Learning Disabilities

Shahmir Lodhi AP Language and Composition Mr. Kim 20th April, 2013 Learning Disabilities All my life, I’ve had issues with academics. For many years, my parents and teachers always believed that the reason I was academically challenged was because I was lazy and un interested. It was not until the eleventh grade, when I was diagnosed with a spacial visual disorder, did my parents realize that my academic downfall was not due to laziness, but in fact, due to this learning disability. After being diagnosed, many aspects of my life changed. One main aspect that changed was my perception of myself as a student, I now felt that I was prohibited from doing assignments, which required deep thinking or numbers. For example, the other day I was given a math problem to solve. However after trying only twice to solve it, I gave up and then claimed that I was not able to do it, because I had a learning disability that affected my ability to do math. Another main aspect of my life that changed, was my confidence as a student. Before, being diagnosed with a learning disability, I was always able to raise my hand in a class and give a very confident answer to a question posed by the teacher or a student. This sense of confidence which I once had, had somewhat lowered after being diagnosed. The reason was because, I now felt very different from the Lodhi 1

Lodhi 2 students in my classes, I felt that my brain was slower and constructed differently from theirs, and as a result, I felt my opinions and answers would not make sense or would not suffice as a well written answer to the question.

My learning disability has certainly taken its tole on my confidence as a student and as an individual. The effect of my disability on my life, is why I claim that although having a learning disability is not something to be frowned on, it does lower a individuals perception of themselves ( self esteem). A learning disability is a neurological disorder. In simple terms, a learning

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