The stigma attached to the learning disabled can be crippling to the individual who needs to seek help. As one student said in the video, "What if my friends see me going into, or coming out of the DSS lab?" Teachers are included in this stigma. Some teachers do not know how each learning disability works. They may have never dealt with an individual who needed the extra notes, or needed to tape the class lecture, and thinks that it is odd and scary. But, at the same time the amount of help that can be provided for the individual with a learning disability far out weigh the stigmas attached. It never hurts to ask. You have to advocate for yourself!
It was brought to my attention during discussion with fellow students enrolled in school, that, a lot of students feel they should be tested for learning disabilities. Many students, including myself, could relate to what was said in the video...how are they understanding this; why am I getting a lower grade even though I study twice as much? All of these comments made me wonder if testing should be done at the beginning of each level of schooling. Which brought up a question that I will leave you to think about... If learning disability testing was done, would it decrease the stigma related to these disabilities?
Click Here for a checklist for learning disabilities
Below are links to the sights I found my information.
From what friends of mine who have children with LDs have told me, the routine screenings done in the public schools may not catch the child with less severe forms of LDs. One went through quite a bit of out of pocket expense to finally have her daughter finally diagnosed with a LD so that she could receive services (which the girl wanted to deny). Many parents don't have the resources to go this far nor the knowledge to challenge a negative evaluation for an LD. Also, according to my friends, the public schools did not provide enough educational support for their children and so they sent their children to the Hill Center in Durham. This is a very expensive school for children with LDs and out of reach for many families.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that routine screening would identify more children with LDs and perhaps in the process decrease the stigma but I'm not sure the public schools want to open that can of worms.
It definitely is a tricky situation. Labels can be a relief, it can be very helpful to know there is clearly a "mechanical failure" and that an individual does have the ability to succeed with the right modifications. Knowing the problem, one can target a better solution. On the other hand, labels can also act as crutches. THe individual might accept a more pessimistic view on future abilities because of the label. THus, not attempt to overcome the deficits.
ReplyDeleteAt what point does a parent pursue a diagnosis? Certainly to obtain services, but what functional challenges are observed? It would be interesting to know what pushed the parents above to seek services? What underachievements or difficulties were they seeing in the child? Minimal deficits are a challenge because if a child is "functional" then there might not be a perceived problem from the school perspective.
Kids can compensate for LD through their activity choices to the extent the difficulties are not even noted unless someone is vigilant about academic task assessments.