Hi Bill, thanks for writing-
The notion that individuals with LD have average intelligence or above is
dated. I'm not aware of any definitions of LD that that at this point
include IQ (other than to say that LD is not caused by MR). At one point
several years back, data came out of the Dept of Rehabilitation suggesting
that the average IQ of their clientele with LD was 82. The fact is that
there's a broad spectrum of intelligence among children and adults with LD,
from low average to well into the gifted range.

Perhaps I've surprised you by raising the issue of community living skills
being of concern to adults with LD. When I interviewed adults for Meeting
the Challenge of LD in Adulthood, I found that several who had graduate
degrees routinely had problems you might only associate with the mentally
challenged - despite their high intelligence, they bounced checks, felt
overwhelmed in the grocery store, lost their keys on a regular basis, burnt
their dinners... several of the community living skills I wrote about in my
last posting. These were people in responsible positions. My point is that
the effects of LD are felt well beyond the walls of the classroom, and there
are skills that can be taught to help them manage the MANY domains of their
adult lives.

We're in agreement that the goal is to unlock intelligence and help them
cope, but where we part ways is that the focus is only on academic tasks.
What do others out there think?
Arlyn


On 11/8/07 6:29 PM, "Will Fagan" <wfagan at mun.ca> wrote:


> I don't seem to be clear on one point - maybe more.

> As part of the definition of LD (at least the discrepancy

> definition), LD students possess average or above average intelligence.

> Then why do they seem to be treated as mentally challenged in terms

> of providing them with practical, life skills?

> Isn't the goal to unlock that intelligence and help them cope with

> academic tasks that non-LD students/learners cope with?

> It sounds fatalistic when the verdict seems to be that we cannot help

> them overcome their learning/processing disability and achieve as

> other learners do.

> Bill Fagan

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