| Successful intervention is dependent on finding the | | | | accepted that a child must start at the lower levels |
| cause or causes of a problem. Most problems can | | | | of education and then gradually progress to the |
| only be solved if one knows their causes. A disease | | | | higher levels. If human learning had not been a |
| such as scurvy claimed the lives of thousands of | | | | stratified process, if it had taken place on a single |
| seamen during their long sea voyages. The disease | | | | level, this would have been unnecessary. It would |
| was cured fairly quickly once the cause was | | | | then not have been important to start a child in first |
| discovered, viz. a Vitamin C deficiency. A viable point | | | | grade. It would have been possible for the child to |
| of departure would therefore be to ask the question, | | | | enter school at any level and to complete the school |
| “What causes learning | | | | years in any order. |
| disabilities?†| | | | Even more astounding is that this very important |
| In the literature on learning disabilities, it is generally | | | | principle of learning is hardly noted in any of the |
| assumed that learning disabilities are caused by a | | | | present-day theories on learning. In fact, when this |
| neurological dysfunction. This theory has so far, | | | | principle of learning is mentioned, it often happens by |
| however, been unable to produce any tangible | | | | way of an en passant reference to discarded notions |
| practical results. | | | | from the past: |
| Another popular theory is that learning disabilities are | | | | Baldwin (1896) introduced the concept of a hierarchy |
| genetically transmitted. According to an American | | | | of senses and proposed that sense perception ability |
| study the risk that a child will have a reading problem | | | | varied from person to person. As we ascend |
| is increased from four to thirteen times if one of the | | | | Baldwin's pyramidal scale we find that each capability |
| parents has a similar problem. This tendency for | | | | rests on, and is chronologically and psychologically |
| learning disabilities to “run in | | | | dependent on, all the capabilities below it (for |
| families†has been confirmed by numerous | | | | example imagination, which could not act but for its |
| studies. | | | | predecessors perception and memory). This notion of |
| The tendency for learning disabilities to “run | | | | training competencies hierarchically was the premise |
| in families†does not necessarily prove, | | | | on which perceptual training and perceptual motor |
| however, that a learning disability is genetically | | | | training were based. |
| determined. The ability to speak English also runs in | | | | When this principle is noticed, then its significance is |
| families, yet nobody would attribute this to genetics. | | | | often distorted by reductionist thinking such as, |
| We all know that a child learns to speak the language | | | | “Cognitive abilities develop in a sequential |
| that he hears on a daily basis. | | | | fashion that cannot be altered,†or, |
| A straight line is the shortest distance between two | | | | “Another prerequisite for reading includes a |
| points. However, the seemingly shortest route from | | | | certain level of physiological development of the |
| one conclusion to the next is not necessarily the best | | | | brain.†|
| — or the correct — one. It | | | | The stratified nature of learning is an age-old |
| sometimes turns out that a problem may have an | | | | — but ageless — principle. This |
| explanation and a solution that may seem so obvious | | | | principle was already pointed out by Herbart |
| and so simple that people tend to overlook it. | | | | (1776-1841), and it is based on the further principle |
| The theory below is of this nature. For its | | | | that |
| understanding one requires no specialist knowledge of | | | | One never…apprehends anything in isolation, |
| the intricacies of the human brain. Decades of | | | | but always in terms of one's background of previous |
| experience has shown that for the successful | | | | experience and learning. So the first consideration in |
| application of this theory one does not even need to | | | | properly organized learning would be to make sure |
| have the vaguest inkling of what genetics is about. | | | | that the learner had the right background (my italics). |
| In this theory it is not denied that the brains of | | | | A simpler example, which explains the stratified |
| learning-disabled people might be different from the | | | | nature of learning, is the fact that one has to learn to |
| non-learning disabled. In fact, it is conceded that they | | | | count before it becomes possible to learn to add and |
| probably are. The | | | | subtract. Suppose one tried to teach a child, who had |
| “chicken-and-egg†problem should, | | | | not yet learned to count, to add and subtract. This |
| however, not be overlooked: are the brain | | | | would be quite impossible and no amount of effort |
| differences the cause of the learning disabilities, or is | | | | would ever succeed in teaching the child these skills. |
| it the other way round? Furthermore, in this theory it | | | | The child must learn to count first, before it becomes |
| is conceded that genes may well play a role in the | | | | possible for him to learn to add and subtract. In the |
| origin of learning disabilities. However, I hold the | | | | same way, there are things that a child must learn |
| optimistic view that neurological differences and | | | | first, before it becomes possible for him to learn to |
| negative genetics merely increase the educational | | | | read, spell, write, et cetera. |
| responsibility of parents and teachers. A learning | | | | Bartoli, who says that it is “the actual |
| disability is therefore not a permanent condition. By | | | | practice with the real task of reading that leads to |
| following the correct method of instruction and with | | | | more skilful reading,†is only partially correct. |
| sustained practice according to this method, any | | | | “Of course,†she adds, |
| person can overcome a learning disability. | | | | “any soccer, tennis, or basketball coach will |
| THE CAUSES OF LEARNING DISABILITIES: AN | | | | tell you the same thing: If you want to get better, |
| ALTERNATIVE THEORY | | | | you have to play the game — not just |
| To understand this theory on the causes of learning | | | | practice skill drills.†Now, I know very little |
| disabilities it is important to take note of the fact | | | | about tennis and basketball, but I do happen to know |
| that there is nothing that any human being knows, or | | | | about soccer. The game of soccer consists of many |
| can do, that he has not learned. If you dump a little | | | | fragmented elements or skills — passing, |
| puppy into the water, it will swim. Do the same with | | | | control, shooting, dribbling, goal keeping and heading. |
| a human child, and it will drown. The child must learn | | | | Before any child is expected to play in a full-game |
| to swim. | | | | situation, he should first be trained to pass, head, |
| There is yet another, equally important fact, which is | | | | control, dribble and shoot the ball. In fact, until these |
| also a sine qua non towards the understanding of | | | | skills have been automatized, the child will have two |
| learning disabilities, and which has also so far been | | | | left feet on the soccer field. |
| overlooked, viz. that learning is a stratified process. | | | | The reading “game,†just like the |
| This is a self-evident fact, yet its significance in the | | | | game of soccer, rests upon certain skills and until |
| situation of the learning-disabled child has apparently | | | | these skills have become automatized, the child will |
| never been fully comprehended. Throughout the | | | | have “two left eyes†in the |
| world in all educational systems it is commonly | | | | reading situation. |