Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “All children we say have a learning disability can learn, but their learning model is different.” Prof. Dr. Tarhan: “Now everyone says, ‘My child has dyslexia.’ The diagnosis of dyslexia is a 'cute' diagnosis like a panic disorder diagnosis. It doesn't label the child.”
Elmas Esra Ceceli, General Manager of Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly at the Ministry of Family and Social Services, noted that learning disability covers a wide area and said, “We are moving towards an era where those who can think differently will stand out.”
The Second International Learning Disability Congress (UÖGK ‘2024), hosted by Üsküdar Üniversitesi and organized by the Dyslexia Learning Disability Association and the Turkish Foundation for Dyslexic Children (DİSLEV), was held at Üsküdar Üniversitesi NP Health Campus, Ibn Sina Auditorium.
“How does a human learn?” is being investigated
Speaking at the opening of the congress, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that learning disability is a new, undiscovered area of human behavior. He explained that the question “How does a human learn?” is being researched among brain-based learning topics, and artificial intelligences emerged through simulations on “how humans learn, how they make decisions, how they think, and how they feel.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan pointed out that some children have a different learning model, stating, “Because these children look at things differently and are perceived differently at school and in the classroom, they are highly exposed to peer bullying.”
Problems can also occur in social and emotional skills
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that in addition to learning disabilities, problems can also arise in social and emotional skills. He noted that some children have advanced emotional and social learning skills, are more detail-oriented, and are ‘super’ in certain areas. For example, if asked ‘which day of the week is the last Saturday of February,’ they can instantly give the answer.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “You tell them to multiply four decimal numbers, and they do it, but you tell them to sit and talk with someone, and they can’t converse. They become children with delayed emotional and social skills. Because they are outcast among their friends, these children are told, ‘This one won’t learn to read.’ Einstein was also like that. His teacher wrote a note to his mother saying, ‘He won't learn to read, don't bring him needlessly.’”
‘Expectation theory’ test…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, also touching upon the topic of ‘expectation theory,’ explained that a test was administered to primary school children, and teachers were told that some students in the class were gifted based on the test results. However, he clarified that these students were chosen randomly and were not actually gifted. He added that teachers showed more interest in these students, and at the end of the year, it was observed that these students were indeed more academically successful.
“Instead of suppressing these children, they should be educated in a language they understand.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated, “All children we say have a learning disability can learn, but their learning model is different.” He continued, “The brains of these children work differently. Their sequencing is different. Hyperactive children are also like that. Hyperactive children have a gene related to excessive activity. Alongside that gene, there is a second gene, a creativity gene… In fact, these children are different thinkers, extraordinary thinkers. If you suppress them with medication, you stifle them. Therefore, not just medication, but individual education suited to them is needed. Personalized education, special education is required. Instead of suppressing these children, they should be educated in a language they understand.”
Dyslexia diagnosis does not label the child
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also stated that they identify learning disabilities in children who come to child psychiatrists, saying, “We have to perform pediatric rehabilitation in child psychiatry. Since psychiatric treatment greatly affects academic success, mothers and fathers are more aware than before. The name of learning disability has also become dyslexia. Now everyone says, ‘My child has dyslexia.’ The diagnosis of dyslexia is a 'cute' diagnosis like a panic disorder diagnosis. It doesn't label the child.”
A family disease…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan noted that learning disability is a family disease, stating, “It's important for the family to realize this too. These children are special children. Other children learn in a group, but these children learn through one-on-one education. Because their learning models are different, they cannot focus. They get easily demoralized because they can't do things. They abandon their education halfway.”
The term learning disability…
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Konrot, Head of the Department of Speech and Language Therapy at Üsküdar Üniversitesi and Co-Chair of the Congress, stated that terminology has recently changed, and definitions like specific learning difficulty and mental dyslexia are being set aside, with the term 'learning disability' being discussed as more appropriate. He added that the congress's name was also determined as the learning disability congress.
Elmas Esra Ceceli: “You know, I am the person who wrote these b’s backward.”
Elmas Esra Ceceli, General Manager of Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly at the Ministry of Family and Social Services, also spoke at the congress, explaining that they have begun working on the issue that although dyslexia is not considered a disability group, it should be part of the early intervention system because it is seen within the learning disability category. She said, “You know, I am the person who wrote these b’s backward, whose notebook was torn to shreds by the teacher, and who still completes 7 to 10 first in my mind when adding 6 and 7, then adds the 3 next to it.”
Everyone’s story is unique…
Ceceli stated that she still checks when writing 'b' and 'd', saying, “If your story isn't like most, there's nothing to fear, let them worry about their own troubles. Everyone’s story is unique. The excessive generalization of stories and fitting them into a mold is the real social problem. Children struggle in school. But we are moving towards an era where if the education system continues to be so generalizing, it will not adequately nurture the human element.”
Learning disabilities, especially dyslexia, may not be noticed in childhood
Ceceli said, “We are moving towards an era where those who can think differently will stand out.” She explained that learning disability covers a wide area, and learning disabilities, especially dyslexia, may not be noticed in childhood and can cause individuals to experience various difficulties during their education.
Ceceli noted that they believe in special education, stating, “The original thinking methods of these individuals should not be eliminated. This is a richness.”
What does the family-based national early intervention system aim for?
Ceceli also explained that there is a study called the family-based national early intervention system, stating, “This work began some time ago, and we are now about to reap its significant benefits. We will also continue this system integrated with the Ministry of Health system. What do we aim for? We aim to identify developmental delays and these special learning needs at the earliest stage and guide families correctly. It is very difficult to make progress in this regard unless the family is supported.”
Topics such as “Diagnosis and Assessment of Specific Learning Disability,” “Early Diagnosis and Early Intervention in Specific Learning Disability,” “Other Conditions Accompanying Specific Learning Disability,” “Management of Specific Learning Disabilities,” and “Dyslexia-Dysgraphia-Dyscalculia” were also discussed at the Second International Congress on Specific Learning Disability.