In my senior year of high school, I read an article written by someone with a learning disability. Her opening sentence was, “I vividly remember the first time I had to justify getting extra time to take a test.” My jaw hit the floor! All throughout middle and high school, friends would question why it was necessary for me to stay after class without submitting an assignment, take tests in a room with no students and why was I given extended time on tests.
Reading the author’s words resonated with me on so many levels. She theorized that people’s judgment stemmed from her being “twice exceptional” meaning those with learning disabilities who are smart and compensate for their weakness. For the first time in my life, it felt as though I could relate to someone about the struggles I dealt with throughout my school years.
Learning disabilities are commonly misunderstood and underpublicized. In fact, since learning disabilities are invisible, the diagnosis is often delayed and is difficult to treat. Outsiders generally doubt the existence without truly knowing how hard some children struggle with learning disabilities.
As someone who was diagnosed years ago with Apraxia, a speech, and a non-verbal processing disorder, I am all too familiar with the ridicule and ignorant comments directed at those with learning disabilities.
Shockingly, recent statistics from the National Center for Learning Disabilities show that almost two-thirds of people in the United States know someone struggling with a learning disability, so why is it we are still hearing these ridiculous questions? Here is what people with learning disabilities are tired of hearing.
1. If you have a learning disability, why are you smart?
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me this I would not have to work while going to school. Since I have been able to maintain a 4.0 throughout high school and college people are shocked to learn I have a learning disability. Learning Disabilities (LDs) do not affect someone’s intelligence, they impact the way they learn and process information. In fact, many intelligent people were diagnosed with a learning disability like Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin and Thomas Edison. People with learning disabilities see and interpret the world differently, allowing them to create great change.
2. So it’s like Dyslexia?
Although people who ask this question do not mean anything negative by it, STOP comparing all learning disabilities to dyslexia. Dyslexia is a language-based learning disorder, meaning students struggle with reading and understanding the written word. There are four other main learning disability categories. Dyslexia is commonly known so it is understandable to use it as a point of reference, but please stop and try to learn more about other types of LDs.
3. Wow, you’re so lucky! I wish I had extended time.
Do you really wish this? It would mean that simple tasks would take you double, triple, or even ten times longer to complete. During elementary school, I wasn’t able to participate in after-school sports because my homework took me so long to complete. During high school, I would stay up past the time any 16-year-old should and gave up my weekends because I refused to give up extracurriculars. I also highly doubt you would want to deal with a jumbled mess in your head that you must unscramble to complete common daily assignments.
4. Anyone can get an A with extended time. It’s not fair!
The first time someone said this to me I remember being too shocked for words. I wasn’t getting an A because of extended time, I earned that A because of the hours I spent preparing for the exam. Tests are created for the typical student, but LD students are not traditional. We look at things in other ways and go about different processes to reach the final answer. 504 plans are created to give students with disabilities the accommodations they need to succeed or level the playing field as someone put it. Without one, it would be like asking a fish to climb a tree. Extended time does not guarantee an A, or even guarantee you finish the exam. This happened to me last semester with my physics final when I was unable to complete an exam despite being given 5 hours.
5. You’re just lazy.
Excuse me? Just because you cannot see my disability doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I have to work harder than most of my friends to do half as well as they do. This means I have to be motivated to work my butt off 24/7. For instance, when studying for a traditional open book quiz, I read the chapter, write notes on the chapter, take practice tests and finally begin the quiz.
6. What happened to you?
Truthfully, I do not know. Doctors and researcher have some ideas for the root causes of Apraxia, but little is known why I have my learning disability. No, my mom didn’t do drugs or drink when she was pregnant with me. I wasn’t dropped on my head as a child and my parents aren’t cousins. For some reason, however, my brain developed differently, but it doesn’t make me any less of a person.
7. I would never think you would have a learning disability.
How does one answer this? Thank you? Don’t ever assume that LD means mentally challenged. Learning disabilities do not discriminate race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. People with learning disabilities deal with all types of experiences and saying something like this assumes everyone with a learning disability is the same. It is important to remember that my learning disability does not define me, but it has played an integral part in developing who I am as a person.
8. You’ll eventually outgrow it.
Sorry to tell you this, but learning disabilities do not fade away with time. However, people learn to compensate and are still able to achieve success. I face many of the same problems today that I did when I was younger, but I have the tools to work through them. Against all odds, I defy the stereotype of an LS student by maintaining a 4.0 and writing for Odyssey.
