What can benefit a student with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD)?

• A. If they are in a higher grade
• B. Extra time and using strengths
• C. Extra homework
• D. Remove all tests

Answer: (B)

Focusing on supports that reduce processing demands and play to a student’s strengths helps a student with Specific Learning Disability access the material and show what they know. Extra time on tasks gives the student more opportunity to process information, organize responses, and check work, which reduces errors made from rushing or slow decoding. Using strengths means letting the student demonstrate understanding in ways that fit their abilities—such as providing oral responses if they have strong verbal skills or using graphic organizers to support writing—so learning tasks become more accessible and engagement stays high. When these accommodations are combined, they address the student’s specific challenges and support meaningful progress.

Other options don’t align as well with how SLDs affect learning: simply placing a student in a higher grade doesn’t ensure the necessary supports are in place, extra homework increases workload without addressing underlying skills, and removing all tests removes essential information teachers use to tailor instruction and monitor progress.