Learning differences

Last month I went to hear Dr Victoria Greer,  the new Assistant Superintendent for Student Services of Cambridge Public Schools speak. She mentioned a book written by Kathie Snow and her website  “Disability is Natural.” I wanted to go a bit further when talking about learning disabilities and say not only are they “natural,”  but we all have them. I know that for me it is easier to listen to new information and then to read it, so I often listen to books on cassette.  I know children and adults who have difficulty reading, writing or verbally expressing their ideas. The ones who are the most successful are those that are willing and able to use strategies effectively. Severity of the difference and ability to use strategies to compensate is the major difference between those of us that are not considered learning disabled and those that are.  We all have learning differences, but it’s how we compensate for those weaknesses that determine if the difference becomes a disability. So, of course learning differences are natural because they come from how we are each individually wired.