A child sits alone in a classroom, staring at the blank lines of a page — he’s meant to craft an essay within them, is supposed to offer reasons for his many daydreams (the little glances out a window, the minutes wasted with imaginary conversations). It’s a punishment of idle thoughts and idle hands. He refuses to learn and must now pay the price. The detention will last until his work is completed.
But charting out the explanations for his wandering mind isn’t easy. He can’t express the restlessness, the worry. He can’t tell of how information becomes tangled in his brain, all words blurring together until he can’t read their meanings. There is confusion in the simplest of tasks — and he’s afraid all will brand him weak if he admits it.
So he writes nothing and his problem remains unknown.
Learning difficulties are complicated things: with their symptoms often ignored, deemed a simple lack of focus. Too often do children refuse to confess their own worries; and too often do teachers misinterpret struggling minds. The cycle is a vicious one, if only because it’s perpetuated so easily. It continues when it shouldn’t have to.
It’s imperative therefore that all students, teachers and parents recognize the signs of a disability — and address them quickly. Understand the difference between a wavering attention span or a genuine concern.
Look for:
One: Transposing of letters or numbers.
Two: Difficulty in verbalizing thoughts.
Three: Unstable coordination.
Four: Weak memory.
Five: Inability to comprehend open-ended questions.
Six: Always distracted.
Seven: Failure to grasp new skills.
Most students will experience forms of these symptoms throughout their educational careers (they can be caused by stress or other factors). But individuals who suffer with them daily must be helped. A learning difficulty should be noted early and combated, not merely assumed to be a reflection of poor attention skills. Teachers must recognize the signs and discover ways to counter them effectively.
