Our capacity to regulate attention may be the most important detriment of our success in school and beyond. While not formally defined as a “learning disability”, there is no doubt ADHD and attentional issues profoundly impact learning.
Our attention is ruled by our prefrontal cortex. Think of the prefrontal cortex as the CEO of our left (language-based) and right (non-verbal) hemispheres, controlling our whole system of attention. They regulate our thoughts, emotions and behaviours.
Expected to be constantly active, these functions “light up” when we are first presented with a task and persistently generate ideas towards a solution. Symbolic Thinking and Non-Verbal Thinking are therefore essential at every moment of our conscious being. If they are not doing their jobs, an ADHD or ADD diagnosis is often the result.
The degree of weakness in one or both functions may impact whether an ADD or ADHD diagnosis is made. Even at mild difficulty, the impact can be profound.
Unfortunately, these individuals are often mislabelled. Someone with a mild Symbolic or Non-Verbal Thinking deficit can be dismissed as rude, misbehaving, disrespectful, unmotivated, lazy... the accusations can hurt. For some, such labels become self-fulfilling prophecies.
What can “look” like ADD or ADHD, might simply be a host of cognitive functions underperforming. Consider a typical classroom or lecture where students are expected to:
That’s a minimum of six different cognitive functions needing to be active and effective for a successful classroom experience. Even if two are underperforming, just imagine the load on the brain.
The brain becomes exhausted from having to work so hard and attention wanders. And emotionally, imagine the feeling of fear or shame that accompanies not being able to perform. Not paying attention might be the safest option.
You can find more information on this topic in Chapter 9, Hitting the Wall, and Chapter 11, Leap Before You Look, of Barbara Arrowsmith-Young’s, The Woman Who Changed Her Brain.
