The other day, a teacher asked me if I could help her understand her daughter’s learning. This is not uncommon; in fact, I get asked quite frequently to shed some light on a particular literacy issue. I find it enjoyable to try and solve the puzzle of what is causing a person to struggle with the reading or writing process.
What made this conversation even more interesting and memorable was the child is a sophomore in college. I know it is not uncommon for college students to struggle with reading and writing, but my own approach and questioning to unveil the possible causes of the spelling difficulty surprised me. My initial thought was a poor education, but my own questioning took me all the way back to early childhood. As we talked and I gathered more information about everything from ear infections to regional speech patterns, the answer became quite clear.
Reading and writing issues are not discovered overnight, nor are they created that way. Sure, disabilities and learning differences are sometimes unavoidable, but the majority of problems can be detected early and accurately. If they go unrecognized and/or untreated they will develop into larger issues that become increasingly more difficult to overcome. However, just because you struggle at something doesn’t make you inferior; in fact, it can make you superior. Imagine the determination and will it takes to not spell well but turn in a perfectly spelled paper.
Many people have struggles that were identified, but many more have struggles that went unnoticed or attributed to something else. Do you think there is a way to share our weaknesses without being vulnerable to criticism or ridicule? Should we? If it will help even one child, let it be known … I have a self-diagnosed grammar disability. I cannot, nor do I care to, diagram a sentence – EVER!
