The trees of a learning disability

My favorite part of fall is watching the leaves turn colors. I can remember making a leaf book when I was in elementary school. I would collect leaves from the woods behind my house and bring them to school. I would get to see all the other leaves that my classmates brought in from their homes. The leaves were a rainbow of different colors, sizes, and types. It was not just a maple leaf. There were oak, birch, and chestnut leaves. Learning disabilities are also like leaves. They come in a wide variety of types. There are many types of learning disabilities: Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Auditory Processing Disorder, Dysgraphia, Language Processing Disorder, and Non-Verbal Learning Disability. They are not a one-size-fits-all diagnosis and will affect each person differently.

Dyslexia is the most common tree of reference for learning disabilities. People with this have trouble connecting the sounds to the words and how they are to be read. Having this can affect how a person spells and reads fluently. It can also be difficult to learn the letters of the alphabet and their names. Some people with it may see and write numbers and letters backward. However, this is not always the case for every person. Others with it may simply struggle with language and how it is processed in the brain. Reading is possible, but it is a slow process, where the person has to work harder to read.

Dyscalculia is a math learning disability that affects how a person performs in math. I have this type of learning disability. In the classroom, I struggled with how numbers work. I forget the steps in a math problem and have difficulty calculating the correct answers. My difficulties with this go beyond the classroom. I am unable to tell time on the face of a clock and confuse my left from my right. I also have difficulty budgeting and leaving a tip at a restaurant. 

Dyscalculia is one of the most misunderstood types of learning disabilities. Many people think that people with it see numbers backward. I do not see numbers backward. Others often think that using tutoring or a calculator will help. I have found that tutoring has not been effective in learning math. I used them in college to get through the course and put forth effort. Yet I have always done well in class. Using a calculator has also not been helpful and I have gotten the wrong answer when using it. I can put the numbers in, but I do not understand the concept.

Auditory processing is another type of learning disability tree. People with this type have difficulty with auditory information. The person may not be able to distinguish between a person's voice and background noise in the environment. The individual with this is able to hear but has difficulty processing the information. 

Language processing disorder is another variety of learning disability trees. A person with this has trouble expressing language when they talk. People with this can have trouble with can have difficulty putting together sentences when they speak. Others who have this may struggle to comprehend what another person is saying to them. It can also be a mixture of both making it difficult to both express and receive information.

Non-verbal learning disability is another type of learning disability tree. People with this type of disability have high verbal abilities and can speak well. The struggles are with math, spatial relations, and social skills. Many times, people do not understand why someone can have a wide vocabulary but cannot understand math. When others hear me speak, they say I am so smart and think I should be able to understand numbers. 

Spatial relations can also be a challenge for those with this. I can remember gym class being a challenge for me. I blink whenever a ball comes in my direction and forget the rules of the game. My visual perception is also why I am not able to drive. The issue is not with my eyes but with my brain. I struggle to coordinate the functions of driving and with my reaction time.  

Dysgraphia is another type of learning disability. People with this struggle with their handwriting and oftentimes express their ideas. Handwriting has always been a challenge for me. I cried my way through the Homework Without Tears curriculum at school. People also thought that I was not smart because of how my writing looked. Learning how to type was a game changer. Finally, people could read my thoughts and ideas on paper.

For some with dysgraphia, it can also be how they express their thoughts. Many times, they struggle to form sentences and write paragraphs. A person with this may also struggle with grammar and confusing pronouns, which can make writing papers challenging. 

Like the variety in the leaf book, I made many years ago, so are learning disabilities. Each one creates difficulties for students learning. It is not one type of tree, but a collection of many. Some of them affect how a person reads, writes, does math, or coordinates. Every person with it will have a unique experience, even if they have the same type. The tree of learning disabilities may not look like the other trees in the forest, but it is still a beautiful experience.