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The Low-Down on Learning Disabilities
by Shari Goldhagen, 05.09.03
Learning disabilities are common, and nothing to be ashamed of. |
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Jeremy had never been a bad kid, but during the seventh grade, his parents and teachers noticed he was acting up a lot and his grades didn't reflect the hours he spent on homework.
"Problem solving was really difficult for me," Jeremy says. "It was simple for everyone else, but for me it was impossible. I spent a lot of time being angry at myself before one of my teachers suggested I get tested for a learning disability."
Once his learning disability (LD) was diagnosed, Jeremy's school put together a plan to help him succeed. They provided a tutor who showed him special study techniques to compensate for his specific problems, and they altered the curriculum to fit his needs.
"They determined I would have trouble learning a foreign language," he says. "But I was really good at writing, so the school allowed me to take a special journalism course in place of Spanish. They really worked with my strengths."
Apparently it paid off — not only did Jeremy make it through high school, he also graduated from an excellent college and is now an award-winning journalist in Chicago.
Learning About LDs
Learning disabilities are disorders that affect a person's ability to interpret what she or he sees and hears. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, LDs are generally divided into three categories:
- Developmental Speech and Language Disorders. People with speech disorders have trouble making speech sounds — for example, the word "rabbit" comes out as "wabbit." People with language disorders have difficulty using spoken language to communicate, or understanding what other people say. People with language disorders might know what they want to say, but can't find the right words to express themselves. Or, they have difficulty following simple directions because they can't make sense of certain sounds, words, or sentences.
- Academic Skills Disorders. Developmental reading disorder is more commonly known as dyslexia. People with dyslexia have difficulty recognizing the sounds associated with letters and understanding words and grammar. For example, a person with dyslexia might misread the word "does" as "dose." People with developmental writing disorder often have trouble with spelling or with composing complete, grammatical sentences. People with developmental arithmetic disorder have a hard time recognizing numbers and symbols and understanding mathematical concepts like fractions.
- Other Learning Disabilities. This broad category includes other disorders that deal with motor skills, coordination, and memory. It also includes attention disorders like attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). People with attention disorders have trouble sitting still and organizing their thoughts, among other symptoms.
If You Have an LD ...
If you're experiencing any of these problems, it's a good idea to talk to a guidance counselor or school psychologist who can make a formal diagnosis, and show you how to get the help you need.
According to the Department of Education, 2.8 million children and teenagers in the U.S. currently receive special education services for learning disorders. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a federal law, requires schools to provide special accommodations, for students with LDs, such as giving them more time to complete tests, repeating instructions and directions, or allowing them to work in a different kind of environment. Students may also be eligible for tutoring.
Learning disabilities are common, and nothing to be ashamed of — they don't result from anything you or your parents did "wrong." Having a learning disability simply means you process information differently — NOT that you're not smart enough or you're not trying hard enough. Albert Einstein, Magic Johnson, Tom Cruise, Whoopi Goldberg, and plenty of other famous (and not-so-famous) people with LDs have found great success in every field — and there's no reason you won't, too.
For more information and resources on learning disabilities, check out:
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