A person of average or above average intelligence who is struggling with learning can be said to demonstrate a “learning difference.” In contrast to mental retardation where a more depressed learning profile tends to exist, children with learning differences demonstrate unevenness in their learning; these children will excel in certain areas but struggle in others. We know today that differences in the wiring of children’s brains can create the variations in brain functioning that affect a student’s capacity to learn to read, write, spell, and/or do maths. In addition, underlying these academic difficulties are often sometimes harder to pinpoint problems in paying attention, following directions, remembering, organizing, managing time, handling sequences, and/or distinguishing right from left. A student’s academic, emotional, and social development can be adversely affected if these obstacles are not addressed.

Many famous people have struggled with learning including the following distinguished individuals: Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Tom Cruise, Anthony Hopkins, Charles Schwab and Agatha Christie. Obviously then, it is possible to struggle in school but to succeed in life!