[Misc] Learning difficulty versus learning difference

[Super Steve Earle]

Perhaps there are people on NSC who can clear up something for me.

I have noticed that when our students (I am a uni lecturer) are given extra time in exams owing to dyslexia or ADHD, and when staff are asked to provide captions for recorded lectures to assist students who are deaf, these students are now being described as having a 'learning difference', rather than a 'learning difficulty'.

I had been quite happy with 'difference' as it legitimately predicated a need to making special arrangements to put students on a level playing field.

However, a learning difference does not sound to me like something that predicates special arrangements. I have a tendency to prefer information in words and pictures to help me learn facts. Some students prefer words and some prefer pictures. These are learning differences. They are not learning difficulties (unless the lecturer uses slides with only words or only pictures, disadvantaging different students). And they are not difficulties of substance; I have never me a student in 35 years who cannot learn from words or pictures; it is largely a personal preference.

So to me there are a range of learning differences, that have nuanced impact on an ability to learn. Some of us need silence whereas others can read and retain information in a room full of loud conversation or music. Some of us like to take a break from learning after 20 minutes or so. Others can do learning marathons lasting hours. Differences. Not difficulties.

So, does it make a big difference to a student who gets a statutory extra 30 minutes in a written exam if they are labeled with a 'difference' versus a 'difficulty'? Surely if a 'difficulty' is recognized then a solution can be sought. A 'difference' is not necessarily a difficulty, is it? In fact the lable 'difference' is actually signalling it is not a difficulty, surely?

I deliberately wrote 'learning difference' in reply to a poster who said they struggle learning lyrics, yesterday. I noticed in follow ups other posters wrote 'learning difficulty'.

So please someone explain to me how a difference is now a reason for special arrangements and is yet no longer a difficulty.

If I were deaf and were given transcripts of lectures to read because of my 'difference' I suspect I'd feel patronized.

Ironically as an autistic person, my 'difficulty' is not accomodated in any way in the workplace. I can tell you it is a f***ing difficulty and I need help dealing with ambiguous communications. I don't want a pat on the head and someone telling me I'm delightfully different. Or told, when struggling with an ambiguous instruction that 'it's not rocket science' as a colleague did recently - he apologized when I explained the issue.

Do people actually feel better being told they have a 'difference' (that requires special arrangements) as opposed to a 'difficulty'? I certainly wouldn't.

Mrs T disagrees and seems to think it has been 'difference' for ages and that nobody would say 'learning difficulty' anymore. I'm not sure this stands up to scrutiny:

For example, consider this: https://www.inclusiveemployers.co.uk/blog/understanding-learning-disability-terminology/#:~:text=Instead have a list of,are judgmental, biased and offensive.

Happy to be schooled. Thoughts?

I immediately recognised that my difficulty learning a lyric and the ensuing brouhaha had triggered your post. I was surprised that some had described it as a learning difficulty and inwardly railed against it as yes, that has perorative undertones. But difference I can embrace. I can't work with music in the background otherwise I just zone in the music. Other are the reverse. I would think learning difficulties require support, reasonable adjustments etc. I see learning differences as simply needing to know that people learn best in different ways and we aren't all the same. Pictorial, verbal, oral etc are all legitimate, ways of learning and I guess we all have a presence. Many swear by writing something down to aid recall.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I immediately recognised that my difficulty learning a lyric and the ensuing brouhaha had triggered your post. I was surprised that some had described it as a learning difficulty and inwardly railed against it as yes, that has perorative undertones. But difference I can embrace. I can't work with music in the background otherwise I just zone in the music. Other are the reverse. I would think learning difficulties require support, reasonable adjustments etc. I see learning differences as simply needing to know that people learn best in different ways and we aren't all the same. Pictorial, verbal, oral etc are all legitimate, ways of learning and I guess we all have a presence. Many swear by writing something down to aid recall.

It was actually an email I received from work but there were certainly a resonance