Nerd Tools

NERD Tools Foundation was established in 2018 by a group of scientists with the aim of developing and promoting Educational Neuroscience Research.

NERD seeks to develop diagnostic and intervention tools which could also act as assistive technological aids for learning.

First Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Toolkit in India

NERD Tools foundation has developed a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Toolkit for assessment of Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia. These tools are based on latest research in neuroscience. The tools assess age appropriate core abilities and skills in children and are curriculum agnostic. The tools are culturally and contextually appropriate for India and will be available in multiple India languages. Once assessed, an intervention regime can be formulated specific to a child’s type and degree of disability.

Range

Includes performance-based assessments for Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia.

Languages

Available in Hindi, English for classes 6-12, normed across 800 children from government schools.

Skill based

Skill based and curriculum free and can be used across CBSE, State Board, ICSE, IGCSE and all boards.

Oral Language

Picture Vocabulary
Sentence Repetition
Listening Comprehension

Phonological Awareness

Rhyme
Alliteration
Phoneme/ Syllable Replacement

Orthographic Awareness

Symbol Configurations
Choose the Real Word
Word Break

Automaticity & Executive Function

Rapid Naming
Semantic Fluency
Verbal Fluency

Literacy

Word Reading
Non-word Reading
Dictation
Reading Comprehension

Basic Number Skills

Perceptual & Symbolic Magnitude Estimation
Counting
Die Faces Addition

Visuospatial Ability

Join the Dots
Mental Rotation (Twin Task)
Paper Folding

Working Memory & Semantics

Backward Digit Span
Honeycomb Patterns
Math Facts

Quantitation

Arithmetic
Geometry
Data Interpretation
Word Problems

3-minute spontaneous writing (free expression) exercise

5 Evaluation criteria:

Motor coordination
Word spacing
Consistency
Legibility
Quality of expression

Press

Regional language dyslexia screening tool, DALI, now available as an app

A dyslexia test for non-English speakers

DALI gives new hope to dyslexic children

Talking, Reading, Listening and Singing to Understand the Human Brain

First indigenous dyslexia assessment tool launched

Changing the script: Now a tool book to help dyslexic children

Mission and Vision

Product Development

- To develop screening and assessments to identify learning disabilities to suit linguistic and cultural diversity of India.
Training

- Training programmes for parents, teachers and psychologists in the use of product materials.
Remediation

- To develop evidence based remediation strategies that will address deficits in literacy acquisition.
Digital Delivery Platform

- To develop a digital platform and a mobile application for screening.