NBPTS Exceptional Needs Specialist Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Master Your Certification!

A specific learning disability primarily impacts a child's ability to think and perform academic tasks. This type of disability manifests in challenges with skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics, which are essential for academic success. Children with specific learning disabilities may exhibit difficulties in processing information, understanding instructions, or applying knowledge to different contexts, which directly affects their performance in schoolwork.

This focus on academic tasks distinguishes specific learning disabilities from other types of challenges, such as social skills deficits or issues related to cognitive functioning in a broader sense. While cognitive processing can be related to learning, a specific learning disability is particularly concerned with the academic outputs rather than overall cognitive functioning. Thus, while aspects such as socialization and physical health can be influenced by various disabilities or challenges, a specific learning disability pertains specifically to academic performance.