Research Paper on Learning Disabilities: Discrimination and Inappropriate Care

Introduction

A learning disability is a type of learning problem that causes a child to have trouble using certain skills such as studying, reading, listening, speaking, reasoning, to mention a few. Learning disabilities differ from one person to the next and at the same time, vary from one culture to the other. Children with learning disabilities are often discriminated and culturally treated with inappropriate service provision and care hence creating physical, psychological, and emotional problems. A child's cultural background and experience can affect them when they have a learning disability and how they are taught.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Children with learning disabilities are ill-treated and neglected in societies in the United States. Most western cultures are brutal, for instance, children with learning disabilities are threatened and put at risk zones for the good of others. This does not only affects their learning but also worsens their disabilities because they are not treated as normal individuals in society. Luquis (2013), avowed that people with mild learning disabilities in western cultures are unexceptional whereas those with severe disabilities are separated from the rest of the community members and sometimes killed. However, these cultures are unfair for the fact that a person particularly children with learning disabilities have difficulties with processing information and this is caused by differences in how their brain works. In fact, they are smart children since intelligence has nothing to do with learning disabilities.

On the other hand, cultural attitudes determine how care is given to children with learning disabilities. For instance, the White middle-class parents who belong to Judeo-Christian faith believe that the birth of a child with a learning disability is a punishment for their sins (Luquis, 2013). Since they have a spiritual explanation for the cause of this disability they tend to treat their children inappropriately something that affects certain skills while being taught in school. However, it is important to note that learning disabilities cannot be explained by religious believes as some cultures denounce but rather the neurological factors. It is the cognitive abilities that decide how a person will process information and this interferes greatly with how children interpret information. Garner et al. (2014), asserts that in order to improve learning disabilities children should be conditioned by approaches such as differentiated instruction. Therefore, instead of ill-treating and discriminating children, their disorders can be diagnosed in order to enable them to meet specific educational needs.

Substantial evidence linking difficulties children with learning disabilities experience when they are taught is the cultural environment (Garner et al., 2014). A number of children in the United States originate from diverging linguistic populations. Since language contributes to a sense of belonging, bilingual students are not much discriminated as their first language is protected from anxiety and hidden meaning. Other children who have no mastery of the first language are ill-treated as categorized as children who have learning disabilities. The choice of language impacts their learning abilities in schools and it is perceived as a collision to their cognitive abilities. Nonetheless, there are intervention programs used to increase children competence in different languages with the aim of increasing their learning outcomes. For instance, social-emotional learning (SEL) has been used to enable children from diverse cultural backgrounds to express, understand, and regulate their emotional aspects (Garner et al., 2014). In the process, they are able to cope with diverse languages at the same time improve their learning abilities. This approach is important since it helps reduce discriminatory behaviors and unfair treatment to children with learning disabilities.

Learning disabilities in children are among the most frequently diagnosed developmental disorders (Abdullah, 2018). According to the Epidemiological studies report, the prevalence rates in children with deficits in reading is 4-9% while those unable to comprehend mathematics 3-7%. These children are often subjected to cultural differences such as gender-based discrimination, neglected by society due to their condition (Abdullah, 2018). According to research on learning disabilities, the ratio of boys and girls with developmental disorders was between 5:1 and 9:1.

The reason why boys are more prone to getting learning disabilities more than girls is due to the differences in behaviors between them (Abdullah, 2018). One report showed that out 30 percent of boys have been disciplined as compared to 8 percent in girls. Several researchers have postulated that increased prevalence of learning disabilities in boys than girls is due to a child's biological susceptibility (Abdullah, 2018). Another cultural problem is boys are more likely to be referred for special education when they develop learning problems due to other perceived behaviors. Boys are also more noticeable once they develop learning disability due to their tendency of being disruptive and hyperactive in class than girls. Hence teachers will find it hard to notice girls who may have learning disorders like ADHD since they rarely show inattention.

There are several reasons why there is an increased number of children being diagnosed with learning disabilities in society (Abdullah, 2018). "Biological and psychosocial" stressors tend to put more children at risk of developing learning disorders, and as a consequence, more boys are diagnosed with the condition. Parents prefer their children to be identified as having a learning disability than being labeled as mentally retarded or emotional distressed. Another cultural problem is the labeling of children who do not perform well academically as kids having learning disabilities.

Learning Disabilities and Diversity: A Culturally Responsive Approach

Social Identity

The statistic of learners that go to Ontario schools is significantly diverse and tutors have a role in incorporating inclusivity in all students including those with learning disorders (Hoover, 2019). For example, in 2014, there was a report on how there will be more equitable and inclusive learning contexts of students even those with LD in society. Students with LD normally go through all forms of discrimination, and through inclusivity, in their classrooms, society, and homes they will be able to feel they are accepted and treated equally as other children.

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Culturally responsive training may be executed in the classroom to encourage classroom experience of learners through celebrating their cultures harmoniously. Learning disabilities in students is not connected to culture (Hoover, 2019). There are several classroom strategies that will enhance cultural integration in all students to enhance acceptability in the classroom. Teachers should apply inquiry-based strategies to help all students especially those with LDs in making decisions concerning their education.

They should incorporate several resources, such as community partners to enhance an all-inclusive learning environment. Teaching materials should be accessible to all learners, and the curriculum should embrace all cultures (Hoover, 2019). Teachers should recognize the level of knowledge in their learners, identify their strengths, and interests while teaching them in the classroom. Teachers should incorporate a differentiated learning approach as it will enhance an interactive environment in the classroom, providing both academic consistency and a myriad of resources that are accessible to all learners in special education (Hoover, 2019). Finally, to successfully execute a culturally responsive pedagogy for learning with LDs, teachers must allow culturally knowledge to emanate from students and their society.

As an educator, to enhance learning abilities in children I plan to create a platform where cultural knowledge can be shared in the future. As cultural knowledge will enable the learners to play a dynamic role in modeling and developing learning experiences for themselves and their colleagues. It will eventually make learning relevant and accessible to all students with learning disabilities in the classroom, as the curriculum will reflect on what affects the daily lives of these learners. Moreover, this approach will help teachers to collaboratively work with parents to apply some of these strategies while at home on children with LDs. It will finally help me better understand the parent's perspectives concerning children with LDs and enlighten them how they will handle such children in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the cultural background and experiences of a child having a learning disorder can impact their education and how they are taught in the classroom. Children with learning disorders are often treated differently and often neglected by their families. The prevalence rates of learning disorders in boys is higher than in girls due to their perceived bad behavior in the classroom. However, in order for teachers to enhance learning abilities in children they must implement differentiated instruction approach in the classroom. They must further create an equitable and all-inclusive learning environment for students with Learning Disorders. Finally, tutors must embrace cultural integration by allowing culturally knowledge to emanate from students and their society.

References

Luquis, R. R. (2013). Cultural competence in health education and health promotion. John Wiley & Sons.

Garner, P. W., Mahatmya, D., Brown, E. L., & Vesely, C. K. (2014). Promoting desirable outcomes among culturally and ethnically diverse children in social-emotional learning programs: A multilevel heuristic model. Educational Psychology Review, 26(1), 165-189.

Abdullah, M. Q. (2018). Gender difference in learning disabled children Neuropsychological review. Research And Reviews On Healthcare: Open Access Journal, 1(3), 42-46.

Hoover, J. J., Erickson, J. R., Patton, J. R., Sacco, D. M., & Tran, L. M. (2019). Examining IEPs of English learners with learning disabilities for cultural and linguistic responsiveness. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 34(1), 14-22.