Frequently Asked Questions about Special Learning Needs:

These questions and answers are taken, in part, from a pamphlet available to you in the Learning Consultant’s office, entitled “Early Identification of Special Needs” from the Archdiocese of St. Louis Catholic Education Office.

 Why is it important to find out if my child has a special need?

Early identification and intervention is the key to making a difference in your child’s success and happiness, both at school and throughout life. 

What do I do if I suspect that my child has a special need? 

First, talk to your child’s teacher and see what the teacher has observed in class. Mrs. Turnure can also observe your child and be a part of the team that is helping you and your child. In addition, you can get more information such as books, videos, and web sites from Mrs. Turnure that will help you understand your child’s needs.  

What can the school do to help my child?

The teacher and the learning consultant will make observations and gather data, discuss the nature of the difficulties your child is having in learning, and devise a plan that can be put into place to help your child be more successful in the classroom. Then, the teacher and learning consultant will periodically check the data being collected to see if the strategies are making a difference.  Sometimes the strategies need to be changed or replaced with different ones. 

What can I, as a parent, do to help my child?

You can continue to work with the school closely by communicating on a regular basis about how to best help with homework, reinforcing the message your child hears at school regarding learning, and using encouraging and hopeful words with your child.In addition, it may be recommended to you to get a hearing or vision test, or an evaluation of your child’s learning done at an agency outside the school. Evaluations provide more information about the possible causes for your child’s difficulties and professional opinions regarding the best strategies for home and/or school to use in helping your child become successful in learning. Because childhood and adolescence are critical times of personal and academic development, it is important to get the information at this time.Then, when you get recommendations from the professional regarding things to try at home to increase school success, implement them as you can. 

What types of evaluations are there?

There are educational evaluations that assess your child’s general ability to use information to solve problems and his/her current achievement in basic school subjects. These tests are sometimes called “diagnostic” tests or “psychological” tests and are given to students in a one-on-one setting. There are also speech and language evaluations that assess a person’s ability to understand and use spoken and written language. And, finally, there are behavioral/social/emotional evaluations and medical evaluations.  

How do I know who does these evaluations and what the process is like?

Mrs. Turnure has a list of possible places to take your child for testing. You can also ask your pediatrician for recommendations. A pamphlet, entitled “Early Identification of Special Needs” by the Archdiocese of St. Louis Catholic Education Office, provides other helpful information regarding evaluations. 

Please call Mrs. Turnure at (314) 576-5366, ext. 36 if you have any questions that are not answered here.Thank you.