Learning disability or difficulty, the reality

It is estimated that there are approximately 2.16% of adults and 2.5% of children with a learning disability in the UK (Office for National Statistics 2019). This may seem like a small number, but in reality, it is difficult to accurately determine a more exact figure because many individuals pass through the education system and much of their working life undiagnosed.

They either develop individual strategies to address the challenges that learning disability presents or chalk it up to not being smart. Individuals with learning disabilities often have difficulty asking for help with peer-related situations, they often lack the social-emotional skills necessary to handle peer pressure, bullying, and reading social cues of others and consequently often suffer in silence. However, for those that know and understand their difficulties, and learn to acknowledge their coping strategies, life can be challenging yet rewarding in equal measure.

So, what is the difference between learning disability and learning difficulty? Learning disability describes when an individual finds it harder to learn, understand and communicate. In contrast, learning difficulty refers to specific challenges with learning resulting from medical, emotional or language problems (SEN). Therefore, an individual with specific difficulties such as dyslexia does not necessarily have learning disabilities.

Overall, learning disabilities are neurologicallybased processing problems which interfere with learning basic skills. This inevitably opens the debate regarding intelligence. While there is some data to suggest a relationship between some learning disabilities and lowered IQ, it is not enough to suggest causation. Further, higher level skills such as organising, time planning, abstract reasoning, long or short-term memory and attention are usually also affected by neurologically based problems.

There are many types of learning disabilities: ADD/ ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Dyslexia, Dysgraphia. Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, Auditory processing disorder, Visual processing issues, Nonverbal learning disabilities, to name a few. The general use of the expression, “a slow learner,” further complicates matters. “A slow learner” is not a diagnostic category. It is an expression used to describe a student who can learn necessary academic skills but at a rate and depth below the average of his or her peers.

I have had the privilege of interviewing two young adults, Daniel and Ashley, who have both passed through the education system, including university, and both have learning disabilities. Their frank description of their experiences is compelling, reflecting the impact that their learning disability had and continues to have on their lives.

In the rest of the article, I highlight the challenges that both Ashley and Daniel have had while studying and then transitioning into the adult world of work as they endeavour to fulfil their ambition.

University experience – AD(H)D and the Domino Effect: For students, university can be a turbulent and challenging time; but it is exactly these experiences that form character and strengthen individuals. The struggles are not uniform, however, and some may have a larger challenge ahead of them than others.

Daniel and Ashley are two professionals who have persevered through the education system and graduated from university, despite facing hardships that have come with their learning disabilities. Both have AD(H)D but are also both adamant that their diagnoses are challenges, not excuses, and both believe there are equally as many benefits as there are hindrances that come with the disorder.

I have interviewed them and they have concluded that their seemingly negligible experiences of having AD(H)D have, over time, compounded into a domino effect, which has ultimately resulted in losing control.

Many students with AD(H)D struggle to maintain attention, which means that, being able to absorb content in lectures is nigh on impossible. Both Ashley and Daniel described leaving lectures unable to recall much of what occurred and believed that their attendance was futile - reading, watching educational videos, or even just listening to a dicta-phone recording of the lecture would have all been better uses of their time.

The key point to these activities is that if you lose attention, you can easily go back through the parts you’ve missed. In a lecture however, missing one important point could mean you spending the remainder of the lecture trying to work out what is going on. Furthermore, even if attention was able to be maintained throughout the lecture, both Daniel and Ashley described that recalling information was difficult, a common tendency of AD(H)D.

This was worsened by the fact they could not simultaneously listen and take notes. As a result of all this, they would both attend lectures but still require time to read, watch or listen to further educational material. They thus had less time to complete coursework; the first domino to losing control set in place.

Independent learning challenges: Working from home can cause a lot of problems; productivity can be affected by not having a clear distinction between work and life space. However, communal work environments come with their own set of issues for those with AD(H)D.

Despite Daniel and Ashley studying subjects that involved working in very different environments, they both encountered similar issues. The focal point of these issues revolved around distraction; Ashley found that sounds very easily interrupted her workflow; for Daniel, it was all too easy to become engrossed in assisting other people with their work, struggling to prioritise his own work above others. Failing to work effectively in these environments was another domino in the struggle for control.

Generally speaking, those with AD(H)D often struggle with sleep; being wide awake at times when they should rest; and very tired at times when they should be attentive . A shley and Daniel often lost a lot of sleep for a multitude of reasons and ‘all-nighters’ were a frequent occurrence during term time - not just during deadlines.

They disclosed that working during the night gave them the space to work without the distractions that were present during the day, but it also was the time they felt most productive; often being alert and more focused at times when everyone else would be getting ready to sleep. But working late often meant that day-time obligations were hard to maintain, and their social lives were often disrupted. To sustain either meant to lose out on sleep, which is ultimately a very corrosive action to take. A large domino in the struggle for control.

Prioritisation and time management: Another trait that is common to AD(H)D, is taking on too much. With such varied interests, it can be hard to prioritise what you spend your time doing. Ashley took on a lot of additional responsibilities in her household, without considering the ramifications.

Unable to prioritise and often choosing urgency overimportance;Ashleyevenfoundherselfdriving without insurance which had been cancelled as payments bounced during her exam period.

Daniel, similarly, took on too many responsibilities at university, running the architecture student society and becoming student representative. Whilst these activities were very beneficial, they came at a cost to his academic performance and social life. This inability to prioritise was the domino that tipped in a long line of dominos.

Whilst control was seemingly lost early-on in their studies, by the end of university both Daniel and Ashley eventually devised their own coping mechanisms and had sought help with managing their time. Both advocate that getting assistance was key to turning their studies around; simply having someone to talk to objectively and openly was fundamental. But they also strongly believe that by not trying to fit into the norm and devising their own approaches to studying - tackling their issues in their way - were paramount to not only succeeding but excelling in university. With the right approach, AD(H)D can benefit as much as it inhibits.

Transitioning to the workplace: Transitioning from school or university to work for individuals with learning disabilities presents a whole new set of challenges that go unnoticed by the general public. Whilst the university setting may have offered a great deal of flexibility and support to students with learning disabilities, the world of work is, generally not as accommodating. That is not to say that learning disability prevents individuals from thriving in the workplace. Rather, it just requires greater overall awareness, planning andwillingnessonallpartiestodevelopandadopt appropriate support strategies.

When I first managed a member of staff with a learningdisability,heencouragedmetodevelopan appreciationofnotjusthisdisabilitybutassociated behavioural implications. Simple things helped such as ensuring that he was given more time in meetings to express his views. I also ensured that demanding work-related opportunities were not inadvertently withheld in a misguided effort not to make things too challenging for him.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank both Ashley and Daniel for sharing their very personal experiences.

Jameka Neil (Author)

Latha Kathakamathamby (Interviewer) Alexander Partners www.alexanderpartners.org.uk