Reference information:

Volden, J. (2004). Nonverbal learning disability: a tutorial for speechlanguage pathologists. American Journal of Speech-Language
Pathology, 13. Retrieved from asha.org.
Topics addressed:
This article addressed the characteristics of nonverbal learning
disabilities (NLD), theories surround NLD, and the similarities and
differences from other diagnostic measures. It then went into detail on
the communication implications and what speech-language
pathologists can do to help those with NLD.
Summary (include question, participants, methods, results)
Children with NLD are known to have deficits in visual perception,
touch perception, psychomotor skills, and dealing with the big picture.
They go through the world looking for verbal answers to questions that
they may have about their surrounding environment. They often have
major difficulties with math and numbers in general. One of the studies
discussed in the article was done on children who have NLD. The
children were split into three groups depending on if their deficits were
specific to certain skills or not. Tests such as the Peabody Picture
Vocabulary Test, the Auditory Closure Test, and the Target Test were
used to gather information about the children. The article also
discussed the impact of white matter on the brain and general
functioning throughout the two cerebral hemispheres. There was a
chart depicting conditions of the brain in comparison to the damage or
dysfunction found. The article explained that NLD and Aspergers
syndrome are very similar and should be considered together. There is
a possibility that NLD will be on the Autism Spectrum in the future due
to the similarities. Pragmatics is a deficit for those on the Autism
Spectrum but also is difficult for those with NLD. Children with NLD
often show fluent, grammatical speech but with a closer look, semantic
and pragmatic skills are negatively affected. The article concluded by
saying more research has to be done on NLD as it is a somewhat
unexplored topic.
Assess: (follow link for assessment questions)
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/553/03/
The article is somewhat outdated being that it was written over ten
years ago, but the information seems to stand the test of time as I
have learned similar things about NLD in the past. The article was
written for people within the field of speech-language pathology as it
referenced a lot of tests SLPs use along with using jargon. Although it
was written for SLPs, it was still fairly easy for me to understand the
main concept. There werent any vague generalizations; all of the
information was backed up with specific evidence.
Reflect:
(How was this source helpful? How does it change how you think about

this topic? How does it support or argue your topic?

The source was helpful because it gave me a better understanding of
what it's like for children with a non-verbal learning disability. It also
gave me a few tips on how to address communication for children with
NLD. I did not know a lot about NLD and its impact on communication
before reading this article, so it really helped me to understand the
important deficits that individuals with NLDs come across.
Annotated Bibliography Worksheet CDIS 402
(Adapted from
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/)