Learning with disabilities


What Causes Learning Disabilities?

Successful intervention is dependent onsystems it is commonly accepted that a
finding the cause or causes of achild must start at the lower levels of
problem. Most problems can only beeducation and then gradually progress to
solved if one knows their causes. Athe higher levels. If human learning had
disease such as scurvy claimed the livesnot been a stratified process, if it had
of thousands of seamen during their longtaken place on a single level, this
sea voyages. The disease was curedwould have been unnecessary. It would
fairly quickly once the cause wasthen not have been important to start a
discovered, viz. a Vitamin C deficiency.child in first grade. It would have been
A viable point of departure wouldpossible for the child to enter school
therefore be to ask the question,at any level and to complete the school
“What causes learning disabilities?”years in any order.
In the literature on learningEven more astounding is that this very
disabilities, it is generally assumedimportant principle of learning is
that learning disabilities are caused byhardly noted in any of the present-day
a neurological dysfunction. This theorytheories on learning. In fact, when this
has so far, however, been unable toprinciple of learning is mentioned, it
produce any tangible practical results.often happens by way of an en passant
Another popular theory is that learningreference to discarded notions from the
disabilities are geneticallypast:
transmitted. According to an AmericanBaldwin (1896) introduced the concept of
study the risk that a child will have aa hierarchy of senses and proposed that
reading problem is increased from foursense perception ability varied from
to thirteen times if one of the parentsperson to person. As we ascend Baldwin's
has a similar problem. This tendency forpyramidal scale we find that each
learning disabilities to “run incapability rests on, and is
families” has been confirmed bychronologically and psychologically
numerous studies.dependent on, all the capabilities below
The tendency for learning disabilitiesit (for example imagination, which could
to “run in families” does notnot act but for its predecessors
necessarily prove, however, that aperception and memory). This notion of
learning disability is geneticallytraining competencies hierarchically was
determined. The ability to speak Englishthe premise on which perceptual training
also runs in families, yet nobody wouldand perceptual motor training were
attribute this to genetics. We all knowbased.
that a child learns to speak theWhen this principle is noticed, then its
language that he hears on a daily basis.significance is often distorted by
A straight line is the shortest distancereductionist thinking such as,
between two points. However, the“Cognitive abilities develop in a
seemingly shortest route from onesequential fashion that cannot be
conclusion to the next is notaltered,” or, “Another prerequisite
necessarily the best — or the correctfor reading includes a certain level of
— one. It sometimes turns out that aphysiological development of the
problem may have an explanation and abrain.”
solution that may seem so obvious and soThe stratified nature of learning is an
simple that people tend to overlook it.age-old — but ageless — principle.
The theory below is of this nature. ForThis principle was already pointed out
its understanding one requires noby Herbart (1776-1841), and it is based
specialist knowledge of the intricacieson the further principle that
of the human brain. Decades ofOne never…apprehends anything in
experience has shown that for theisolation, but always in terms of one's
successful application of this theorybackground of previous experience and
one does not even need to have thelearning. So the first consideration in
vaguest inkling of what genetics isproperly organized learning would be to
about.make sure that the learner had the right
In this theory it is not denied that thebackground (my italics).
brains of learning-disabled people mightA simpler example, which explains the
be different from the non-learningstratified nature of learning, is the
disabled. In fact, it is conceded thatfact that one has to learn to count
they probably are. Thebefore it becomes possible to learn to
“chicken-and-egg” problem should,add and subtract. Suppose one tried to
however, not be overlooked: are theteach a child, who had not yet learned
brain differences the cause of theto count, to add and subtract. This
learning disabilities, or is it thewould be quite impossible and no amount
other way round? Furthermore, in thisof effort would ever succeed in teaching
theory it is conceded that genes maythe child these skills. The child must
well play a role in the origin oflearn to count first, before it becomes
learning disabilities. However, I holdpossible for him to learn to add and
the optimistic view that neurologicalsubtract. In the same way, there are
differences and negative genetics merelythings that a child must learn first,
increase the educational responsibilitybefore it becomes possible for him to
of parents and teachers. A learninglearn to read, spell, write, et cetera.
disability is therefore not a permanentBartoli, who says that it is “the
condition. By following the correctactual practice with the real task of
method of instruction and with sustainedreading that leads to more skilful
practice according to this method, anyreading,” is only partially correct.
person can overcome a learning“Of course,” she adds, “any
disability.soccer, tennis, or basketball coach will
THE CAUSES OF LEARNING DISABILITIES: ANtell you the same thing: If you want to
ALTERNATIVE THEORYget better, you have to play the game
To understand this theory on the causes— not just practice skill drills.”
of learning disabilities it is importantNow, I know very little about tennis and
to take note of the fact that there isbasketball, but I do happen to know
nothing that any human being knows, orabout soccer. The game of soccer
can do, that he has not learned. If youconsists of many fragmented elements or
dump a little puppy into the water, itskills — passing, control, shooting,
will swim. Do the same with a humandribbling, goal keeping and heading.
child, and it will drown. The child mustBefore any child is expected to play in
learn to swim.a full-game situation, he should first
There is yet another, equally importantbe trained to pass, head, control,
fact, which is also a sine qua nondribble and shoot the ball. In fact,
towards the understanding of learninguntil these skills have been
disabilities, and which has also so farautomatized, the child will have two
been overlooked, viz. that learning is aleft feet on the soccer field.
stratified process. This is aThe reading “game,” just like the
self-evident fact, yet its significancegame of soccer, rests upon certain
in the situation of theskills and until these skills have
learning-disabled child has apparentlybecome automatized, the child will have
never been fully comprehended.“two left eyes” in the reading
Throughout the world in all educationalsituation.



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