Students with Reading Difficulties
Diagnostic Testing
The first diagnostic testing of reading difficulties relies mainly on the school. The methods used are teacher observation and school internal assessments. In 2016, the Education Quality Agency began providing an optional progressive test for Grade 2 to be administered by schools. The Ministry of Education states that students with temporary or permanent special education needs should be diagnosed both by a physician and a special education teacher in order to receive special funding.22 Diagnoses that qualify for this funding include learning disorders affecting reading.
Instruction for Children with Reading Difficulties
The school system in Chile is responsible for giving equitable educational access to all students, regardless of their special characteristics or needs. Students with special education needs attend special education schools or are integrated into regular classrooms. In both cases, schools that teach students with special education needs receive extra funding.23,24
Students with special education needs, including reading learning disorders, receive support from educational psychologists and special education teachers. There also is a special curricular modification to address special needs.25