• Rashida says: 
July 26, 2012 at 3:16 am 
I appreciate your detailed explanation of the relationship between extreme discrepancy and NVLD. My son is NVLD and very much fits the profile, which has been fairly well established. What’s missing from the literature is what to do with the profile! He was “kicked out” of a special education school for being too functional, but he cannot function in public school full of much more sophisticated teenagers. We are sending him to a Catholic prep school with an accommodative support program. The question will be: will he function independently?
• Melissa Mullin, Ph.D. says: 
August 17, 2012 at 4:05 pm 
Upon reviewing my reply I realized I didn’t provide suggestions on how to deal with a child with NLD. Setting up a strong support system for your son and helping him build coping skills will help him move toward independence. Using the scaffolding system, you give support while a skill is being developed and then slowly take it away as the student is able to perform on his own. Here is an edited article that outlines many suggestions.

 

• The website LDonline is a great resource, http://www.ldonline.org/indepth/nonverbal.
Developing an Educational Plan for the Student with NLD
By: Sue Thompson, M.A., C.E. (1998)
Read the full article at: http://www.ldonline.org/article/6119/

 

• Has difficulty coping with changes in routine and transitions Providing a predictable and safe environment with a consistent daily routine;
• Minimizing transitions and giving several verbal cues to the student before transitions;
• Furnishing the child’s parents with a schedule of activities so they can “rehearse” (preview and prepare) for the following day with their child and make sure he has the necessary supplies required for the day’s activities;
• Posting a simple written schedule on the blackboard at the beginning of each day in primary grades;
• Explaining the daily agenda to the older child so he can begin to internalize the structure of his school day;
• Writing out a high school student’s daily schedule on a card (with any changes in routine highlighted) that can be carried from class to class, so it is always readily available.

 

• Has difficulty generalizing previously learned information Never expecting the student to automatically generalize instructions or concepts;
• Using language as the bridge to tie new situations to old learning;
• Reviewing past information before presenting new concepts;
• Verbally pointing out similarities, differences and connections;
• Verbally indicating generalizations which can be drawn in various situations;
• Methodically discussing the cause-and-effect relationships of events and situations with the student.

 

• Has difficulty following multi-step instructions Writing out and/or tape recording multi-step instructions;
• Numbering and presenting instructions in the most efficient sequence;
• Breaking all tasks down into manageable segments and presenting them a few at a time;
• Making sure the student understands your instructions- don’t assume that repeating them back to you means that he will remember and can follow through;
• Pairing the student with NLD with a nondisabled “buddy” who can remind him of “the next step;”
• \Teaching the student mnemonic devices for short term memory enhancement;
• Checking with the student at frequent intervals to be sure he is not “lost” or confused.

 

• Makes very literal translations Explaining what you mean by the things you say which may be misinterpreted;
• Simplifying and breaking-down abstract concepts;
• Starting with concrete concepts and images and slowly moving to abstract concepts and images, at a pace set by the student;
• Understanding that metaphors, emotional nuances, multiple levels of meanings, and relationship issues as presented in novels will not be understood unless explained;
• Teaching the student to say “I’m not sure what you mean” or “That doesn’t make sense to me” to give her a specific vocabulary to help her decipher your intent.

 

• Asks too many questions Answering the student’s questions whenever it is possible and practical (other students in the class may actually have the same questions, but be lacking in the verbal abilities to ask them);
• Starting the other students on the assignment and then individually answering the rest of this student’s questions;
• Designating a specific time during the day when you can continue a discussion which needs to end at the moment;
• Telling the student you only have time to answer three questions right now (a specific number is important – – don’t say “a few”), but that you will be glad to answer three more of his questions during the recess break;
• Specifically teaching the student when it is appropriate to ask for help (i.e. if he will be unable to continue his assignment unless something he doesn’t understand is explained to him) and the appropriate methods of doing so;
• Explicitly teaching the rules of polite social conduct, so that the child does not constantly interrupt class activities with his questions.

 

• Is easily overwhelmed Diffusing potentially weighty situations as early on as possible;
• Minimizing environmental stimuli (especially visual and tactile);
• Having a consistent strategy to employ when the child can no longer cope due to overstimulation, frustration or confusion;
• Allowing the child to abstain from participating in activities when she demonstrates any signs of overload;
• Eliminating all nightly homework assignments;
• Implementing a modified schedule or other creative programming strategy.

 

• May experience heightened sensory experiences Preparing the environment for the child (eliminating known sensory stressors);
• Reducing distractions and situations contributing to sensory overload;
• Focusing on one sensory modality at a time (avoiding multi-sensory approaches to instruction);
• Allowing modifications as needed to deal with sensitivity issues (protecting the child from sounds that hurt his ears or avoiding the use of fluorescent lights in the classroom);
• Talking in a low whisper to a child with extreme auditory sensitivity;
• Ensuring that this child is placed in a classroom location with the least amount of distraction (usually up at the front of the room, away from visual and auditory sources of “clutter”).



 

• May develop secondary issues with stress and anxiety Previewing and preparing for all novel situations and transitions in advance;
• Providing a consistent and predictable daily routine;
• Gradually exposing this child to new activities, teachers, classes, schools, etc.;
• Ensuring that this child is safe from physical and emotional abuse; · Avoiding sudden and unexpected surprises;
• Thoroughly preparing the child in advance for field trips, modified schedules, or other changes, regardless of how minimal;
• Talking the child through stressful situations or (non-punitively) removing her from the stressful situation;
• Providing personal space in the resource room or other designated area for regrouping and relaxation.

 

• Imparts the “illusion of competency” Providing a highly individualized educational program;
• Applying age and grade-level expectations with flexibility;
• Emphasizing the strong academic skills and gifts of the child with NLD by creating cooperative learning situations in which his proficient verbal, reading, oral spelling, vocabulary, and memory skills will be showcased to advantage (and his difficulties with writing can be de-emphasized);
• Never assuming this child understands something just because he can parrot back what you have just said;
• Never assuming this child understands what he has read, just because he is a “proficient” reader (has excellent word recognition);
• Offering added verbal explanations when the child seems “lost” or registers obvious confusion.