Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) Practice Exam

The category of specific learning disabilities (SLDs) is characterized by a noticeable discrepancy between a person's intellectual abilities and their academic performance. Individuals with SLDs display strengths in certain cognitive areas while struggling significantly in academic tasks such as reading, writing, or mathematics. This gap indicates that, despite having average or above-average cognitive abilities, their actual performance in school does not reflect their potential, leading to challenges in achieving academic success.

This distinction is critical because it encompasses varied profiles where students can excel in one area while facing difficulties in others, such as a student who performs well on IQ tests but struggles with reading comprehension. This pattern is common in SLDs and among students diagnosed with dyslexia or other specific learning challenges. Understanding this gap helps educators tailor interventions and support strategies to help close it, promoting better academic outcomes.

In contrast, intellectual disabilities typically involve overall cognitive functioning that is below average, making the gap less pronounced. Emotional disturbances may impact a student's behavior and social interactions but do not necessarily reflect an intellectual gap in the same way. Autistic spectrum disorders present a variety of challenges, but they do not consistently demonstrate the same marked gap in intellectual versus school performance as observed in specific learning disabilities.