School of Thought

Lazy or Learning Disabled? Myths Regarding LD & Intelligence

  

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Lazy or Learning Disabled?
Myths Regarding LD & Intelligence

The term “learning disabilities” has garnered negative connotations in the past. Somehow, to be disabled in any way was to be considered “less than.”  There are many myths regarding learning disabilities that are held by the general population and even by educational professionals that need to be dispelled. In advocating for these students, we are attempting to educate society about learning “differences” among our brightest students.

 Myths

 1). People with Learning Disabilities have low intelligence or are less intelligent than their peers.

            By definition, those students who have a learning disability must be of average or above-average intelligence as measured by a cognitive test (IQ) and display a statistically significant discrepancy between their ability and educational achievement scores. In addition, some students with an LD are twice exceptional meaning that they are “gifted” in addition to having a learning disability.

 2). People with LD are lazy.

                            Learning differences are not related to character flaws. These individuals often struggle to learn even basic concepts in some academic areas. They may make the same mistakes repeatedly or may forget to bring in the homework assignment that they completed the night before.  Such mistakes are not intentional or due to a lack of effort but are instead caused by a genuine learning difference that makes understanding and completing academic work extremely difficult.

 3). Learning Disabilities can be “cured” or outgrown (or only affect children).

           A learning disability is never “cured”, instead it can be managed or accommodated. As children mature and reach adulthood, they may have learned to accommodate and adapt to their learning styles. Adults that have developed effective compensatory strategies may seem “cured” because they have found ways to minimize the impact of their disabilities on their daily functioning, but the disability is still there.   Psycho-educational assessments can help with the process of adaptation and accommodation as a thorough understanding of each person’s unique strengths and needs is important when developing intervention plans or accommodation strategies.

 4) School accommodations give students with LD an unfair advantage (or we are lowering the bar for them).

           Accommodations are viewed as a means to “level the playing field” for very bright people who do not learn in the same manner as typical students.  Viewing academic accommodations as an unfair advantage is akin to viewing access to wheelchairs as an unfair advantage received by those with mobility issues.  Accommodations are designed to make education more accessible to students with LD so that they can receive the full benefit of school.        

Can you think of any other myths about learning disabilities?  Please share your thoughts.

Chesapeake Bay Academy: Disabilities : fox43tv.com