Don’t take this as an insult! It is common place for people
in this country, Nigeria, to get offended by simple questions like “are you
stupid?” The truth is that most of us are actually “stupid” in one way or the
other; some have found out how to make the most of their “stupidity”, while
others are clueless as to how “stupid” they really are.
As a student, do you write with many spelling errors? Do you
have trouble expressing yourself in writing? Does your handwriting look like a
disaster? When you read aloud in class, does it sound like an 8 year old
reading in your place? Or does the sentence, “you have the ability, but you are
not doing anything about it” sound familiar? If your answer to any of these
questions is “yes”, then you may have a Learning Disorder (LD). It is not a
disease, rather it is a brain defect; it is just a definition of certain
difficulties in the process of processing information. It is important to
remember that most people with LDs have average or above average IQs. Their
success or failure in school depends largely on identifying their problem and
getting suitable treatment, such as more study time, special tutors, oral
tests, etc.
A large number of historically notorious figures such as
Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and even most recently, Ehud Tennenbaum, the
“analyzer” who broke into the U.S Government’s defence system all suffered from
LDs.
LDs can be expressed in different ways; every subject has its
own name. In reading, learning disabilities are called “dyslexia”; in
mathematics, they are called “dyscalculia”; and in writing, they are called
“dysgraphia”.
Students with LDs cannot get grades that reflect their true
potential, unless they have been diagnosed and are being helped –this can cause
a great deal of frustration and some students get failing grades as a result.
If you do experience any form of LD, contact a counsellor;
he/she is always willing to listen, give advice and suggest the best approach
to learning so as to ensure adequate performance.
Don’t remain ignorantly stupid!
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