AbstractThe McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) was used to evaluate the performance of preschool children with speech/language disorders. Preschoolers were screened first for normal intelligence using the Performance scale of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI). Preschoolers with speechllanguage disorders had significantly lower scores on all scales of the MSCA (Verbal, Perceptual/Performance, Quantitative, and Memory), except the Motor scale. They also had an average 20‐point lower GCI than the control children. An analysis of the scores of the speechllanguage group on subtests revealed difficulty in short‐ term auditory memory skills but not in short‐term visual memory skills. Deficits in categorical thinking skills and verbal expression skills were also evident. Characteriza‐ tion of learning disabilities in preschoolers with speechllanguage disorders is di