ALTERNATIVE LEARNERS

Alternative Learners

LearningWorks for Kids has chosen to use the term “alternative learners” to describe a diverse group of youngsters who experience difficulties in home, school, and social situations. Many of these children may warrant a psychiatric or educational classification such as an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or a Learning Disability. But there are many if not more children who exhibit some of the same difficulties and either go undiagnosed or display somewhat milder symptoms than their diagnosed brethren. These children frequently have difficulty with traditional methods of learning and are drawn to the multimodal, interactive nature of digital technologies.

These alternative learners often experience varying degrees of difficulties in learning, sustaining attention and effort, displaying organizational and time management skills, and regulating their feelings and behavior; in essence, displaying one or more executive dysfunctions.  Unfortunately, many are labeled as lazy, unmotivated, or “just not getting it.” At times they are seen as having a “fixed set” of abilities and as incapable of making significant change.  In contrast, the LearningWorks for Kids model subscribes to the concept of a “growth mindset,” as described by Carol Dweck (2006).  We believe that a wide range of executive skills can be taught, developed and applied, and that children will see improvement as a direct result of directed effort and practice.

Diagnosis vs. Difficulty

There may be disagreements as to what level of severity or set of symptoms result in a diagnostic classification.  Increases in knowledge and effectiveness of assessment may result in higher levels of classification and diagnosis. In addition, social, cultural, and economic factors can play a role in identification of disorders.  For example, recent budgetary concerns in many school systems have resulted in reduction in the number of children identified as having learning disabilities. Yet, children who might not be diagnosed as learning disabled continue to struggle with academic demands.  Conversely, identification of children along the Autistic Spectrum Disorder, which includes Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and Asperger’s Disorder, has increased dramatically as knowledge regarding these disorders has become more prevalent amongst healthcare providers, teachers, and parents. 

For example, recent studies have suggested that 9 percent of children have an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Froehlich et al., 2007).  This contrasts with traditional figures that indicate 3 to 5 percent of children warrant a diagnosis of an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Brown 2006).  While the psychologists and educators at LearningWorks for Kids believe that the latter (3 to 5 percent) figures are more accurate, it is our experience that many other children display moderate symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, although not at a level that would warrant diagnosis.  These youngsters with attention difficulties display many ADHD characteristics, including poor organization and difficulties with planning, problem solving, and sustaining attention and effort. 

Home- and school-based interventions suggest that providing concise instructions, teaching reflective listening skills, assisting with organizational skills, and increasing physical activity are indicated for children with “attention problems.”  Similarly, LearningWorks for Kids strategies utilizing digital technologies to enhance these executive functioning skills are useful for both children diagnosed with ADHD and those who display moderate attention problems. 

Recent data suggest that 15 percent of children have learning disabilities, 1 percent Asperger’s or other Autistic Spectrum Disorders, 13 percent Anxiety Disorder, and 7 to 14 percent Mood Disorders.  In addition to these children with diagnosed disorders, there are many other children with milder manifestations of these problems who are equally likely to benefit from LearningWorks for Kids interventions targeted for these problems.  In a similar fashion, children with moderate difficulties with organization, working memory, planning, and time management, or with problems in sustaining attention and effort, often are better able to learn critical thinking and self-regulatory skills through nontraditional methods.

Alternative learners often have difficulties with traditional educational settings and methods.  A “teach and test” method, in which children are expected to listen, read and later display their knowledge in written form often results in disinterested and disconnected students.  By contrast, almost every one of these same youngsters appears thoughtfully engaged and genuinely interested when using technology and games.  They are often willing to discuss and examine their game play experience. And it is this process of thinking about what they have done and seeing ways to transfer their skills that is at the core of the LearningWorks for Kids model.