Learning Differences

Learning Difference – an interference with a person’s ability to process information, which creates a gap between intellectual capabilities and performance

Lisa’s definition – a catch-all phrase for any kind of difference in learning – a kinder term to use for anyone who isn’t learning as expected

Learning differences is a term that I really like. We all learn differently and it takes this into consideration. The sad part of our educational system in America is that it fails to understand and deal with the fact that we all learn differently.

It would be so much easier for teachers if every student were left brain dominant and an auditory learner. The teacher could just tell the information to the kids, perhaps model it, and turn them loose. They would learn easily in this format and all would be good.

However, most of the kids that I deal with are right brain dominant, tactile learners. They are dying a slow death every day in school and have very few avenues to find success.

The right brain dominant learner is creative and active. This learner sees the whole picture first and then breaks it down into bits and pieces. Step-by-step instruction is like listening to a foreign language for this learner. Music, emotions, color and pictures are keys to learning for this student. How many classrooms are able to provide this for their students?

The tactile learners learn by doing. Tell them something and they forget it. Give them a picture of something and it's gone. Let them do something, and they will know it forever. Few classrooms are able to provide this type of instruction to their students in modern America. These kids are failing, even though they have high intelligence. Sadly, they often feel like they are dumb.

In order for students with learning differences to succeed, either the classroom model needs to change, or they need to be taught how to access the left hemisphere of their brains and strengthen their visual and auditory learning systems.

It's perfectly normal to have a learning difference. What isn't normal is allowing a student to feel stupid or dumb because of one. Especially when there are ways of helping the student strengthen all learning systems.