LEARNING FOR ALL
My name is Jake Christ, welcome to my blog:Learning For All. I have a learning difference, this blog is to make people like me not feel so isolated.
Introduction/ What is a Learning Difference?
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Hello there, my name is Jake Christ, I am 22 years old, and I have a learning difference. I am a senior at Longwood University, with a projected graduation of December 2022.
I was born on Long Island, New York in 2000, in 2004 I moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and finally, in 2015 I moved to Charlottesville, Virginia.
Furthermore, I was first diagnosed with a learning difference at the age of 5. Since then, I have been able to navigate the unpredictable educational system of the United States and attend a four-year University.
Learning for all is a blog that I have created to help people like me navigate the uncharted water of education. I hope to build a community that empowers people to become better versions of themselves and to feel a sense of community.
I will have eight journal entries that will discuss a new topic relating to managing a learning difference. In each blog post, I will introduce the topic, explain what the topic is, then share my personal experience with the particular topic. My sources of information will be hyperlinks at the end of each post.
In the first blog post of Learning For All, I will be discussing what a learning difference is, how to recognize the symptoms of a learning difference, how to get help, and then my personal experiences of how I was able to recognize my learning difference.
The correct term when discussing a learning difference is learning disability. Although I hate using the terminology of learning disability because I am, nor is anyone truly disabled from learning. In fact, nearly every single human being can learn, the discrepancy is how people learn.
By definition, a learning ‘disability’ is a “disorder that affects the ability to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical calculations, coordinate movements, or direct attention”.
This is a broad yet specific definition, can relate to all types of learners and all types of people. Having a learning difference is unique is to each person, but can have a similar tendency with others.
Common learning differences but not limited to are; dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, auditory processing disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
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A common reading symptom of a learning difference is reading at a below-typical pace (if you are in first grade and read at a kindergarten level or below),
Other reading difference symptoms are; poor reading comprehension or understanding of what you read, recalling accurate information from reading, struggling to think about new ideas after reading, and spelling.
Writing symptoms of a learning difference include slow labor-intensive handwriting, messy handwriting, having a hard time putting thoughts onto paper, poor writing organization, and finally difficulties in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Math symptoms of a learning difference are understanding how numbers work/relate to each other, having a hard time using a calculator, struggling with memorizing calculations(1+1= 2),
using math symbols(- vs+), word problems, and having a hard time with writing down numbers or number organization.
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If any of these symptoms sound like they may apply to you, someone you know, or someone you love and care about.
Tell your parent /guardian about your struggles, and tell your teacher/ guidance consular about what you have been experiencing.
There is no shame in admitting to needing help, having a problem can only be resolved by thinking smarter, not harder.
My personal experience of how I discovered that I had a learning difference is as followed.
When I was in kindergarten, the first thing noticed is that I was struggling with understanding the order of letters in the alphabet. In fact, I was not able to recite the alphabet until I was in the second grade.
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I also felt like was learning a different language, I had little ability to understand or fathom what consonants and vowels were.
I had difficulties writing sentences, I knew what I wanted to write, and I had my thoughts about writing a sentence. I could not actually put the words that I had in my brain onto paper.
I ​​felt extremely upset and frustrated with myself because I wanted to succeed, but something was in the way of me being able to do so.
Fortunately, I had (still do) a great relationship with my family. My mom asked me, “how is everything, you know you can tell me anything”. I explained what was happening and how I felt.
My family was able to talk with my teacher and other educators and I finally got tested and discover that I had a learning difference.
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Sources:
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/learning-disabilities#:~:text=Learning%20disabilities%20are%20disorders%20that,the%20child%20reaches%20school%20age.
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