Typically people with learning disabilities work harder than others - but with lesser results. It’s not about hard work - it’s a learning disability.

4) A person with a learning disability can’t do anything right.

Even though a child may have a learning disability in one or two areas, it doesn’t mean they can’t do anything right. My daughter struggled with a disability in math, but what a wonderful writer she is! And she has more knowledge about how to get around a computer than many people have. I envy that ability because I think I have a learning disability in that area!

I’ve known students who, even though they struggled with math or reading, were excellent around heavy equipment or automobile engines or carpentry or drafting. Many could do things with a computer that seemed impossible.

The important thing is that, if your child has a learning disability, or even if you suspect he might have one, learn everything you can so that you will know what to expect and what not to expect from him as well as from his teachers and his educational program. That way you will be able to understand and help him in best way possible.

While none of us wants to consider fact that our child might have a learning disability, it’s intelligent approach to take. When you recognize truth about learning disabilities, you’ll know how to maximize your child’s abilities and minimize their dis-abilities.

For ways to be an advocate for your child, read "Advocating For Your Child With LD" at www.LDPerspectives.com.

When I get a referral that says, "Johnny cannot read and is not working up to grade level", with no more information than that, I do standard battery of tests. Then, when I learn later in conversation with that same teacher that Johnny can't sit still, or Johnny can't attend for anymore than two minutes, or Johnny has missed X number of days of school, or Johnny recently lost an uncle, I realize that perhaps I used wrong test.

If I had known this information first, I might have given a different test, perhaps one for Attention Deficit Disorder. So I have to go back and do that test afterwards. That information also affects HOW I give test. Perhaps I could have given it in shorter time spans.

My friend had some excellent points. The more specific information you can give, better it is for child. Testing is difficult enough on any child, but when person doing testing doesn't have right information, or not enough information, it can make testing more difficult.

I always found it helpful when teachers would show me as evaluator, any concrete illustrations of child's problems, such as written work that shows how he spells, or documentation of specific instances of difficulty in classroom, like his trouble with being able to copy information from board. I realize that teachers have a tremendous work load, but any specific information you can give about that child will help child not just on testing, but in future as well. And, after all, isn't that student's success in life what education's all about?

For more plain talk about learning disabilities, please visit us at www.ldperspectives.com.