Learning Disabilities: What are they?
Learning disabilities are hard wired gaps in one’s mind that, even in intelligent individuals, obstruct the ability to achieve. These gaps can cause roadblocks (with learning and/or performing) in one or more of the following skills:
- listening
- looking
- thinking
- reading
- writing
- spelling
- mathematical calculations
- interacting with others
In other words, learning disabilities can interfere with normal academic functioning or can create difficulties in relating to other people. They are presumed to result from a hardwired problem in one’s brain.” (2001 p. 19) [Incidentally “hardwired” does not necessarily mean there is no way to work around or way to solve the problem.]
An undiagnosed learning disability (ULD) is one that is invisible or overlooked. It’s covert. Many people who struggle with ULD want more than anything to succeed. But, no matter how hard they try, the struggle never ends. In areas of weakness, achievement is never easy. ULD, then, is experienced as a permanent invisible vacuum in one’s brain that creates mysterious impasses that prevent learning. It’s not surprising that frustration is a serious byproduct of ULD.
