By Ruthie Swibel

At the age of 2, my daughter qualified for Early Intervention speech and language intervention. She thrived in the program and no longer qualified by age 4. Good news! Or so we thought. While she had no difficulties learning to read, by the middle of first grade I started to question how much she was understanding of what she read. She was decoding and reading at a sufficient rate and those are the typical markers that schools look at. By the middle of her third grade year, the incessant nagging worry got the better of me, and I finally shelled out for a private neuropsychological evaluation. The diagnosis: Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).

My daughter could read, write, and spell. But she was often searching for the word she wanted as if it was on the tip of her tongue and then disappeared. Her grammar and syntax seemed off, and she struggled to understand what she read. She often struggled to understand complex spoken language and to express herself without strings of “ummm, like…” and the ubiquitous describing word she relied on, “thingy.”

These are all hallmarks of DLD. When I shared the results of the private evaluation with her school the response was, “Well, she can read so she doesn’t qualify for services. And even if she DID qualify, we wouldn’t know what to do with her.” This was in 2019, four years before the recent announcement this fall by the U.S. Department of Education that DLD is to be considered a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA). This announcement came four years after we sought the expertise of a Speech-Language Pathologist to work privately with my daughter on her language needs. It is only because of this intervention that my daughter can succeed in school. This is a lifelong disability, so she will likely continue to need support. Now that DLD is recognized as a disability, the hope is that students can receive the support they need within the school setting. But progress on this front is slow.

DLD is a brain-based difference, like autism or dyslexia. Children with DLD are born with a brain variation that makes it difficult to learn and use language. Approximately one in 14 children have DLD and it often runs in families. DLD is SEVEN times more prevalent than autism. It is often considered a “hidden” disability because children with DLD can present as quiet and shy, and can oftentimes learn to read; all factors that help them slide under the radar in a classroom setting. Further exacerbating the challenges around providing support for children with DLD is the fact that it is a mostly unknown entity in schools among teachers and staff; most schools focus assessments on word reading skills and don’t evaluate language skills. While schools are slowly awakening to the realities of dyslexia, most are unaware that 50% of children with dyslexia also have DLD. This means that interventions provided solely for developing word-reading skills will never be enough for these children. Instruction targeted at vocabulary development, syntax, grammar, and listening comprehension is critical for all students, especially students with DLD and/or dyslexia. Now that DLD is finally receiving official recognition under IDEA, we can hopefully amplify our advocacy efforts for students with this hidden disability.

At Redwood Literacy, teachers have poured themselves into the research on language and literacy development to develop a writing and reading comprehension curriculum called Writing Our World™ (WOW™). This integrated approach leverages the synergistic relationship between reading, writing, and comprehension. WOW™ is also thoughtfully infused with vocabulary development; a true antidote to isolated skill practice that leaves too many students without fully-developed comprehension skills.  Using WOW™, the resources listed below, and reaching out to Redwood Literacy for ideas for training and advocacy, can ensure all students receive the integrated, comprehensive instruction they need to become fully literate and reach their potential.

To learn more about DLD and how to join advocacy efforts:

DLD and Me
RADLD - Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder

To learn more about Writing Our World:

Click here for intervention services through Redwood Literacy

Click here to purchase the Writing Our World™ curriculum for your home or classroom