Whats the difference between a child being "learning disabled" and just stupid?

Question

Why is everyone coming down on me? Its a fair question. If you dont know the answer insults arent helpful to getting the answer

Answer 1

learning disabled   they learn, just slower and maybe in a different way then others...

stupid.    they cant even learn.

Answer 2

you don't compare a child with a learning disability to someone like you

Answer 3

Well your just stupid

Answer 4

Thank you Janice for clarifying to those 'stupid' people the meaning of Stupidity.

It's always so easy for ignorant people to label others who are different.

Answer 5

A child with a learning disability learns at a slower pace because of their genetics; they cannot help that they are like that. It is not that they are just plain stupid. In fact, I do not think that there are people that are just "stupid." I think there are people that are lazy, ignorant, unwilling, lethargic and that leads to educational failure more than anything. Gettiing good grades and overall, being regarded as intelligent has a lot to do with the way that someone was raised, their personal interests, their willingness, their organizational skills, ambitions, and surroundings...

Answer 6

People are not stupid, people do stupid things. Like this question is doing something stupid, but it does not make you as a person stupid.

A learning disability is when your brain is unable to process information in the same way most people's brain process information.

It may be your eyes do not communicate well to you brain  or your brain does not communicate well to your hands. It can make it difficult to read, write, talk, or move.  Being unable to see the letters in a word without seeing some of the letters reversed is dyslexia and is a problem with your brain telling your eyes what it sees. When you try to stack blocks your eyes may not communicate to your hands well how to stack the blocks so you could have a perceptual-motor learning disability.

If by stupid, you mean a cognitive or intellectual disability - the difference is that the person is not unable to learn - they simply learn at a slower pace. They may never have enough time to learn what some people know - but that doesn't mean they stop learning.

I have an adult child with both. He has Down syndrome so he learns things more slowly, but he was also born addicted to his birth mother's cocaine that prevented his brain from growing fully - so he is unable to read or do other things that require use of a specific portion of the brain.

Answer 7

As a "Special Needs" teacher I think this question is in very bad taste.  All children learn things differently, just because a certain child may be a bit slower than the rest of the class in understanding something this done not mean they are stupid.  "Learning Disabled" children are students that have been assessed by professional and have specific learning difficulties.

Answer 8

Everyone can do something "stupid"  it is a term we use for not thinking. Maybe long ago people gave up on persons who didn't learn quickly and stupid became a label for them. Seems it is just a quick fast word to use when we are insulting or self degrading.

Learning disabled is a term which is meant to distinguished those who have a normal or above IQ but who learn in a somewhat different way from those with a low IQ.

Many very bright persons have difficulty performing certain skills. Have you ever know someone who was a great writer but lousy in math? or vice versa.

Answer 9

I think the word 'stupid' is stupid, it can mean different things, but usually people think of dumb. It's a word that insults and should be used with care, and if you had taken a little time you may have found a better alternative to use. But I will ignore the offended part of my nature and try and enlighten you. Learning disabled is like an umbrella label that contains many disabilities, deaf people can be classified in the hearing school world as learning disabled because they do not learn the same way as the school teaches. Would you classify a deaf child as stupid because they fall under the label of learning disabled, doubtful that you would. The range of learning disabled IQ scores are huge, a child can be gifted (IQ 130+) and still be learning disabled. Would you classify a gifted child with dysgraphia (poor hand writing) as stupid because their writing is very poor, doubtful that you would. I could go on but I don't think you really want an intelligent answer. You at this time are ignorant (stupid) of what learning disabled means, maybe you should do some research, read a book and put any and all preconceived ideas you have on the back burner, until you are no longer ignorant!

Just trying to help

janice down under.

Answer 10

well, i dont know the true definition or criteria of "stupid" but The term ‘specific learning disability’ means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.

Such term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

Such term does not include a learning problem that is primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

Guys relax, he is just asking.. If you dont education people then they will never know

Answer 11

The "official" definition of learning disabled is that a student must have AVERAGE to ABOVE AVERAGE intelligence (as measured on an IQ test) and be significantly discrepant (2 standard deviations) in one or more areas academically (as measured on an academic achievement battery of tests). These types of learners show they have potential to do better than they are performing. Some have issues in language processing, reading, spelling, writing, handwriting, or math.

What you call "just stupid" is usually referred to professionally as "dull normal." Students who fall in the IQ range of 70 to 85 or 90. These students fall in the LOW AVERAGE range. They are not significantly mentally impaired to require services for mental handicaps. They are not high enough to be considered for learning disabilities. These students often can do average work in a regular classroom when given appropriate instruction and plenty of encouragement and praise. They appear to be working up to their potential and do not require further specialized instruction.

Those of us who teach or parent kids with unique learning issues (or any kids for that matter), find the word "stupid" to be offensive. Teachers work hard to help their students of all abilities to learn and succeed up to and beyond their expected potential. No human being should ever be referred to as stupid. Personally, I believe God created our brains to be the most amazing and intricate organ both in its function, storage and retrieval of information, and adaptations to defects and circumstances. Please try to be more sensitive in your selection of words--ESPECIALLY when face to face with children!! Thanks for your question, though. I'm sure others are wondering the same thing.

Answer 12

I am a parent of a child with a learning disability and I feel this question should be deleted as I find it highly offensive.

Heart4teaching, my son has a full scale IQ of 71 and his IEP labels him as having a learning disability so I'm not sure why you say children with this range IQ cannot be considered as having a learning disability. My son is in second grade and gets services through the school and he does make progress, just slower than everyone else. My son is FAR from stupid. Like I said I find this highly offensive and it should be deleted.

EDIT:

I agree also with the poster below, my youngest has the learning disability, he can't help the way he learns. I have 3 older children, 13 yr old twins both honor roll students and my 10 yr old is a straight A student. I haven't done anything different with my youngest, he just learns differently and he can't help it.

Answer 13

There are very few people who are stupid. Everyone learns at a different pace, some learn faster than others yet other people need more time. To label some one stupid would be very offensive. Because everyone is different and some children take longer to learn than others or may have a physical or mental condition that affects the rate at which they learn and made need extra help these are the ones who need special education.