Question

although her reading skills are just fine, beatriz has difficulty with her writing. her teachers have noticed that no matter how hard she tries and how much they work with her the handwriting on her papers is almost illegible. further, although she has great thoughts and understands concepts at a high level, she is unable to put them into a cohesive written paper. beatriz may suffer from

a - dyslexia
b - dysgraphia
c - dyscalculia
d - intellectual disability

Explanation:

Analyze the student's symptoms

The problem describes Beatriz, who has fine reading skills but struggles significantly with writing. Specifically, her handwriting is nearly illegible, and she has difficulty organizing her thoughts into a cohesive written paper despite understanding concepts at a high level.

Evaluate the options

• Dyslexia is a learning disability characterized by difficulty reading, spelling, and identifying speech sounds. Since Beatriz's reading skills are "just fine," this is incorrect.
• Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that affects writing abilities. It can manifest as difficulties with spelling, poor handwriting, and trouble putting thoughts on paper. This matches Beatriz's symptoms perfectly.
• Dyscalculia is a learning disability related to mathematical calculations and numbers, which is not mentioned here.
• Intellectual disability involves generalized neurodevelopmental limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Since Beatriz "understands concepts at a high level," she does not have an intellectual disability.

Formulate the final conclusion

Based on the clinical definitions of these learning disorders, Beatriz's specific difficulties with handwriting and written expression point directly to dysgraphia.

Answer:

• A - dyslexia
• B - dysgraphia (Correct answer)
• C - dyscalculia
• D - intellectual disability