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Determining your learning style can help you understand how you best absorb and retain information. There are several recognized learning styles, and individuals often have a combination of these styles. Here’s a brief overview of the most common learning styles and a simple self-assessment to help you identify yours:

1. Visual Learners:

• Characteristics: Visual learners learn best through images, diagrams, and visual aids.
• Preferred Learning Tools: They benefit from watching videos, looking at diagrams, and using flashcards.

1. Auditory Learners:

• Characteristics: Auditory learners learn best through listening and verbal communication.
• Preferred Learning Tools: They benefit from lectures, podcasts, discussions, and reading aloud.

1. Kinesthetic or Tactile Learners:

• Characteristics: Kinesthetic learners learn best through hands-on experiences and physical activities.
• Preferred Learning Tools: They benefit from interactive simulations, practical exercises, and role-playing.

1. Reading/Writing Learners:

• Characteristics: These learners prefer written materials and text-based resources.
• Preferred Learning Tools: They benefit from reading textbooks, taking notes, and writing summaries.

1. Social or Collaborative Learners:

• Characteristics: Social learners thrive in group settings and learn best through interaction with others.
• Preferred Learning Tools: They benefit from group discussions, team projects, and peer teaching.

1. Solitary or Independent Learners:

• Characteristics: Solitary learners prefer to work alone and learn independently.
• Preferred Learning Tools: They benefit from self-paced online courses, self-study, and personal research.

To identify your learning style, consider your natural preferences when it comes to studying or acquiring new knowledge. Reflect on the following questions:

1. How do you prefer to study or learn new information?

• Do you enjoy watching videos or looking at visual materials?
• Do you prefer listening to lectures or discussions?
• Do you find hands-on activities engaging?
• Do you learn best by reading and writing?
• Do you thrive in group study sessions and discussions?
• Do you prefer to work independently and research on your own?

1. What study methods have been most effective for you in the past?
2. When you encounter a challenging topic, what strategies do you naturally gravitate toward to understand it better?
3. Do you find it easier to remember information when you visualize it, discuss it, apply it, or read it?
4. Are there specific environments or settings where you tend to learn most effectively?

Remember that learning styles are not rigid categories, and individuals can adapt and incorporate different learning strategies as needed. Additionally, your learning style may evolve over time as you gain more experience and exposure to different learning methods.

By recognizing your predominant learning style and exploring other approaches, you can tailor your study habits and educational experiences to enhance your learning and retention of information.

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Table Of Contents

1. Introduction

2. How to Use This Module

3. Important Note for Adults with Both LD and ADD

4. Equipment and Supplies

5. Stages of Grief – Accepting your LD/ADD

6  What Stage am I at?

7. LD/ADD Gifts – Recognizing Your Strengths

8. Creativity Time! – LD/ADD Envelopes Exercise

9. Ready to Find Your LD/ADD Pride!

10. Works Cited

INTRODUCTION

Right now, it may be hard for you to believe or accept the concept of LD/ADD Pride, especially if you have only just been diagnosed. Acceptance is a gradual process which requires you to feel that having a learning disability (LD) and/or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is part of your life and you can live with it.

To have a sense of LD/ADD Pride requires a little more. You must not only accept your learning disability, but also, believe that:   many of the strengths and abilities you possess are directly associated with your learning disability and/or Attention Deficit Disorder (they are connected) you are smart and have lots of things to offer the world.

Once you believe these things, you will want to share your philosophy by putting your LD Pride into action through:

working toward building your LD/ADD community advocating for changes and accommodations for yourself and/or others
Do not try and force yourself to have a sense of LD/ADD Pride right away. The pride will come when you are ready. Finding it may take a little while. Firstly, you will need to go through a sort of grieving process in order to accept your LD/ADD. Secondly you will need to identify the strengths that are related to your LD/ADD. Only once you have gone through both these processes can you truly begin to realize your LD/ADD Pride.

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HOW TO USE THIS MODULE

This module is written for adults with LD and/or ADD (if you have both learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder, please see, Important note for adults with both LD and ADD). It is designed to help you move through the process of accepting your LD/ADD in order to recognize your strengths and eventually find your LD/ADD Pride.

The module will help you understand and cope with the emotional fallout of having LD/ADD such as the depression and anger.
It is very important that you not only read the module, but also try the exercise and answer the questions that accompany the text.  This module is available off line for a small charge. Email liz@ldpride.net for more information.

It is also important to note that the main exercise in the module requires a number of supplies that are reasonably inexpensive to buy, if not readily available in your own home (Please see, Equipment and Supplies).

As you read through this module, you will notice that the process of accepting your LD/ADD is not completely straight-forward. Some parts of the text may feel more relevant to you than others depending on your level of acceptance so feel free to bounce around in your reading to find those sections that feel right for you. Most importantly, try to enjoy this process of self-discovery and be honest with yourself about how you feel. The last section offers lots of opportunity for you to be creative so don’t be afraid to have a little fun!

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IMPORTANT NOTE FOR ADULTS WITH BOTH LD AND ADD

If you have both learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder, the process of acceptance and finding your LD/ADD Pride may take a little longer and be more complex. As you may already know, learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder have many similarities. You may find it possible to address the emotional toll of both your LD/ADD at the same time. However, if one or the other holds more emotion for you and seems harder to accept you may need to address the two disabilities separately. The following four questions will help you establish which disability you need to focus on:

1. Do you feel more comfortable talking about one disability over the other?

I feel more comfortable talking about my Learning Disability

I feel more comfortable talking about my ADD

I don’t feel comfortable talking about either

I feel comfortable talking about both

2. Please consider the following statement: “I feel lazy”. Do you ever feel this way about yourself?

Yes

No

3. Please consider the following statement: “I feel dumb”. Do you ever feel this way about yourself?

Yes

No

4. Do you feel comfortable asking for accommodations you need concerning your LD/ADD?

I feel comfortable asking for accommodations for my Learning Disability

I feel comfortable asking for accommodations for my ADD

I don’t feel comfortable asking for accommodations for either

I feel comfortable asking for accommodations for both

  

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EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

Here is a list of all the equipment and supplies you will need to complete section 8 of the module:

Creativity Time! – LD/ADD Envelopes Exercise

• eraser (optional)
• pencil (optional)
• two white 8 x11 envelopes
• two white regular letter size envelopes
• pencil crayons, markers or paints
• scissors
• white or lined paper

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STAGES OF GRIEF – ACCEPTING YOUR LD/ADD

When you are first diagnosed with learning disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder, you will likely feel a great sense of relief that you can finally put a name to your difficulties. You will feel validated that you do, in fact, have a bona fide disability and your problems are not a matter of being lazy or stupid. It is also very comforting to know that you are not alone – there are many others LD/ADD adults who experience similar difficulties to yours. Now, that you know accommodations and remedial services can be provided to help you cope with your LD/ADD you will feel more positive about your chances of succeeding in your education or work life. However, this initial sense of optimism will soon ware off as you realize that you must still face the problems your LD/ADD poses for you in your everyday life. At this point, you will need to work through the five stages of grief described in this module.

Being diagnosed with LD/ADD is no different from being diagnosed with any other disability. It changes your life and will require life-style adjustments. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross originally conceived the five stages of grief to help with the process of accepting death. However, her theory is now applied to help with any kind of loss. Upon diagnosis, you may look back at your life and start to identify missed opportunities that can be attributed to your LD/ADD.

For example, you might have lost a job because you could not cope with its requirements, or you might have lost a friend because you have trouble maintaining relationships. If your LD/ADD makes money management a challenge, you might have experienced a loss of financial stability. At this point, you may think to yourself, “If only I could have been diagnosed earlier, I might not have missed out on so much”.

You may suddenly realize how much easier it is for other people to cope with school, career, and/or social interaction and feel cheated out of opportunities. Such thoughts will likely stir up strong emotions for you including sadness and anger. It is important to allow yourself to feel these emotions in order to work through the grieving process. It may help to remember that what you are experiencing is a perfectly natural response for people coping with loss in their lives.

Before we proceed to the five stages, you should know that this process does not always proceed consecutively. Many people move back and forth between stages. Some people get stuck in one stage for a longer period of time than another. It is important to remember that no one person’s experience with this process is the same as another’s and that there is no wrong way to experience the stages.

Now, let’s take a look at the five different stages:

Denial

Denial is the first stage of the grieving process and usually occurs in various forms. It may be hard for you to believe that you do, in fact, have LD/ADD. You may question the diagnosis or believe that you have somehow overcome the disability so that it no longer exists. If you question the diagnosis, you may find yourself saying “I can’t have LD/ADD – There must be a mistake!”. Adults who believe they have overcome the disability are likely to have experienced academic success (e.g. graduated from college or university).

They only see their LD/ADD in terms of their ability to succeed academically and since they have conquered this hurdle they reason that their LD/ADD is no longer a problem in their lives. As a result, it becomes impossible for them to see how their disability affects other areas of difficulty. Such areas might include finding and maintaining a job, organization, controlling anger, money management and making and maintaining friendships, etc.

Another form of denial may actually make you question the legitimacy of the disability itself. For example, you may conclude that “there’s no such thing as learning disabilities, only learning differences” or that “ADD is not really a condition – it’s just an excuse people use to hide their personality flaws”.

A more common form of denial is to have trouble acknowledging the extent to which your LD/ADD affects you in your everyday life. You may convince yourself that your LD/ADD is much less of a problem for you than is indicated in your assessment/evaluation. As a result, you may have trouble making the necessary life changes required to help you cope with your LD/ADD including taking medication, and asking for or using various accommodations and learning strategies.

Probably, the first step to getting out of denial is to identify that you are actually in it!

So, with that said, if you can identify with any of these forms of denial you are already on your way to coming out of it and that’s good news because this is the first step to accepting your LD/ADD.

Anger

Anger is the second stage. Denial is often a more comfortable stage than anger. It does not deal with any difficult emotions because we choose to push them away by not recognizing the reality of our situation. However, typically, at some point, reality comes crashing down and anger is often the result. Past and current difficulties linked to your LD/ADD often bring a painful awareness of the extent to which your LD/ADD affects your life. Such awareness may leave you feeling angry about the huge impact your LD/ADD has and continues to have on your daily living.

You may also perceive your diagnosis of LD/ADD as being “unfair”, and become angry that you have to deal with it while others do not. At this point, you might direct your anger towards others. You may feel envious and resentful towards people who do not have LD/ADD and have, what you perceive, as an easier life. During this stage, you may also find yourself blaming others for failures and losses that can be attributed to your LD/ADD.

For example, you might blame your parents or teachers for not meeting your educational needs or not recognizing the problem in the first place. Sure, you have a right to feel angry at others and even to feel envious of their lives, but try to remember how much your anger can hurt others around you. Your parents may feel guilty enough as it is without you blaming them for mistakes they already recognize.

It may help to remember that most people (parents especially) try to do the best they can for us with what they have to give and know. In other words, if a person did not know how to help you, they would not be able to do so. With this said, it is still important to express your anger. Otherwise, it will just grow inside of you and put you at risk for other problems.

There are ways you can express your anger without hurting those you care about. It might help to talk about your angry feelings with someone you can trust (e.g. a parent, friend, sibling, relative or counselor). Sometimes it helps to write your feelings down. Your writing can take on many forms including various kinds of creative writing (e.g. a poem, story, or play). You may choose to write a letter (you do not have to send it). Other forms of creative expression include music, visual arts, and drama. Whatever coping strategy you decide to use, don’t hold these feelings inside.

Bargaining

Bargaining is the third stage of the grieving process and usually takes place shortly after your anger has passed. During this stage, you will find yourself bargaining with your LD/ADD in a fruitless effort to fight your LD/ADD in order to make it go away. For example, you might come to expect your LD/ADD to no longer be a problem for you as long as you continue to keep up your end of the bargain by taking your medication, attending support groups, therapy, and/or utilizing the various accommodations and learning strategies available to you. Of course, such bargains are likely to be disappointing when your LD/ADD fails to live up to it’s end of the deal and continues to be a problem in your life.

Due to the on again, off again nature of these two disabilities (i.e. you can do it one day but not the next), you might secretly barter with your LD/ADD for a short reprieve from the affects of the disability during important life events (e.g. job interview, exam, social gathering).. Again, this type of bargain is likely to be a source of great disappointment if your LD/ADD fails to comply. Bargaining may seem like a solution to your problems at first, but in the long run it will never completely manage your LD/ADD because the bargains you make with your LD/ADD will eventually fail. This often sad and frustrating realization will lead you to the forth stage of the grieving process.

Depression

Depression is the forth stage. It usually occurs after coming to the realization that your LD/ADD can never be totally overcome no matter how hard you try. At this point, there will be no denying the reality of your disability and the difficulties it continues to pose in your everyday life. You may find yourself thinking “I’ve got it, and there’s nothing I can do about it”. You may despair about various losses you have experienced which can be linked to your LD/ADD (e.g. job loss, lack of educational success, loss of a friendship/partnership, etc.).

Some people feel tired of constantly battling against their LD/ADD and want to simply give up fighting it. You may feel a sense of hopelessness and question your ability to succeed. This is especially problematic if you tend to buy into other people’s false evaluations of your character or ability (e.g. believing that you are fundamentally stupid or lazy). Sadly, such beliefs often lead to feelings of shame about yourself. As a result, you may find it more difficult to tell others about your LD/ADD in order receive the help and accommodations you require.

You may also feel very alone and not know who or where to turn to for emotional support. Of course, you are not really alone because there are lots people going through this experience but depression has a funny way of isolating us. This is why support is so essential during this stage. No matter how sad you feel or how much you feel like being alone during this stage, it is important to express your emotions with someone you trust (e.g. a parent, close friend, sibling, or counselor). Finding a support group for LD/ADD adults can also help you feel less alone and provide an outlet for your emotions with people who have similar concerns (contact your local Learning Disabilities Association to find one near you).

Acceptance

This is the fifth and final stage of the process. During this stage, you feel ready to accept your LD/ADD as a permanent part of your life. The diagnosis no longer feels so traumatic for you. The painful emotions (e.g. anger, despair) associated with the earlier stages have passed and you begin to feel more at peace with your LD/ADD. This does not mean you give in to it. You will, of course, still need to take your medication, utilize school and workplace accommodations and use various learning strategies to cope with your LD/ADD.

However, you will no longer feel the need to spend all your time and energy fighting the disability. Instead, you will take a much calmer and rational approach to coping with your LD/ADD. You will also no longer feel as much need to hide your LD/ADD and will begin to feel more comfortable asking for help or accommodations when you need them. Finally, you will begin to feel more hopeful about your future with LD/ADD and your ability to cope with its everyday challenges.

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WHAT STAGE AM I AT?

Generally, people move back and forth between two or more stages before accepting their LD/ADD. While reading through the descriptions of each stage above, you have probably asked yourself what stage(s) you are at.

The following assessment will help you further clarify this question.

Directions:
A) Score each statement in the columns below by giving yourself the appropriate number:

1 for
2 for
3 for  I rarely or never think or feel this way
I sometimes think or feel this way
I often think or feel this way
B) Click on the “submit” button at the end of the questionnaire to see your score!

1.123Lately I feel a need to blame someone for lost opportunities that can be linked to my LD/ADD.2.123I am tired of fighting my LD/ADD

3.123I’m working so hard to manage my LD/ADD, but it still a problem in my life. This is getting very frustrating.

4.123I often feel hostile or resentful towards others who don’t have to deal with LD/ADD or seem to have much easier lives.

5.123Lately, I have been trying to find ways to make my LD/ADD go away or no longer be a problem for me.

6.123I’ve got LD/ADD and there’s nothing I can do about it

7.123Lately, I have not been feeling so angry and/or upset about having LD/ADD. I think I am beginning to feel more at peace with the disability.

8.123I often wonder if I am stupid or lazy and question my ability to succeed. I do not feel very hopeful about my future.

9.123Lately, I have an expectation that if I make every effort to manage my LD/ADD it won’t be a problem anymore. 10.123I feel more comfortable telling people about my LD/ADD than ever before.

11.123I often hope for a short break from the effects of my LD/ADD when I have an important event (e.g. job interview, exam, social get together) in my life that I do not want to mess up. I do not put any real strategies in place to make this possible. I just expect my LD/ADD to comply.

12.123I can’t believe I have LD/ADD. There must be a mistake.

13.123It makes me mad to think about all the losses my LD/ADD has caused throughout my life.

14.123There’s no such thing as LD/ADD (i.e. it’s just an excuse, or a learning difference.)

15.123I have overcome my LD/ADD

16.123Why do I have to deal with LD/ADD when others don’t? It’s so unfair. 1

7.123I don’t need to make changes in my life to cope with my LD/ADD.

18.123I feel more hopeful about my future with LD/ADD and my ability to succeed.

19.123When I look back on my life I realize how many losses I have experienced that can be attributed to my LD/ADD. This thought makes me real sad.

20.123I think I can learn to live with my LD/ADD

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LD/ADD Gifts – RECOGNIZING YOUR STRENGTHS

Many adults with LD/ADD are so overwhelmed by their weaknesses, they forget to recognize their strengths and abilities. This is an understandable reaction (most people tend to focus on what is wrong in their lives rather than what is right) but focusing all your time and energy on your difficulties is likely to have negative consequences on your self-esteem. Recognizing your strengths may take a real effort on your part but it is worth it – the benefits are three-fold! Firstly, you will feel more confidant in yourself and your ability to succeed. Secondly, you can use your strengths to help you compensate for your weaknesses. For example, if you are artistically inclined, but have a poor memory, you could use your artistic ability (e.g. draw pictures or diagrams) to help you study and memorize course material. Thirdly, it is important to recognize your strengths because doing so will help you accept and make peace with your LD/ADD. You can do this by recognizing the many positive characteristics that are thought to be directly associated with LD/ADD (Please note: This is a crucial step to realizing your LD/ADD Pride).

Below is an overview of seven positive characteristics that are commonly thought to go hand in hand with learning disabilities and/or ADD. It is unlikely that all seven characteristics will be a perfect fit for you, but they should give you a good idea about your strengths and how they relate to your LD/ADD.

Sensitivity

Many adults with learning disabilities and ADD are thought to be highly sensitive individuals. They are very intuitive and in-tune with both their own and other people’s emotions. Sometimes they are actually able to perceive other’s thoughts and feelings. They generally feel things more deeply and tend to be very conscientious and caring individuals. For example, Thomas West, writer of “The Minds Eye”, not only gives a thorough explanation of Winston Churchill’s learning disability, but also describes his sensitive nature. West details Churchill’s tendency to break into tears quite easily”(154) even out in the public eye. He notes one incident in which Churchill was moved to tears after witnessing the devastating effects of a bomb.

Highly sensitive people with LD/ADD often have a strong sense of justice and tend to fight for what they believe. As a result, they often make excellent human service workers (e.g. social workers, psychologists, activists, etc.)

Unfortunately, sensitivity has been given a bad rap in our culture. It is often viewed as a sign of weakness. If you consider yourself to be a sensitive person, you may have been criticized for being “too sensitive”, “overly emotional”, “weak”, or “thin-skinned”. These are all attempts to shame you into hiding your sensitive nature and the awareness this gift conveys to you.

Creativity

People with LD/ADD are often highly creative individuals. They tend to excel in the arts and sciences (e.g. visual, dramatic, and musical arts, mathematics, biology and various other scientific specialties). Such creative abilities are thought to be caused by the tendency for people with learning disabilities to be visual thinkers (i.e. they think in pictures rather than words) and ADD’ers to have spontaneous and unregulated thought patterns (often through daydreaming). These abilities seem to allow a less linear approach to problem solving (i.e. ideas do not follow directly from one to the other) that often reach beyond the boundaries of organized thinking patterns. A person with LD/ADD may have an uncanny ability to come up with novel ideas to solve a problem (perhaps during a brain storming session) that other people have not yet considered.

To demonstrate this point, one ADD adult writes:

“I find that when “normal” people are faced with a challenging issue or crisis or problem – they start thinking of all the ins and outs and how to go about solving the problem and all the reasons why or why not they should do what they want to do. Then after all that they start thinking of all the different ways they can go about doing what they decided they are going to do. All this takes time. Me, I just jump into something headfirst. I don’t think according to rules and guidelines and….. And most of the time people say “wow – how did you think of that?” It does cause trouble sometimes. But most of the time it works to my advantage…”(Goldie)

Many people with LD/ADD are able to piece information together in completely new ways. For example, Einstein (commonly thought to have learning disabilities) had to change his way of thinking about “some extremely basic ideas, and conceptions…” (West, 188) in order to fully actualize what is now considered his most famous discovery – the theory of relativity. There is also a great deal of proof that Einstein was, in fact, a visual thinker and relied on this ability in order to conceptualize most of his scientific work. According to James Adams article, “The Brain of the Century” at the web site Brain.com, Einstein himself described his scientific thought process as not involving words, but rather visual images. Furthermore, Adams details one of Einstein’s daydreams involving traveling on a beam of light which Einstein credits for helping him develop the theory of relativity.

There are also other similarities between those who are highly creative and people with learning disabilities and ADD. MacArthur’ne’s article, “The Human Nature of Creativity” (also from the web site Brain.com) asserts that an essential element of “creative genius is this urge for wholeness, an attempt to see the big picture.” Perhaps then it will come as no surprise that people with LD/ADD often credit their creative ability to their tendency to see the “big picture”. This ability allows them to see all sides of a question (multidimensional thinking). As a result, they often have many insights into a topic, make far-reaching analogies, and/or sum up the content of an issue in simple, clear terms that everyone can understand.

The following comments about multidimensional thinking by Jim Valliere’s (an adult with learning disabilities) demonstrate his ability to see the “big picture”:

(Quoted exactly as received) “To me I can see most everyting from more than one direction at the smne time I can see the Black the White the Grays , Hey I’ll give up winning spelling bees for that abiltty. Most havce trouble seeing one side of a problem. it’s a gift ” from who I don’t know” to be able to really understand somethingg on all levells.And of course you can ‘t get soem good with out the bad so I’ll say I made out on the deal.

Down to Earth

People with learning disabilities and ADD don’t generally like complexity. They tend to fall into two extremes. They either (as mentioned above) view things as a whole or get so caught up in small facts and details that they have trouble forming an overall picture of a subject, problem, or issue. As a result they often live by the phase “keep it simple”. This philosophy reflects in their communication and everyday interaction with others. People respect and look up to them for their ability (often out of necessity) to simplify things and apply them to the real world.

Further more, many people with LD/ADD tend to take a more hands on approach to learning. They prefer to learn about and experience the world around them through movement and touch rather than reading a book. As a result, they are frequently described as being very down to earth.

Honesty

Honesty is very important to people with LD/ADD. In fact, sometimes it may be hard for them to tell even the smallest untruth (i.e. a white lie). Although this tendency can lead them to say things they will later regret, it does have its benefits because it sets the stage for clear, direct communication. People appreciate their ability to explain their point of view in simple, clear terms free of innuendo or sarcasm. Sally Smith, writer of “Succeeding Against the Odds” appreciates the direct, honest approach of many LD/ADD adults describing it as “often refreshing to hear” (66). She further appreciates the LD/ADD adults ability to “get to the core of the question” (Smith, 66) by saying exactly what they believe or feel about an issue.

Personality

Unlike many people, adults with LD/ADD tend not to be so bound by society’s norms and conventions. This characteristic makes for a dynamic and interesting personality.

Passion

People with LD/ADD tend to become very passionate about things that matter to them. When they find something they enjoy doing or feel strongly about, they dive right in to it and become almost completely engrossed by it. Smith cites the example of a night school student with learning disabilities who gets so involved in an activity that “nothing else matters”(74). At this point, they are at their height of productivity. They may even do extra work or go beyond the call of duty. They want to prove to everyone they can do as well as anybody else and they can be successful. Such passion and boundless enthusiasm is useful in the workplace and is an essential ingredient to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Loyalty

Many people with LD/ADD have trouble making friends and/or finding a partner, but their extreme loyalty to the relationships they do have is a beautiful thing to behold. People with LD/ADD tend to show their loyalty by their ability to preserve a friendship over a long period of time. They will often defend a friend in the face of criticism (usually said behind their friend’s back) and will stick up for them if they are being teased or bullied. This ability is more than likely linked with their sensitive and caring nature. Also, many people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder have been teased or bullied themselves. They know how much it hurts and are therefore very protective of people they care about.

Other Strengths

There are a number of other strengths worth mentioning that may or may not be connected to your LD/ADD. Many people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit disorder are extremely adept at multitasking (i.e. they are able to do more than one thing at once). However some people have great difficulty in this area. Superior verbal abilities are common in adults with Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities. Some people with learning disabilities do well in specific academic areas such as math and science. As mentioned above, other people with LD/ADD excel in the arts (e.g. visual art, drama, music). People with dyslexia and ADD often show strengths in areas requiring visual spatial abilities such as mechanics, sports, and architectural design.

What are your Strengths?

Wherever your strength lie, it is crucial for you to you recognize them and allow yourself to feel good about them. This is not bragging – it is about giving yourself the credit you

deserve. So go ahead and give yourself permission to feel PROUD of your abilities and the possible connection they might have to your LD/ADD!

It might help to write them down. List a few here…

My positive characteristics are…. (check all that apply)

CREATIVITY TIME! – LD/ADD ENVELOPES EXERCISE

Here is fun part of the module! This is your chance to express your creative side and start keeping track of your thoughts and feelings about having LD/ADD in order to accept it and recognize your strengths. Most importantly, this is a concrete way of working towards realizing your LD/ADD Pride.

Instructions:

1.

Gather all the materials you will need including:

1. • eraser (optional)
   • pencil (optional)
   • two white 8 x11 envelopes
   • two white regular letter size envelopes
   • pencil crayons, markers or paints
   • scissors
   • white or lined paper

2. Start by working with the two large envelopes. Label one of the large envelopes as your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”. Label the other envelope as your “LD/ADD Gifts Envelope”.

Design your Envelopes to reflect what they are about. This step is optional, but highly recommended to help you release your emotions. (See Figure1and 2 for below for examples):

1. Figure 1

Figure 2

3. Now turn your attention to the letter size envelopes. Label each envelopes with one stage of the grief process including denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

4. Place all five letter size envelopes in your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”

5. Now turn your attention to your white or lined paper. You will be using this paper to record your thoughts and feelings about the acceptance process and the various gifts you possess to be distributed into their respective envelopes.

For the next few weeks try to be aware of your thoughts and feelings about the accepting your LD/ADD (You will be working with your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”) Whenever you have a thought or feeling about your LD/ADD attempt to choose what stage of the grieving process it applies to and write the thought down on a piece of paper. After writing your thought or feeling down cut it out and place it into the most appropriate letter size envelope (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) and put it back into your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”.
Simultaneously work with “LD/ADD Gifts envelope”. Record as many gifts as you possibly can. Try to record at least one gift for every three thoughts or feelings included in your “LD/ADD Grief Envelope”. It may help to start by recording the gifts you outlined in section 3 “What are your strengths?”. This envelope may take a real effort on your part to fill up especially if you don’t feel very confident in your abilities right now, but in order to make this exercise worth while it is important that you keep trying.

6. Once you are satisfied with the contents of both your “LD/ADD Grief “and “LD/ADD Gifts” envelope (give yourself a few weeks to think about and record your contributions) open the envelopes and review your contributions. You are likely to be amazed by the degree of emotion expressed in your LD/ADD Grief Envelope, especially if you have kept these emotions pent up inside yourself for a long time. Do not let the depth of your emotion scare you away from this activity. It is normal to have strong emotions during the acceptance process. You can temper this process by alternating your attention between your “LD/ADD Grief” Envelope and your “LD/ADD Gifts Envelope”. Also don’t forget to make contributions to your “acceptance envelope” (one of the letter size envelopes located in your LD/ADD Grief Envelope).

7. You may find it takes a while to build up the number of contributions in your “acceptance envelope”. Take your time. Go at your own pace and don’t expect the acceptance process to happen right away.

8. When you feel comfortable, share your envelopes with somebody you trust (e.g. a close friend, relative, counselor) and what you have learned about accepting and living with LD/ADD.

Congratulations, Your Ready to Find your LD/ADD Pride!

Return to Table of Contents

READY TO FIND YOUR LD/ADD PRIDE!

So you are ready to find your LD/ADD Pride. At this point, you’ve worked very hard at accepting your LD/ADD and realizing your many gifts. You are beginning to understand how these gifts may be link to your LD/ADD, but want to know more. You have already read the brief explanation of LD/ADD Pride so here is a more in depth one:

What is LD/ADD Pride?

LD/ADD Pride is a concept originating from Deaf Pride. Deaf people are not ashamed of being Deaf (they capitalize the letter “D” of the word “deaf “to show their pride). In fact, many Deaf people have declared that they would not take advantage of a cure for deafness, even if it posed no risk to their health. Their lives have been so thoroughly enriched by their culture, language, and connection with the Deaf community that they actually want to be Deaf!

Although people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder do not have a distinct language or culture like Deaf people, we do have a wonderful history of greatness (many famous, influential people have been born with LD/ADD), a tendency to be extremely creative, and often possess other gifts that can be directly linked to the LD/ADD brain (please see “LD/ADD Gifts”). Thomas West, writer of “In the Minds Eye” agrees. He asserts that “great proficiencies in some areas can involve surprising and unexpected deficiencies in other areas…” and goes on to say “what is optimized…for one function may involve fundamental elements that make it unsuited for another function…”(19). In other words, our gifts and abilities are not realized in spite of our LD/ADD, but rather because of it!

So LD/ADD Pride is about not being ashamed of your learning disability or Attention Deficit Disorder due to the likelihood that many of your strengths are related to your LD/ADD including:

Your Personality Strengths:

• Sensitivity
• Creativity
• Down to Earth
• Loyalty
• Honesty
• Personality
• Passion

Your Talents and Abilities:

• Multi-tasking
• Math and/or Science
• Sports
• Music
• Visual arts (e.g. drawing, painting, etc)
• Dramatic arts (i.e. acting)
• Mechanics
• Speaking

Your way of learning and interacting with the world gives you a unique perceptive that many other people do not possess. With a new understanding of LD/ADD Pride many adults with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder have been compelled to say:

“I’m LD/ADD, and I’m Proud!”

Maybe now you will be too!

Return to Table of Contents

READY TO FIND YOUR LD/ADD PRIDE!

So you are ready to find your LD/ADD Pride. At this point, you’ve worked very hard at accepting your LD/ADD and realizing your many gifts. You are beginning to understand how these gifts may be link to your LD/ADD, but want to know more. You have already read the brief explanation of LD/ADD Pride so here is a more in depth one:

What is LD/ADD Pride?

LD/ADD Pride is a concept originating from Deaf Pride. Deaf people are not ashamed of being Deaf (they capitalize the letter “D” of the word “deaf “to show their pride). In fact, many Deaf people have declared that they would not take advantage of a cure for deafness, even if it posed no risk to their health. Their lives have been so thoroughly enriched by their culture, language, and connection with the Deaf community that they actually want to be Deaf!

Although people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder do not have a distinct language or culture like Deaf people, we do have a wonderful history of greatness (many famous, influential people have been born with LD/ADD), a tendency to be extremely creative, and often possess other gifts that can be directly linked to the LD/ADD brain (please see “LD/ADD Gifts”). Thomas West, writer of “In the Minds Eye” agrees. He asserts that “great proficiencies in some areas can involve surprising and unexpected deficiencies in other areas…” and goes on to say “what is optimized…for one function may involve fundamental elements that make it unsuited for another function…”(19). In other words, our gifts and abilities are not realized in spite of our LD/ADD, but rather because of it!

So LD/ADD Pride is about not being ashamed of your learning disability or Attention Deficit Disorder due to the likelihood that many of your strengths are related to your LD/ADD including:

Your Personality Strengths:

• Sensitivity
• Creativity
• Down to Earth
• Loyalty
• Honesty
• Personality
• Passion

Your Talents and Abilities:

• Multi-tasking
• Math and/or Science
• Sports
• Music
• Visual arts (e.g. drawing, painting, etc)
• Dramatic arts (i.e. acting)
• Mechanics
• Speaking

Your way of learning and interacting with the world gives you a unique perceptive that many other people do not possess. With a new understanding of LD/ADD Pride many adults with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder have been compelled to say:

“I’m LD/ADD, and I’m Proud!”

Maybe now you will be too!

Return to Table of Contents

Works Cited

Adam’s, James, “The Brain of the Century”, Available at: http://www.dyslexia.com/library/offsite/einsteins_brain.html

MacArthur’ne, John D., “The Human Nature of Creativity”, Available at: http://www.dyslexia.com/library/offsite/creativity.html

Smith, Sally L., Succeeding Against the Odds – Strategies and Insights from the Learning Disabled, Jeremy P Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles, 1991.

West, Thomas G. , In the Minds Eye – Visual Thinkers, Gifted People, with Learning Difficulties, Computer Images, and the Ironies of Creativity, Prometheus Books, Buffalo, New York, 1991.

Return to Table of Contents

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We believe LD Pride is…

• Knowing that being learning disabled is nothing to be ashamed about
• Not being ashamed to advocate for accommodations you need
• Believing that you are smart and have lots of thing to offer the the world
• Recognizing talents and abilities that may be linked to your LD such as:
• Artistic ability or a gift in a particular area such as math, memory, or
  verbal acuity.
• An identity:
• Anyone can be learning disabled, but not all people have LD Pride.
• A sense of community with other LD people

But, don’t take our word for it. Unlike Deaf Pride, LD Pride is a very new concept. Therefore, we are trying to gather other people’s viewpoints on this question.  So why not, check out: What is LD Pride to you?
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Be social…

Arrange a social group for LD and ADD youth/adults to meet regularly for social activities…

…including:

• picnics
• bike rides/ walking
• bowling
• movie nights
• arts and crafts
• dances
• horseback riding
• rock climbing, etc. etc. etc…..

Arrange a comedy night or talent show performed by LD/ADD people

  (This could be a fund raiser).

Help others…

• Become an LD/ADD mentor for an LD/ADD youth or child
• Become an  LD/ADD peer counselor at your local LDA or other LD/ADD organization.
• Become an  LD/ADD social worker and work with LD/ADD people
• Start your own organization for LD/ADD people (this is how IADA got started)
• Arrange a panel of successful LD/ADD adults to tell LD and ADHD youth/children how they made it

Get Political…

Join the fight to get accommodations and access to services for LD/ADD people
Do you have other ideas to add to this list?  We would love to hear them, just comment below.
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Tearing Down the Wall

By Jodi Becker Kinner

I would like to share my story with you about how “the wall” applies to my life.   When my mother explained to me about my “wall” and how it affected my academic potential, I looked back and thought about how “the wall” applies to me. After a long period of thinking, I began to see why I built “the wall” and how it helped me avoid learning.

           I am a deaf adult and I also have learning disabilities. During my childhood, my parents, who are well educated, tried to teach me many new things, but I wasn’t interested in learning. Moreover, I easily got frustrated when I had to learn. In order to avoid frustration, I constructed   “a wall.” It helped ease my frustration and I enjoyed being free from learning. Additionally, I clung to “the wall” so I could handle my frustration.

My educational background includes both oral education and mainstream settings. I began my formal education at the Omaha Hearing School (deaf school) in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of three. I spent two years there and my disinterest in school began there and I don’t remember learning anything. At the age of five, I entered Central Institute for the Deaf (C.I.D) in St. Louis, Missouri where I attended school for nine years.

While a student at C.I.D., I studied Reading, English, Mathematics, History, Science, and other subjects in addition to having intensive speech and language daily.   In fact, my academic frustration increased at C.I.D. I grew up not liking school because learning was so difficult. I erected “the wall” at C.I.D. over the years. When I was in academics, I stayed close to “the wall” to prevent myself from learning and also to avoid frustration. In school, I had difficulty understanding the concepts of language and mathematics, which made it harder for me to do well in school.

Due to my academic delay, my mother suspected that I had learning disabilities at the age of seven. She noticed that I did not progress as well in academics as other students did. In school, I could not do the math; I could not comprehend the most basic mathematical concepts. I even had a hard time learning to count. Besides math, I had problems with reading comprehension and writing skills. I did not learn to read until the age of eleven (ten, to my recollection). I did not like to read because I struggled with the language and could not get a picture of what the story was about.

When I read, my speed was extremely slow and my vocabulary was extremely limited. It was hard for me to learn new words. I often had a hard time remembering the alphabetic order. I did not like to write because my writing skills were very poor, and I had many spelling errors. Worst of all, I did not know where to put a period in each sentence!   When I had to learn the names of different kinds of food such as hotdogs, hamburgers, and many more, I had trouble knowing the difference. For instance, I did not know the difference between broccoli and peas. Reading a menu was especially difficult for me.

I was pulled out of recess to learn how to identify different kinds of food indicated in the pictures. My attitude toward school continued to be negative until the age of thirteen. A friend of mine, who later became Miss America, Heather Whitestone, encouraged me to read her favorite book called “Anne of Green Gables.” I tried but I could not understand the reading. Instead, I watched the movie and fell in love with the main character, Anne Shirley who inspired me to use my imagination and to enjoy learning. My desire to complete my education had begun. I realized that I could not utilize the wall to avoid learning. In order to enhance my learning, I had to knock down “the wall” and learn how to cope with my frustration.

Upon my graduation from Central Institute for the Deaf, I attended Goodwyn Junior High School in Alabama for one year. I began seventh grade there and was placed in remedial classes along with other deaf and hard-of-hearing students. I struggled with my academic work because “the wall” was just beginning to come down, but I managed to maintain good grades in each class.

When my father, who is in the Air Force, was stationed at the Pentagon in Virginia, I skipped eighth grade due to my age and spent my freshman and sophomore years at Annandale High School where I still struggled academically. During my freshman year, I was mainstreamed for the first time, but I took Math and English in self-contained classes. I worked hard and spent long hours studying, but did poorly in some of the classes despite my efforts.

At the end of the year, I was given an evaluation test and was informed that I had learning disabilities. I had never heard of learning disabilities and refused to believe the report. It was administered by a psychologist who had little knowledge of deafness. I refused to follow his suggestions and felt I was mislabeled because of my academic failure. I also believed that my literacy skill was delayed due to my lack of exposure to early language and that it was related to my deafness, not learning disabilities.

Even though the results of the test stated what I already knew; I had limited vocabulary, severe problems with reading comprehension, poor writing skills, problems with grammar, organization, and math, I was not ready to accept the fact that I had learning disabilities. During my sophomore year, I was placed in remedial classes for students with learning disabilities as well as a Resource class for the deaf and hard of hearing. I did not like being in these classes because I felt isolated and stupid.

In addition, I had a conflict with my Special Education teacher. When I had difficulty understanding a particular subject or made a mistake, she yelled at me. She never encouraged me to do well or told me, “Yes, you can do it.” She wounded my spirit and made me believe that I would never be successful in life because of my math and reading challenges. I had a really difficult time with my classes, so this was probably the most stressful and unhappy period of my life. Because I had not yet learned sign language, I did not have an interpreter in my classes at that time. My life at Annandale High School was miserable and I have very bitter memories. Because of my bad experience, “the wall” had thickened, which made it harder to break down.

When my father was transferred to California, I spent my junior and senior years at Vanden High School. At Vanden High School, I was initially placed in self-contained classes but later moved into some regular classes because I began to learn faster than the other learning disabled students. I finally had an interpreter in my classes. “ The wall” was starting to break down, but not completely.

It was tough, but I began to succeed because I had promised myself that I would do the best that I could. Unfortunately, during my four years of high school, I never took Biology, and the foreign language requirement was waived for me. I did not take high school math such as Algebra or Geometry. I was embarrassed and ashamed of myself. I used to wrap a brown paper bag around my math and science books so nobody would see that I was only taking basic math and science. I was ashamed of my learning difficulties and never mentioned my learning disabilities to any of my high school friends.

After I graduated from high school, I enrolled at Ohlone Community College in Fremont, California, where I took Algebra I for the first time. I spent many hours trying to complete the assignments; it was very frustrating, and I cried frequently. Despite all my efforts, I did not pass the class. I also struggled with my required English class. I had no idea how to write a formal paper. I had to work on it for hours and depended on one of my friends for assistance.

With my friend’s assistance, I soon picked it up and did well, but I still struggled with my literacy skills. At the age of twenty-one, I transferred to Gallaudet University where I faced academic hardship, and “the wall” started to build up again because of my extreme frustration. I had to battle against “the wall” in order to increase my motivation to learn and at the same time, learn how to cope with my frustration. When I took Algebra I, I barely passed it after spending 20 hours studying for the final exam.

I struggled with English and took a non-credit English course to improve my reading and writings skills before I moved up to the required English courses. My English teacher did not think I would pass the English Placement Test due to my reading and writing challenges, but he was wrong, I passed it. Besides the English Placement Test, I also passed the Freshman Writing Exam. Consequently, my English course from Ohlone College was transferred and waived.

After passing the English Placement Test, I moved into the required English courses. While taking English, I gradually improved my reading comprehension and writing skills, even though my reading progress was still slow and it took me time to process the information I read or write. I also struggled to complete the foreign language requirement and I could not pass Algebra II. I withdrew from Algebra II because I was failing.

I felt anger and despair. I decided to be evaluated again and this time I went to see a psychologist who knew sign language. When the evaluation report arrived, I was astonished to learn that the results of this second evaluation were similar to the one I had received in high school. However, this time I had no difficulty accepting the label of learning disabled because it actually explained my frustration and also helped me understand my areas of weakness.

The psychological evaluation helped me identify my areas of weakness and target a way to improve my reading, writing, and math skills. It was like a map. It helped me find a way to succeed in school. Soon, I learned more about learning disabilities and the issues surrounding this disability. I finally decided to come out of the closet and tell everyone that I have learning disabilities. While “the wall” was still standing, I had to work extremely hard to break down “the wall” by enhancing my learning without giving up. After that, I managed to do well in each course throughout my college career and I graduated Cum Laude with my Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work from Gallaudet University in 1998.

Shortly after my graduation from Gallaudet University, I enrolled in Gallaudet’s Graduate School of Social Work to further my education. Before I entered the program, it was recommended that I enter the four-year program instead of the two-year program because I was told that I might not be able to handle the heavy load, which included many term papers.   However, financial aid would not support a part-time student and I wanted to complete my degree within two years.  

I decided to challenge myself to do the best that I could and registered for the two-year program. While I was in graduate school, I spent many hours with my nose buried in books and writing papers. Unlike undergraduate school, I had very little social life. During my first year of graduate school, I was still battling against “the wall.” At the end of the year, I passed the qualification examination, but unfortunately, failed one of my courses and had to repeat it. I was devastated and thought it was the end of the world!  

During my second year of graduate school, I took more courses so I could graduate on time. I wasn’t sure if I could make it because during my first three years of social work programs (two years of undergraduate and one year of graduate), I had taken only four courses each semester and it fit my limitation. I was afraid to continue my education because I was afraid that I might fail again, I couldn’t stand the thought of failing as I was so close to graduation.

I did not want to give up, not yet.   During my second year of graduate school, I finally comprehended the material completely. Although I still had a slow processing speed, my learning and thinking processes became clearer than ever. My reading and writing skills improved dramatically. I passed all of my courses, even the one I had to retake.   It turned out that I had finally knocked down “the wall” due to my long struggle with academics.

Now “the wall” is gone! For the first time in a long time, I enjoy learning! During eight years of university work, I had been chipping away at “the wall” and I finally knocked it down! In May 2000, I completed my master’s degree in Social Work and I am currently working as an Advisor for deaf and hard of hearing students at the Salt Lake Community College in Utah.

Accepting my learning disabilities and fighting against “the wall” was a long and difficult journey. I did not overcome my learning disabilities; I learned to compensate for my learning challenges. I even managed to get around my academic barriers in spite of “the wall.” The truth is, attending school requires motivation, drive, persistence, and perseverance. Without them, I would not have survived in school, especially college. In addition, my parents are the key people who supported me all the way through school and college. Without their encouragement and support, I would not have made it.

The more I learn about learning disabilities issues, the more I feel empowered. There is nothing wrong with being learning disabled. In fact, many famous and successful people have learning disabilities. People with learning disabilities are not mentally retarded or stupid. Some are extremely gifted and most have their own unique learning styles that are not the same as other non-learning disabled people. In order to become successful, they may have to work ten times harder than others, but believe me, it is worth it.

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This is the place where you can find out what other people think LD Pride is all about…

Thank you for your contribution!

 Contribute your definition: info@ldpride.net. In the subject line of your email, please use the phrase, “LD Pride Definition”.

According to You, LD Pride is…

… knowing that your learning difference gives a unique perspective that is a valuable contribution(Karen)

“…having a lot of lemons to make lemonade. It has given me a lot of gifts and a lot of lessons to learn by. I teach kids with LD and I tell them they must work hard and they will succeed.”
(C. Willingham)

To not be ashamed….

“…there should be no shame in saying I have LD…  We don’t stop the shame by not being who we are, but we stop the shame by being who we are and accepting ourselves… Let us be who we are, learn and function as we do, with pride in who we are…

SO I say it again – I’m LD and I’m Proud — and that’s the real solution.” 
(Glenn Young)

“I’m also LD (dyslexic) and I’m Proud.”
(Archie Willard)

“LD is that its the label ascribed by a majority to those of us in the minority whose minds refuse to stay inside the proverbial box or follow the path of the majority. I used to be ashamed because I am dyslexic and confound the simple things while excelling in the abstract advanced things. Now I stopped apologizing because it is as pointless as apologizing for the color of one’s eyes or skin”.
(Jacqueline Sarah Beckel)

“LD PRIDE…YOU BET!

In fact, this is where I am especially proud….

I have a brain that allows me to observe my world like few others that I know. I SEE things that very few others see. My family and friends say I am the most observant person they know. It is a wonderful gift. I believe this power to observe is directly linked to my unique brain structure and its ability to compensate for those parts of itself which are not fully functional. ( Neurological disorder)

I have a brain whose memory is chock full of Jeopardy answers-perhaps why I love Library work- and I believe this is also a gift of the disability.

I have a verbal ability that has served me greatly in many ways and I love this ability. I have a particular strength in social intelligence. My disability is Dysgraphia and my written expression is less than effective when I wish to express what I am really meaning…

MY GOAL is to achieve a place where I can more effectively use the energy of my anger and my pain to a positive end. Much progress has been made and more is to come.

In the final analysis… I rejoice in the beauty that I am LD and all…

So yes I am LD and Proud”.
(Cheryl Howland)

” I’m LD and I’m Proud!…” (VA. McLaughlin)

Please Join the ever-growing list…

“It’s a gift…”(Jim Valliere)

“LD Pride to me is knowing that I can focus on my abilities and not my disabilities. Showing the world that I can instead of I can’t. This LD is  not a curse but a gift, a gift to share with others on what I’m capable of doing and doing it well.”
(Mary Beth Vieira)

“In a regular person, the neurons in the brain are all in order – nice and neat. Picture a bunch of neat wires all tagged in color-coded. now in someone with learning disabilities, the neurons are all scattered. they are not neat. they look like a whole clump of computer wires 🙂 all scrambled and tangled. that gives us an advantage sometimes. our thoughts are all scrambled and tangled and sometimes even have static (if you know what i mean) – but the thoughts we can come up with in seconds might take someone hours. we have shortcuts in our brain that can come up with sheer brilliance!”
(Goldie)

The Gift of Humour…

LD pride to me is the fact that I can not only see all sides of a situation, but I can have a really good time with it as well. Instead of feeling frustrated by not being able to attain the results by following the instructions or the recommended way, I have a glorious trip that takes me to the end with more humor. I have “invented” many different ways to accomplish what others would think is simple, and when I show them they are usually amazed at the creativity and oftentimes the clarity of a procedure. I live in a world of analogies and everyone loves to sit next to me because my “take” on things keeps them in stitches. Mastering the art of the Mumble keeps me out of trouble yet is quite dangerous to anyone close!
(Vanessa)

The gift of “Creativity and Empathy…

Yes, LD and ADD’ers are definitely more creative! why? because, at least in my situation- I find that when “normal” people are faced with a challenging issue or crisis or problem – they start thinking of all the ins and outs and how to go about solving the problem and all the reasons why or why not they should do what they want to do. Then after all that, they start thinking of all the different ways they can go about doing what they decided they are going to do. all this takes time. Me, I just jump into something headfirst. I don’t think according to rules and guidelines and….. And most of the time people say “wow – how did you think of that?” It does cause trouble sometimes. But most of it works to my advantage. You have to look at it from a different perspective…”
(Goldie)

It’s allowed me to be a more creative and empathetic person..I’ve had to find creative ways to survive..and, as an educator, I can see when others are struggling, particularly children, and I don’t label them as “problem students” because of their differences. It’s been a tremendous asset in being able to reach out to help those who need it most. I wouldn’t want to be different..well, maybe a bit better with time..but that’s all! ((-:”
(Vicky)

The Gift of Multi-dimensional Thinking…

“To me, I can see most everything from more than one direction at the same time I can see the Black the White the Grays , Hey I’ll give up winning spelling bees for that ability. Most have trouble seeing one side of a problem. it’s a gift ” from who I don’t know” to be able to really understand something on all levels. And of course, you can’t get some good without the bad so I’ll say I made out on the deal.
(Jim Valliere)

“I think that the positive side of this [learning disability] is that I can think fast, and can think about several things at once, where most people have to either listen, or think, but not both. I also have a lot of ideas.”
(Laurie Pollick)

“I can’t understand why anyone would say one part of me is wrong just because it’s different. My mind no matter how strange it is or no matter how hard it is for me to think “normally” is fast enough to take most people’s fracking head off and they say I’m “learning disabled.”  After all these years I have learned to not care what people think about me.  If I’m so disabled why can I do so many mind-blowing things?  It’s as if my mind is too hot to handle and it’s boiling away inside my head.”
(Katz Heitmann)

Hey there, we need more…

…so why not take the leap…

 

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When you are first diagnosed with learning disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder, you will likely feel a great sense of relief that you can finally put a name to your difficulties. You will feel validated that you do, in fact, have a bona fide disability and your problems are not a matter of being lazy or stupid. It is also very comforting to know that you are not alone – there are many others LD/ADD adults who experience similar difficulties to yours.

Now, that you know accommodations and remedial services can be provided to help you cope with your LD/ADD you will feel more positive about your chances of succeeding in your education or work life. However, this initial sense of optimism will soon wear off as you realize that you must still face the problems your LD/ADD poses for you in your everyday life. At this point, you will need to work through the five stages of grief described in this module.

Being diagnosed with LD/ADD is no different from being diagnosed with any other disability. It changes your life and will require lifestyle adjustments. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross originally conceived the five stages of grief to help with the process of accepting death. However, her theory is now applied to help with any kind of loss. Upon diagnosis, you may look back at your life and start to identify missed opportunities that can be attributed to your LD/ADD.

For example, you might have lost a job because you could not cope with its requirements, or you might have lost a friend because you have trouble maintaining relationships. If your LD/ADD makes money management a challenge, you might have experienced a loss of financial stability. At this point, you may think to yourself, “If only I could have been diagnosed earlier, I might not have missed out on so much”.

You may suddenly realize how much easier it is for other people to cope with school, career, and/or social interaction and feel cheated out of opportunities. Such thoughts will likely stir up strong emotions for you including sadness and anger. It is important to allow yourself to feel these emotions in order to work through the grieving process. It may help to remember that what you are experiencing is a perfectly natural response for people coping with loss in their lives.

Before we proceed to the five stages, you should know that this process does not always proceed consecutively. Many people move back and forth between stages. Some people get stuck in one stage for a longer period of time than another. It is important to remember that no one person’s experience with this process is the same as another’s and that there is no wrong way to experience the stages.

Now, let’s take a look at the five different stages:

Denial

Denial is the first stage of the grieving process and usually occurs in various forms. It may be hard for you to believe that you do, in fact, have LD/ADD. You may question the diagnosis or believe that you have somehow overcome the disability so that it no longer exists. If you question the diagnosis, you may find yourself saying

“I can’t have LD/ADD – There must be a mistake!”.

Adults who believe they have overcome the disability are likely to have experienced academic success (e.g. graduated from college or university). They only see their LD/ADD in terms of their ability to succeed academically and since they have conquered this hurdle they reason that their LD/ADD is no longer a problem in their lives. As a result, it becomes impossible for them to see how their disability affects other areas of difficulty. Such areas might include finding and maintaining a job, organization, controlling anger, money management and making and maintaining friendships, etc.

Another form of denial may actually make you question the legitimacy of the disability itself. For example, you may conclude that “there’s no such thing as learning disabilities, only learning differences” or that “ADD is not really a condition – it’s just an excuse people use to hide their personality flaws”.

A more common form of denial is to have trouble acknowledging the extent to which your LD/ADD affects you in your everyday life. You may convince yourself that your LD/ADD is much less of a problem for you than is indicated in your assessment/evaluation. As a result, you may have trouble making the necessary life changes required to help you cope with your LD/ADD including taking medication, and asking for or using various accommodations and learning strategies.

Probably, the first step to getting out of denial is to identify that you are actually in it!

So, with that said, if you can identify with any of these forms of denial you are already on your way to coming out of it and that’s good news because this is the first step to accepting your LD/ADD.

Anger

Anger is the second stage. Denial is often a more comfortable stage than anger. It does not deal with any difficult emotions because we choose to push them away by not recognizing the reality of our situation. However, typically, at some point, reality comes crashing down and anger is often the result. Past and current difficulties linked to your LD/ADD often bring a painful awareness of the extent to which your LD/ADD affects your life. Such awareness may leave you feeling angry about the huge impact your LD/ADD has and continues to have on your daily living.

You may also perceive your diagnosis of LD/ADD as being “unfair”, and become angry that you have to deal with it while others do not. At this point, you might direct your anger towards others. You may feel envious and resentful towards people who do not have LD/ADD and have, what you perceive, as an easier life. During this stage, you may also find yourself blaming others for failures and losses that can be attributed to your LD/ADD.

For example, you might blame your parents or teachers for not meeting your educational needs or not recognizing the problem in the first place. Sure, you have a right to feel angry at others and even to feel envious of their lives, but try to remember how much your anger can hurt others around you. Your parents may feel guilty enough as it is without you blaming them for mistakes they already recognize.

It may help to remember that most people (parents especially) try to do the best they can for us with what they have to give and know. In other words, if a person did not know how to help you, they would not be able to do so. With this said, it is still important to express your anger. Otherwise, it will just grow inside of you and put you at risk for other problems. There are ways you can express your anger without hurting those you care about.

It might help to talk about your angry feelings with someone you can trust (e.g. a parent, friend, sibling, relative, or counselor). Sometimes it helps to write your feelings down. Your writing can take on many forms including various kinds of creative writing (e.g. a poem, story, or play). You may choose to write a letter (you do not have to send it). Other forms of creative expression include music, visual arts, and drama. Whatever coping strategy you decide to use, don’t hold these feelings inside.

Bargaining

Bargaining is the third stage of the grieving process and usually takes place shortly after your anger has passed. During this stage, you will find yourself bargaining with your LD/ADD in a fruitless effort to fight your LD/ADD in order to make it go away. For example, you might come to expect your LD/ADD to no longer be a problem for you as long as you continue to keep up your end of the bargain by taking your medication, attending support groups, therapy, and/or utilizing the various accommodations and learning strategies available to you. Of course, such bargains are likely to be disappointing when your LD/ADD fails to live up to its end of the deal and continues to be a problem in your life.  

Due to the on-again, off-again nature of these two disabilities (i.e. you can do it one day but not the next), you might secretly barter with your LD/ADD for a short reprieve from the effects of the disability during important life events (e.g. job interview, exam, social gathering). Again, this type of bargain is likely to be a source of great disappointment if your LD/ADD fails to comply. Bargaining may seem like a solution to your problems at first, but in the long run it will never completely manage your LD/ADD because the bargains you make with your LD/ADD will eventually fail. This often sad and frustrating realization will lead you to the fourth stage of the grieving process.

Depression

Depression is the fourth stage. It usually occurs after coming to the realization that your LD/ADD can never be totally overcome no matter how hard you try. At this point, there will be no denying the reality of your disability and the difficulties it continues to pose in your everyday life. You may find yourself thinking “I’ve got it, and there’s nothing I can do about it”. You may despair about various losses you have experienced which can be linked to your LD/ADD (e.g. job loss, lack of educational success, loss of a friendship/partnership, etc.).

Some people feel tired of constantly battling against their LD/ADD and want to simply give up fighting it. You may feel a sense of hopelessness and question your ability to succeed. This is especially problematic if you tend to buy into other people’s false evaluations of your character or ability (e.g. believing that you are fundamentally stupid or lazy). Sadly, such beliefs often lead to feelings of shame about yourself. As a result, you may find it more difficult to tell others about your LD/ADD in order to receive the help and accommodations you require.

You may also feel very alone and not know who or where to turn to for emotional support. Of course, you are not really alone because there are lots of people going through this experience but depression has a funny way of isolating us. This is why support is so essential during this stage. No matter how sad you feel or how much you feel like being alone during this stage, it is important to express your emotions with someone you trust (e.g. a parent, close friend, sibling, or counselor). Finding a support group for LD/ADD adults can also help you feel less alone and provide an outlet for your emotions with people who have similar concerns (contact your local Learning Disabilities Association to find one near you).

Acceptance

This is the fifth and final stage of the process. During this stage, you feel ready to accept your LD/ADD as a permanent part of your life. The diagnosis no longer feels so traumatic for you. The painful emotions (e.g. anger, despair) associated with the earlier stages have passed and you begin to feel more at peace with your LD/ADD. This does not mean you give in to it. You will, of course, still need to take your medication, utilize school and workplace accommodations and use various learning strategies to cope with your LD/ADD.

However, you will no longer feel the need to spend all your time and energy fighting the disability. Instead, you will take a much calmer and rational approach to cope with your LD/ADD. You will also no longer feel as much need to hide your LD/ADD and will begin to feel more comfortable asking for help or accommodations when you need them. Finally, you will begin to feel more hopeful about your future with LD/ADD and your ability to cope with its everyday challenges.

 

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 LD/ADD Gifts – Recognizing Your Strengths

Please note: The following is only one section of my latest self-help module ” Finding your LD/ADD Pride! Accepting Your LD/ADD”

Many adults with LD/ADD are so overwhelmed by their weaknesses, they forget to recognize their strengths and abilities. This is an understandable reaction (most people tend to focus on what is wrong in their lives rather than what is right) but focusing all your time and energy on your difficulties is likely to have negative consequences on your self-esteem. Recognizing your strengths may take a real effort on your part but it is worth it – the benefits are three-fold!

Firstly, you will feel more confident in yourself and your ability to succeed. Secondly, you can use your strengths to help you compensate for your weaknesses. For example, if you are artistically inclined, but have a poor memory, you could use your artistic ability (e.g. draw pictures or diagrams) to help you study and memorize course material. Thirdly, it is important to recognize your strengths because doing so will help you accept and make peace with your LD/ADD.

You can do this by recognizing the many positive characteristics that are thought to be directly associated with LD/ADD ( Please note: This is a crucial step to realizing your LD/ADD Pride).

Below is an overview of seven positive characteristics that are commonly thought to go hand in hand with learning disabilities and/or ADD. It is unlikely that all seven characteristics will be a perfect fit for you, but they should give you a good idea about your strengths and how they relate to your LD/ADD.

Sensitivity
Many adults with learning disabilities and ADD are thought to be highly sensitive individuals. They are very intuitive and in-tune with both their own and other people’s emotions. Sometimes they are actually able to perceive others’ thoughts and feelings. They generally feel things more deeply and tend to be very conscientious and caring individuals. For example, Thomas West, writer of   The Minds Eye, not only gives a thorough explanation of Winston Churchill’s learning disability but also describes his sensitive nature. West details Churchills tendency to break into tears quite easily(154) even out in the public eye. He notes one incident in which Churchill was moved to tears after witnessing the devastating effects of a bomb. 

Highly sensitive people with LD/ADD often have a strong sense of justice and tend to fight for what they believe. As a result, they often make excellent human service workers (e.g. social workers, psychologists, activists, etc.)
Unfortunately, sensitivity has been given a bad rap in our culture. It is often viewed as a sign of weakness. If you consider yourself to be a sensitive person, you may have been criticized for being too sensitive, overly emotional, weak, or thin‑skinned. These are all attempts to shame you into hiding your sensitive nature and the awareness this gift conveys to you.

Creativity

People with LD/ADD are often highly creative individuals. They tend to excel in the arts and sciences (e.g. visual, dramatic, and musical arts, mathematics, biology, and various other scientific specialties). Such creative abilities are thought to be caused by the tendency for people with learning disabilities to be visual thinkers (i.e. they think in pictures rather than words) and ADDers to have spontaneous and unregulated thought patterns (often through day-dreaming). These abilities seem to allow a less linear approach to problem-solving (i.e. ideas do not follow directly from one to the other) that often reach beyond the boundaries of organized thinking patterns. A person with LD/ADD may have an uncanny ability to come up with novel ideas to solve a problem (perhaps during a brainstorming session) that other people have not yet considered.

To demonstrate this point, one ADD adult writes:
I find that when “normal” people are faced with a challenging issue or crisis or problem ‑ they start thinking of all the ins and outs and how to go about solving the problem and all the reasons why or why not they should do what they want to do.   Then after all that they start thinking of all the different ways they can go about doing what they decided they are going to do. All this takes time. Me, I just jump into something headfirst. I don’t think according to rules and guidelines and ….. And most of the time people say “wow ‑ how did you think of that?” It does cause trouble sometimes. But most of the time it works to my advantage…” (Goldie)

Many people with LD/ADD are able to piece information together in completely new ways. For example, Einstein (commonly thought to have learning disabilities) had to change his way of thinking about some extremely basic ideas, and conceptions… (West, 188) in order to fully actualize what is now considered his most famous discovery – the theory of relativity. There is also a great deal of proof that Einstein was, in fact, a visual thinker and relied on this ability in order to conceptualize most of his scientific work. According to James Adams’s article, The Brain of the Century at the website Brain.com,   Einstein himself described his scientific thought process as not involving words, but rather visual images. Furthermore, Adams details one of Einstein’s daydreams involving traveling on a beam of light which Einstein credits for helping him develop the theory of relativity. 

There are also other similarities between those who are highly creative and people with learning disabilities and ADD. MacArthur’s article, The Human Nature of Creativity (also from the website Brain.com) asserts that an essential element of creative genius is this urge for wholeness, an attempt to see the big picture. Perhaps then it will come as no surprise that people with LD/ADD often credit their creative ability to their tendency to see the big picture.   This ability allows them to see all sides of a question (multidimensional thinking). As a result, they often have many insights into a topic, make far-reaching analogies, and/or sum up the content of an issue in simple, clear terms that everyone can understand. 

The following comments about multidimensional thinking by Jim Vallieres (an adult with learning disabilities) demonstrate his ability to see the big picture

Quoted exactly as received) “To me, I can see most everything from more than one direction at the same time I can see the Black the White the Grays, Hey I’ll give up winning spelling bees for that ability. Most have trouble seeing one side of a problem. it’s a gift ” from who I don’t know” to be able to really understand something on all levels.

And of course, you can’t get some good without the bad so I’ll say I made out on the deal.

Down to Earth
People with learning disabilities and ADD don’t generally like complexity. They tend to fall into two extremes. They either (as mentioned above) view things as a whole or get so caught up in small facts and details that they have trouble forming an overall picture of a subject, problem, or issue. As a result, they often live by the phase keep it simple. This philosophy reflects in their communication and everyday interaction with others. People respect and look up to them for their ability (often out of necessity) to simplify things and apply them to the real world.
Further more, many people with LD/ADD tend to take a more hands on approach to learning. They prefer to learn about and experience the world around them through movement and touch rather than reading a book. As a result, they are frequently described as being very down to earth.

Honesty
Honesty is very important to people with LD/ADD. In fact, sometimes it may be hard for them to tell even the smallest untruth (i.e. a white lie). Although this tendency can lead them to say things they will later regret, it does have its benefits because it sets the stage for clear, direct communication. People appreciate their ability to explain their point of view in simple, clear terms free of innuendo or sarcasm. Sally Smith, writer of Succeeding Against the Odds appreciates the direct, honest approach of many LD/ADD adults describing it as often refreshing to hear (66). She further appreciates the LD/ADD adult’s ability to get to the core of the question (Smith, 66) by saying exactly what they believe or feel about an issue.

Personality
Unlike many people, adults with LD/ADD tend not to be so bound by society’s norms and conventions. This characteristic makes for a dynamic and interesting personality

Passion
People with LD/ADD tend to become very passionate about things that matter to them. When they find something they enjoy doing or feel strongly about, they dive right into it and become almost completely engrossed by it. Smith cites the example of a night school student with learning disabilities who gets so involved in an activity that nothing else matters(74). At this point, they are at their height of productivity. They may even do extra work or go beyond the call of duty. They want to prove to everyone they can do as well as anybody else and they can be successful. Such passion and boundless enthusiasm is useful in the workplace and is an essential ingredient to becoming a successful entrepreneur. 

Loyalty

Many people with LD/ADD have trouble making friends and/or finding a partner, but their extreme loyalty to the relationships they do have is a beautiful thing to behold. People with LD/ADD tend to show their loyalty by their ability to preserve a friendship over a long period of time. They will often defend a friend in the face of criticism (usually said behind their friend’s back) and will stick up for them if they are being teased or bullied. This ability is more than likely linked with their sensitive and caring nature. Also, many people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder have been teased or bullied themselves. They know how much it hurts and are therefore very protective of people they care about.

Other Strengths
There are a number of other strengths worth mentioning that may or may not be connected to your LD/ADD. Many people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit disorder are extremely adept at multitasking (i.e. they are able to do more than one thing at once). However, some people have great difficulty in this area. Superior verbal abilities are common in adults with Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities. Some people with learning disabilities do well in specific academic areas such as math and science. As mentioned above, other people with LD/ADD excel in the arts (e.g. visual art, drama, music). People with dyslexia and ADD often show strengths in areas requiring visual-spatial abilities such as mechanics, sports, and architectural design.

What are your Strengths?
Wherever your strength lie, it is crucial for you to you recognize them and allow yourself to feel good about them. This is not bragging – it is about giving yourself the credit you deserve. So go ahead and give yourself permission to feel PROUD of your abilities and the possible connection they might have to your LD/ADD!

Copyright Notice
This document may only be reproduced for non-profit purposes with the expressed permission of the author, Liz Bogod. Please email to make a request. However, if you would like to link to this document feel free at anytime. 

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By Tim Vaughan, Life Coach

1.    Create a dynamic support structure

It is imperative to have people surrounding you that both understand and nurture you. It is awfully lonely and frustrating to feel like a square peg in a round world. These feelings can be lessened once you build a support structure that satisfies your needs. This can include friends, family, professional help, and support groups. The important thing is for these relationships to be safe havens where you can be rejuvenated and allowed to be you.

2.    Be yourself and enjoy it

Each of us- with or without ADD- has special talents, strengths, and weaknesses. We should all focus on living to our highest potential, whatever that may be. Work to develop your own truth and who you want to be rather than what other people may want for you. Having ADD is a part of who you are and is an amazing quality that can have many benefits. Do not waste any time worrying about why you are the way you are, instead, live your life fully.

3.     Make it a daily habit to stay grounded

It is important to keep your feet on the ground so that you can take steps forward. There are countless ways to remain centered in your life and you should find one that works easily for you. Whether it is taking time each morning to plan your day, following set timeouts to enjoy some breathing time, exercise, meditation or a hobby that relaxes you, find a regular routine that will release negative energy and keep your mind from going into overdrive. One key point is that whatever you choose, it has to excite and interest you. It should not be seen as a chore or an item on the to-do list.

4.     Limit your black and white thinking

Many ADD’ers tend to think in black or white. There is little gray area with the clients I work with and it is one of the first things we usually address. This type of thinking makes it very challenging to move ahead. Practice seeing the many different ways a situation can be viewed.

5.     Create active momentum

Just because you are not able to paint like Van Gogh does not mean that you should not pick up a brush. (Another example of black and white thinking.) Doing something is far better than doing nothing because any action that you take creates momentum and naturally leads to another larger, more effective action. Many of my ADD clients feel that if they can not do it perfectly then it is not worth doing and, I think, this is very self-defeating. If you find yourself in this boat make sure you jump into
the water as quickly as possible.

6.    Treat yourself to boundless compassion

Understand that each of us is doing what we think is best at the time. That is not to say that things work out always- we all know that is not true but it does take some of the pressure off of us when we make a mistake, which is bound to happen. If something has gone wrong today, beating yourself up over it will not make the result any better. Stop blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong.

7.    Master the skill of saying “NO”

Yes, this is a skill. Have you been agreeing to things that you do not want to do or do not have the time to do? Are you biting off more than you can chew and find that you are feeling overwhelmed? Learn to say no. I recommend that my clients who are overbooked initially say no to every request asked of them for one month. This allows them time to think about whether they really want to do what was asked of them. Even though you initially say no, that does not mean you can not go back and say you have
changed your mind. Think of ways that you would feel comfortable saying no. 
Example: you are already booked, are busy that weekend, you just are not able to.

8.     Develop strategies that work for you

Chances are you already have many strategies in place that you have created over time. If there are still chances that you want to make, take time to create an innovative way to address them. Think of where you presently are and where you want to be in the future. If you are not able to come up with a strategy on your own bring other people into the brainstorm. Friends, support groups, discussion groups, ADD coaches, all are valuable resources to have. For every challenge, there is a viable solution that is waiting to be found.

9.     Discover an overall mission
Having an underlying passion that you can regularly contribute to is good for the soul. Maybe it is offering support to other people with ADD, volunteering somewhere in the community, creating a project which makes you feel great. Whatever it may be, it is important to have a larger connection to the world around you and a place where you feel productive. Search out your talents and interests and put them to use.

10.   Take it easy and love yourself

This may sound very trite and not very useful, but the ADD’ers I know who do this are far happier than those who do not. However, you accomplish this goal is up to you. Maybe you have ideas for what works for you or possibly you will need the help of other people, but it is something I strongly recommend you focus on. If you are on the right page with yourself everything in your life will happen more easily.

About Tim:  Tim Vaughan is a  Life Coach, his coaching focus is to provide simple tools for ADD adults, parents, and teachers affected by ADD in order to empower them to live more fully and happily. He also works with people around life planning, life transitions, spiritual issues, and finding passion.

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“We are now going to go chapter by chapter and review just the very most important information that we have discovered on this case.”

So, without any further ado… (what is ado, anyway?)……………

Chapter 1 – What is a Learning Disability?

We learned that a learning disability is a difference in the way your brain “processes” information that causes you to “underachieve” in school. Certain kinds of information get stuck or confused while it goes through your brain so it is hard for you to show teachers how smart you really are.
 
 
Chapter 2 – What Causes a Learning Disability?  
We learned that nobody really knows for sure what causes a learning disability, but the most likely possibilities include:

Birth Trauma Heredity Lead Poisoning Accident Incomplete Brain Programming
Of these possibilities, heredity seems to be the leading cause of learning disabilities.
 
  Chapter 3 -Discrepancy = Underachievement

We learned that the term “discrepancy” is often used to describe how much difficulty you are really having in school. But it turns out that “discrepancy” is just a fancy word for “underachievement”. And “underachievement” just means that you don’t do as well as you could be doing in school if your learning disability didn’t “get in the way”. 
So discrepancy and underachievement mean that you can’t always show people how smart you are in school. And that’s one of the most frustrating things about a learning disability, isn’t it?
 
 
Chapter 4 -Processing: The Key to the Mystery

 

In chapter 4 we learned how information travels through your brain. First, information enters your brain through one of your “sensory” channels, usually visual or auditory, but sometimes other senses (such as taste, smell, and touch) are used. Next, the information goes to the “cognitive” processing areas where it may be processed either “sequentially” (organized and filed) or “conceptually” (“big picture” and general concepts). We also learned that for some LD students it is the speed that the brain processes information that causes the most trouble. For these students, any kind of information is just processed too slowly! And finally, we learned that every task requires at least two types of processing (at least one sensory channel and one cognitive channel). So a problem with either processing channel could cause a learning difficulty.
 
 
Chapter 5 -Using Accommodations to help you learn

In this chapter, we learned that you have a natural “learning preference” which is just the opposite of your learning disability. We learned how you can use your learning preference, along with accommodations so that your learning disability doesn’t cause so much interference in school. Finally, we learned about things your teachers can do for you and also some things you can do to help yourself learn better.
 
  Chapter 6 – Other Issues Related to LD
 
In chapter 6 we learned that LD students often have other issues which add to their difficulties both inside and outside of school. The issues we learned about included:
Low Self-esteem Social Confusion Communication Attention
We also learned that these issues can cause difficulties with learning and relationships that are just a serious as the difficulties caused by the learning disability itself. So it is very important to realize if these are difficult issues for you. If so, the very best thing you can do for yourself is to be as open and honest as you can be about your learning disability and any “related problems” you may have. In that way, people around you will be able to understand and accept your difficulties.
 
  Chapter 7 – Intelligence vs. IQ
 
  Here we learned something extremely important – that IQ scores are not perfect ways of measuring your intelligence. IQ tests can really help to find out about how you process information and where your strengths and weaknesses may be. But when you have a learning disability it is especially hard to measure your real potential. So your IQ score may not be a very good estimate of your real ability. We also learned that there may be many different kinds of intelligence. You could be “gifted” in some areas but struggle in others.
 
  Chapter 8 – Exercising Your Weakness

In chapter 8 we learned that you may be able to improve your processing weakness by doing certain kinds of activities. The idea is to force yourself to use your weak processing channel instead of just finding a way to avoid it. You may be surprised how much your processing can improve with practice.
 
  Chapter 9 – LD and the Law
 
  We learned about three very important federal laws that protect your rights:
IDEA makes sure you get the right special education services
  Section 504 makes sure you can get appropriate accommodations for everything else in school
  ADA makes sure you can get appropriate accommodations outside of school, for the rest of your life.
  All of these laws give handicapped people the right to appropriate accommodations so that their handicap or disability does interfere so much in their life.
 
  Chapter 10 – Becoming an effective Self-Advocate  
In this chapter we learned that it is very important for you to start advocating for yourself instead of depending upon someone (like your parents or case manager) to advocate for you. This is especially important as you go into high school and beyond. Self-advocacy involves knowing your rights and understanding your learning disability so that you can ask for the accommodations that you really need. But, to be a good self-advocate, you need to be willing to accept your disability and not waste all of your energy hiding it from others.
 
 
Chapter 11 – Planning Your Future, High School and beyond

Finally, we started to plan for your future including high school, after high school, and career. It is very important to always be thinking about your future so that you can do what is needed to keep all of your options open. Also, having a future plan can help you stay motivated, even when school gets difficult. We only scratched the surface. You will need to continue planning for your future for many years to come.
 
  “I hope you have learned a lot about yourself as we uncovered many of the mysteries of your learning disability.”
 
  “Hopefully, the information we have discovered on this case will help you to better understand and cope with your learning disability. But we haven’t uncovered all of the clues. There is much of the mystery left for you to continue exploring on your own.”
 
  “Right now, I am being summoned back to Scotland Yard to work on yet another mystery. Something about kittens and lost mittens.”
“So it is finally time to put my seal of approval on this case… now where did I leave my seal of approval? Ah, there it is!”

“One last thing. Has anyone seen my magnifying glass???????”
 
 
Return to Table of Contents

Published with Permission Of Writer: Scott L. Crouse, Ph.D.   
LDInfo.com: A website dedicated to the advancement of practical knowledge and understanding about the often mysterious world of Learning Disabilities. 
Copyright � 1996 Scott L. Crouse

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