This study investigates the cognitive abilities of children referred as having learning difficulties by their teachers. The participants were 60 children of both sexes, 30 with difficulties and 30 without difficulties, ages ranging 7-10 years old, attending 1st and 2nd elementary grades in public schools in Sao Paulo state, as well as their teachers. The instruments were: the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ-III) composed of 10 tests, and school grades in Portuguese, Math and Science. The results from Multivariate and Univariate Analysis of Variance indicated significant group differences for all cognitive abilities measured. Pearson correlations demonstrated significant relationships among abilities related to crystallized intelligence, long term retrieval, auditory processing, fluid reasoning, and working memory with grades in Portuguese, whereas the last one was also significant related to Mathematics. In conclusion, the Woodcock Johnson III Battery was confirmed as a valid measure to identify learning difficulties among Brazilian children.
Learning disabilities; Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery; Validation
