Learning about Learning Differences

One in twenty K-12 students has a diagnosed learning disability – or learning difference, to use the term now preferred by many educators. The distinction may seem trivial, but it captures an important truth. A learning “disability” implies that one is less capable of learning; a learning “difference,” on the other hand, merely means that the student’s learning pattern does not fit into the mold of a normal curriculum. Students with learning differences absolutely can learn.

In a recent Huffington Post article, educator Karem Ensley affirms this and speaks to some often-overlooked and important truths about learning differences – such as the fact that many students with diagnosed LDs also have above average IQs. (Educational programs do exist to meet the needs of such students; a notable local example is the Twice Exceptional program at the Crossroads School.)

Ensley’s article is a worthwhile read for parents of children with LDs. You can read it in full here.