Seven Myths About Learning Difficulties…Have You Heard Them?
Students with learning challenges just aren’t smart…
By definition, students diagnosed with learning difficulties have at least average to above average intelligence. This is what is so confusing! The student appears bright, but just doesn’t make all the connections to be able to do the work.
They’re just lazy. They need to try harder…
We want our students to learn to work smarter, not harder. If you don’t have a complete set of learning tools, how long would you be willing to put out large amounts of extra effort only to fail over and over again? How long before our students just wear out and quit?
Students who do poorly in school just don’t care…
Lack of motivation is different than not having the skills to accomplish the task. Most students do care… deeply. But why should you try hard if you know that you are going to fail anyway?
If you aren’t diagnosed Learning Disabled, Dyslexic, or ADHD, then you don’t have a learning difficulty…
Most learning challenges are caused by a weakness in the underlying learning skills. These skills are the root of the brain’s ability to process information. The brain must be able to take information in, remember and organize it, and then use it in learning.
Students with learning difficulties just need time. They’ll grow out of it…
Unfortunately, when learning skills or processsing problems are just left alone, it is still there months later and will follow the student into adulthood. Simple maturation will not fix the problem.
The best way to help a person with a learning difficulty is to help them get around it – to make accommodations…
If you had a bike with a flat tire, wouldn’t it make sense to fix the tire before training for a road race? You could get by with a lot of extra effort and someone holding the seat and running alongside, but your achievement level is seriously compromised.
A learning difficulty is a permanent problem…
Brain research over the last 20+ years has validated that the brain can change at any time of life, not just during early childhood. The brain can learn to think about and process information in new and more efficient ways. And our student can learn to work smarter, not harder with intensive, specific training.