Do I need a label to get some help for my learning?

When listening to, or looking at the media these days, there are frequent stories about “labelled” difficulties. ADHD, ASD (Aspergers) and Dyslexia get a frequent airing, each one often being depicted from an archetypal perspective that might fit some, but certainly won’t describe all. The terms “neurotypical” and “neurodiverse” are also a significant part of the discussion. While it is a blessing that more is known now about different behavioural and learning patterns, this can present as a double-edged sword, with people mislabelling or working to the “label” rather than the person.

“I think my child might have Dyslexia.”

“I think my child might have Dyslexia” is a frequent starting point in a discussion around assessment. Another is the question, “Do you diagnose Dyslexia?” When children present with learning issues there may be a myriad of reasons for their challenges. Not all reading difficulties for example are Dyslexia. Not all children with anxiety have ASD, and not all children with reduced attention have ADHD. Parents are sometimes seeking a “label” to get assistance for their child, and in truth, unfortunately, some schools and school systems are emphasising this as a prerequisite for the student to gain assistance. This is certainly contributing to unhelpful, overidentification and means that many individual needs can be missed.

When thinking about a student’s challenges, it is more helpful to think about the strengths and challenges with which they are presenting. What barriers get in the way of their accessing instruction? What barriers get in the way of them holding the instruction, and what impedes them demonstrating what they understand from the instruction? What strengths do they bring to the learning situation? Looked at in this way, an individual profile can be constructed that will inform what supports will help the person to access instruction, what will help them hold the learning, and then be able to demonstrate what they understand. Instead of saying, “Jeff is Dyslexic”, and then applying an intervention regime that is used with Dyslexics, it is far more helpful to say, “these are the barriers to Jeff’s learning”. Jeff needs certain things to help him learn and to help him to demonstrate to his teachers, parents, examiners, that he has understood. This personalises his learning on an individual needs and strengths basis rather than condemning him to the descriptors of a presumptive label.

Much of the discussion in education, indeed generally today, is about evidence-based practice, and so it should be. No person would want a medical intervention to be provided without due investigation into the symptoms and causes informing the medical management. Indeed, this is the case with learning challenges. Proper, in depth, evidence - based assessment is required to be undertaken to determine what the student’s needs are. If there is an identifiable cause, great, but it is critical that we ensure that the student’s needs are met, that the barriers are reduced and removed, and a positive learning outcome achieved. Comprehensive assessment might eventually lead to an identifying label but not in all cases, and it should never be the main desire of investigation.

Knowing the student’s needs, providing a safe and empowering learning environment, and facilitating an informed program that helps the student to engage in learning, as well as achieve their potential, is always the main desire. This helps us to know Jeff as a learner and person not see him as a category such as “Dyslexic”.

“This helps us to know Jeff as a learner and person, not see him as a category such as ‘Dyslexic’.”

In answer to the original question? No, you do not need a label to get help, but you do need to engage in timely and comprehensive assessment for your child to ensure that their needs and strengths are known, and properly supported, based on rigorous and proper evidence.