Jamie Lynn Miller

Did you know Beethoven was deaf when he wrote his 9th symphony? The actor, Tom Cruise learns his lines by listening to a tape because he has dyslexia. Did you know Walt Disney worked slower than normal in school and he did not have a successful school experience? Can you believe that Albert Einstein's teachers considered him to be "mentally slow, unsociable, and a dreamer" (Yuri)? He even failed the entrance examination for college, yet he invented the theory of relativity. Although learning disabilities create obstacles, they can be overcome and turned into stories of success.

Learning disabilities are not uncommon. In fact, I would assume that each and every individual possesses strengths and weaknesses in achievement areas of reading comprehension, vocabulary recognition, analysis, expression of thoughts /ideas, writing, spelling, and math calculations. Often, differences in achievement stem from deficits in cognitive processing, such as long-term memory, short-term memory, and processing of directions. Those who are learning disabled, experience these aspects; however, not all of them are limitations for one individual. Even though someone is diagnosed with dyslexia, ADD, or a learning disability, that individual has strong skills, which balance out any limitations.

In my experience of life, I have been challenged with restraints. I repeated third grade once my elementary school teachers noticed I had a learning difference. I always felt different than my friends. They loved to read, whereas I would cry as I tried to read an entire book myself. When a graded test was returned to the students at the end of class, I would grab mine and leave the room as quickly as possible. To see their As and Bs greatly discouraged me. Even though I studied hard, it didn’t appear so. My efforts would only be rewarded with low Cs. I would ask myself, "Why do I have so much trouble?" Everyone else appeared happy. They did not mind going to school. In contrast, I would only wake up to struggle my way through the day. At 3:00, when classes ended, I would go home to study more. I did not allow myself too much of a social life. If I went to a movie, I would not enjoy myself. I would be thinking of a paper that had to be written. If I went to a barbecue, I would not stay too long, for I had a book at home that had to be read.

Today, I understand my disability. I am aware of my discrepancies, and I have learned strategies over the years to compensate for these weaknesses. I have accepted the fact that reading will always be a challenge for me. Although frustration previously overwhelmed me when I saw anything in paragraph form, now I participate in active reading. As I read a page in a book, I take notes in the margin. I write down my opinion, a comment, or a summary of the page that I have just read. This helps my concentration and has become something automatic to me. It may take twice the amount of time, in comparison to others, but at the end, I understand the plot of the novel or the terms in the textbook. Secondly, I also take advantage of books on tape that are offered through DSPS. Since auditory processing is a strength of mine, listening to someone read my textbook as I follow along assists my comprehension.

Besides reading comprehension, I also struggle with long-term retrieval. I have a hard time associating new information with already learned events, names, ideas, and concepts. Though I may have spent a summer reading the Odyssey, a blank response or delay will occur when someone asks me about the characters or major theme of the novel. The information does not stick. I compensate for this deficit by limiting the amount of new facts and terms that confront me. I also must invest time reviewing and repeating information to myself verbally. This ensures that I retain the new information and connect it with the old. According to the Adult Dyslexia Organization, direction from teachers about relevant verse irrelevant data is helpful too (DSPS 77 packet, 3). In addition, I use the service of extended time on tests also offered through DSPS. I take my tests in a quiet room where there are no distractions. I am able to retrieve information in a more efficient manner, which limits anxiety and pressure.

Similar to long-term retrieval, I struggle with vocabulary recognition. In many circumstances I cannot express myself clearly on paper or in conversation. Retrieving already-known words can become a hassle. The puzzle pieces seem to fit in my mind but my thoughts and ideas get jumbled up when trying to speak or write. This is influenced by a timing deficit. This means that I struggle in processing new information into a completed puzzle or an outline. In some instances, before I write a paper, I may speak into a cassette recorder, recording my thoughts and ideas. As I hear what I have said, I am able to think more clearly. Without doing this, thoughts would remain unclear in my mind. When I hear myself speaking, other words and ideas surface. Though I am "a woman of few words," in some circumstances, I have a lot to say. When I am speaking, I limit what I have to say because vocabulary retrieval is difficult. My family and friends are aware of this difficulty. They remain patient as I express myself. Often, I will say one idea three different ways, in simple words, until I know that it is understood.

In conclusion, in the past, I allowed my learning difference to control, discourage, and conquer me. Today I am in control. I see my learning disability as a learning challenge. These differences will always be a part of me. So I have decided to confront them as any other challenge that we all have to face in life, with courage and determination.

1. Morita, Yuri. Take A Walk in My Shoes –- A Guidebook for Youth on

Diversity Awareness Activities. June 1996.

http://www.ldonline.org/kidzone/inter_act/celebrity_quiz.html

2. Lewin, Gerry. DSPS 77: Writing & Reading Strategies packet. Spring 2000.

3. Adult Dyslexia Organization.

<http://www.futurenet.co.uk/charity/ado/index.html>