When Learning Feels Different
In many households, especially within our communities, a child's struggles in school can quickly become a source of confusion, frustration, or even shame. “Why can’t he read like the others?” “Why is she always behind in class?” “Is my child just not trying hard enough?” These are questions that echo silently in the minds of concerned parents — questions that often go unanswered.
But what if the issue is not about laziness or lack of intelligence?
What if your child is simply wired differently?
Welcome to the world of Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) — conditions that affect how a person receives, processes, and expresses information. These are not indicators of a child’s worth or potential. Rather, they are reminders that learning is not a one-size-fits-all journey.
What Is a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD)?
A Specific Learning Difficulty refers to a condition that affects a particular aspect of learning — reading, writing, math, coordination, or spelling — despite having average or above-average intelligence. These children can be bright, talented, and full of potential, but they may struggle in traditional learning environments.
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear…”– Qur’an 2:286
SpLDs are not signs of failure. They are simply differences. And like all differences, they require understanding, patience, and support.
Your Child is Not Broken — They Just Learn Differently
Many children with SpLDs go through years of being misunderstood — labelled as lazy, unserious, or even defiant. But beneath those labels often lies a child who is trying their best, but is battling an invisible wall the world can’t see.
As Muslim parents, we are entrusted by Allah ﷻ with the responsibility of raising our children with mercy and justice. If our child had a physical wound, we would not beat them for bleeding. So why then do we scold them when their neurological or cognitive system struggles to learn like others?
“Be merciful to those on the earth and the One above the heavens will have mercy on you.”– Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Tirmidhi)
Types of Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs)
Understanding these conditions is the first step to supporting our children with compassion and effectiveness.
1. Dyslexia
Dyslexia affects reading, writing, and spelling. Children with dyslexia may:
-
Struggle to recognize or decode words
-
Mix up letters (e.g., "b" and "d")
-
Read slowly or inaccurately
-
Have poor spelling or handwriting
Despite these challenges, their intelligence remains intact. Many dyslexic individuals are highly creative, deeply intuitive, and can excel in storytelling, entrepreneurship, and the arts.
Encouragement Tip: Celebrate your child’s strengths. Shift focus from what's hard to what’s possible.
2. Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia impacts a child’s understanding of numbers and mathematical concepts. Signs may include:
-
Difficulty with basic arithmetic
-
Trouble remembering number facts
-
Struggles with time, directions, or measurement
-
Inability to estimate or compare quantities
These children may fear math or feel embarrassed during class. Our duty is not to shame them, but to walk beside them — one number at a time.
3. Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia relates to writing difficulties — from forming letters to spelling and organizing thoughts on paper. It may show as:
-
Inconsistent or illegible handwriting
-
Slow writing pace
-
Unusual pencil grip
-
Poor spelling, even in speech-capable children
Dysgraphia is often overlooked, but it can cause deep emotional stress in school-age children. Patience and alternative learning tools (e.g., audio notes, oral responses) can go a long way.
4. Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder)
Dyspraxia affects motor coordination. These children may:
-
Struggle with buttoning clothes, tying shoelaces, or using cutlery
-
Find it hard to sit still or balance
-
Avoid sports and playground activities
They are often misunderstood as clumsy or unfit. But in reality, they are courageous fighters, trying to navigate a world that demands more from their bodies than most.
Islam Teaches Compassion — Especially at Home
The Prophet ﷺ was never harsh with children. He recognized their limitations and guided them with love. He never mocked, scolded, or humiliated someone for what they could not control. In our homes, compassion should echo louder than correction.
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah رحمه الله said:“Children are a trust from Allah... If the parent fails to raise them properly, he has betrayed the trust.”
When your child is struggling — not with discipline, but with learning — how you respond becomes a test of that trust.
What Can You Do as a Parent?
Here’s how to turn your home into a healing space:
-
Observe Without Judgment: Look for patterns of struggle, not just behavior.
-
Seek Professional Assessment: Early identification leads to better support.
-
Educate Yourself and Others: Learn about your child’s specific condition. Then teach siblings and teachers too.
-
Advocate for Accommodations: Ask for extra time, modified teaching methods, or therapy if needed.
-
Embrace Their Strengths: Help them thrive in what they love — arts, storytelling, science, or memorization.
-
Make Du’ā Constantly: Seek Allah’s help — He who fashioned their minds knows their potential.
Having a child with a learning difficulty is not a punishment — it is a unique assignment from the Creator of the heavens. It is an invitation to love differently, to parent patiently, and to trust the unseen paths of growth that Allah ﷻ has designed.
So, if your child learns slowly, awkwardly, or unusually — don’t fear. Don’t compare. Just walk with them at their pace, while holding Allah’s hand.
“…And He created you in stages.”(Qur’an 71:14)
Let us raise not just children who succeed in school, but hearts that are safe, homes that are healing, and souls that are nurtured — no matter how they learn.
No comments:
Post a Comment