><li>Struggling to distinguish where objects are in space</li><li>Mixing up letters or numbers when writing</li></ul><h2>Signs of Phonological Processing Deficits in the Classroom</h2><p>Students with phonological processing deficits may struggle with phonemic awareness, sound-symbol relationships and phonological memory. When evaluating a student for phonological processing issues, the school psychologist can see whether the child is (<a href="https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1539642499/davisk12utus/alop50ordwomp7pnmezl/Areas_of_Processing_Deficit.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wagner et al.</a>):</p><ul><li>Inaccurately applying sound rules during reading tasks</li><li>Having trouble decoding new words</li><li>Struggling with reading comprehension of complex sentences</li><li>Struggling with listening comprehension of complex sentences</li><li>Forgetting how to pronounce letters, word segments or entire words</li><li>Showing slow or inaccurate recall of phonological codes from memory</li><li>Having difficulties with reading fluency</li><li>Having trouble learning new written and/or oral vocabulary</li></ul><p>Understanding how processing disorders emerge in the classroom can help school psychologists evaluate students, get them interventions, and ultimately set them up for success. While each child is different, recognizing patterns and signs can help educational professionals identify children for testing to get them the support, accommodations, modifications, and tools they need.</p><p>To find out where your specialized skills are needed most, check out our <a href="https://www.crosscountryeducation.com/job-search" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">school psychologist jobs</a> now.</p><p><br></p>

Identifying Students' Processing Disorders in the Classroom

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Recognizing Processing Disorders in the Classroom

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