[MUSIC, Title: "Attention Deficit Disorder and Other Syndromes that May Rely More Heavily on Declarative Learning"] [Barb] As brilliant Dutch football coach Johan Cruyff has pointed out: "There is an advantage to every disadvantage." It's good for us to keep that in mind when discussing other syndromes—often but not always, found in conjunction with dyslexia—that may also grow from challenges with the procedural learning system. These can include attention deficit disorder, dyscalculia, dysgraphia—that is, difficulty with writing by hand— developmental language disorder, articulation disorder and developmental stuttering, and dyspraxia—which is sometimes also known as "clumsy child syndrome." Dyspraxia certainly hasn't stopped famed Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe— although he laments his difficulty in tying his shoes. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is another syndrome associated with dysfunctional pathways involving the procedural system. The result can be that a person can feel compulsions to perform certain routines repeatedly, compulsive checking behavior, fear of contamination, and can have an obsession with symmetry. As with all of these disorders, there is a range beyond which a person can find it difficult to function in society. But certainly OCD hasn't stopped soccer superstar David Beckham's success. [MUSIC, Title: "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder"] [Terry] Incidentally, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, also seems to be affiliated with quirks in the procedural system. It also relates to an unexpected "popping up" of the default mode network: the "diffuse mode." You can think of this metaphorically by imagining that the pinball table we use to symbolize the focused mode has random holes in it so that thoughts can inadvertently fall through. This means that whether the person likes it or not, they can find their thoughts falling more often than they'd like into the diffuse mode. Bringing their thoughts back on track can be difficult. But some of the visual attention attracting tricks of video games might be useful. This may be why those with attention difficulties may struggle with in-class attention, but easily be able to spend hours focused on video games. There is some evidence that training via specially-designed video games may be helpful in reducing the distracting symptoms of ADHD. This is encouraging news for parents who might wish to avoid medications. But medications may help during the critical early years when the brain is at its most plastic and easy to change. ADHD can prevent children from properly accessing and developing their executive control— the impulse control circuitry in the brain. Properly administered medication can help these children start developing this normally- inaccessible-to-them- circuitry so that in later years, as the medication is tapered down, the more fully developed impulse-control circuitry is there waiting for them. At the same time as with many of the syndromes that we've been discussing, attention deficits have a flip side and can come with their own advantages. A big one, it seems, is creativity. That makes sense— the mind-wandering that occurs when the default mode network pops up makes it easier to be creative with making new connections. But, there can be a fine balancing act if the symptoms of ADHD are too profound. It can be difficult for a child to learn anything, which can in turn negatively affect their creativity regarding what little they've learned. [MUSIC, Title: "Disorders to Be on the Lookout For"] [Barb] We should also bring up a very important side note on our discussion of neurodiversity. Some students are naturally more anxious than others. But some can be EXCEPTIONALLY anxious. This, as it turns out, may underpin anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder that can result in an abnormally low body weight and which is characterized by an extreme fear of gaining weight, coupled with a distorted perception of weight. Anorexia, which shares some features with obsessive compulsive disorder, is also characterized by disruption in the function of the procedural system, as is the related disorder of bulimia. The real challenge for us as teachers is that these students can appear to be so conscientious and perfect, that it doesn't even occur to us that there could be a problem. But since anorexia and bulimia are such serious disorders, your best bet is to keep these possibilities in the back of your mind when working with an exceptionally anxious student so that you can make referrals if necessary, to those who are experts in treating these conditions. Other serious disorders that don't relate to a particular learning pathway include, as we previously mentioned, post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD can cause serious challenges in the ability to focus and remember, as of course, can depression. I personally remember being excited and excelling at one teacher's class in high school. Over an extended holiday break, I fell into what I later learned was a deep depression. When classes resumed, the teacher insisted that I continue to learn as before, spending each class period focused on the materials he placed before us. The result? I turned my head to the wall and did nothing at all in that class for the entire semester. My grades plummeted from straight As to failing. Was I indulging in juvenile adolescent behavior that no one but myself, when I refused to do as my teacher insisted? Perhaps. But that teacher never realized that perhaps by talking to me, instead of simply insisting on me doing exactly what he wanted just like all the other kids in the class, he could have made a big difference in my success—and happiness levels—in school that year. [MUSIC, Title: "Dart between the Raindrops"] [Beth] Many of the syndromes and disorders we're mentioning here often have both an environmental and genetic component. In the end, this means these characteristics can be built into a person's very nature, and surprisingly, this can often be a very good thing. Just as with dyslexia, there can be immense unexpected talent to be found in conjunction with less common but no less worthwhile ways of interacting with the world. Does a person with these conditions often need to work harder to do things that others can do with ease? Absolutely. But the beneficial trade-offs can be surprising. As director Steven Spielberg advises those with dyslexia, which applies as well to those with other learning disorders: "You are not alone, and while you will have dyslexia for the rest of your life, you can dart between the raindrops to get where you want to go. It will not hold you back." Incidentally, years after Steven Spielberg's success as a director, his high school journalism teacher Bert Pfister said, "It's a source of considerable frustration for me that I had this creative genius in my class, and I had no inkling of that." Remember that many of the famous individuals we mentioned here were not diagnosed until they were adults. Although diagnostic methodologies are better now than in the past, some students can be so good at keeping their learning struggles hidden that they remain undiagnosed in your classroom. If Spielberg's own journalism teacher didn't detect Spielberg's dyslexia, it just indicates how easy it is for a student's challenges to slip by undetected. In the US, students diagnosed with the syndromes we're discussing here must by law have accommodations and modifications to their instruction. But while some clearly learning-challenged students evade diagnosis, others can have what are called "subclinical symptoms." Not quite enough for a full-blown diagnosis, but clearly indicative of learning challenges. In these types of situations, differentiation comes to the fore. Differentiation is for all students based on their needs. If you remember, we discussed differentiation in Week 1 of the first course of our "Uncommon Sense Teaching" specialization. Differentiation means providing different approaches to what students learn, how they learn, and how they demonstrate what they've learned. It includes adjustments in instruction, materials, and assignments. And is often centered on scaffolding: breaking the material into smaller parts, so a student learns bit by bit. In the end, when talking about learning, it's important to realize that although differences in learning ability can definitely lead to learning challenges, these can also be gifts that can make up for, and sometimes much more than make up for, any perceived deficits. This means that where typical common sense teachers may see only deficits, you, as the uncommon sense teacher that you are, are on the lookout for your student's hidden gifts. We've seen what happens with dyslexia and other related syndromes and their potential to strengthen certain declarative ways of learning. But what happens when some students might instead have reason to rely on a supercharged procedural system? Follow us to the next video to find out! [Beth] I'm Beth Rogowsky. [Barb] I'm Barb Oakley. [Terry] I'm Terry Sejnowski. [All] Learn it, link it, let's do it!
