A social construction: Yul Whitney and the social causes of learning disability

School psychologist Yul Whitney focuses on students and children who have learning differences. Although many experts like him agree that such cognitive condition is primarily biological in nature, many researchers have concluded that it can also be just a social construction. That is, the social or structural causes of disability or the label of such individual deficit are fundamentally socially constructed.

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Originally founded on a medical model, learning disability finds a different explanation in a socio-cultural viewpoint. Especially in the US and other developed countries where education gears toward a capitalistic society, people with cognitive difficulties often find themselves inferior of the other citizens who have well-developed scientific and economic acumen. However, some researchers believe that people with poor academic performance do not necessarily have delayed learning abilities.

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Psychologists and researchers, like Yul Whitney, review history and often find agrarian cultures not even considering mental efficiency as a gauge of adult adequacy. This means that capitalistic societies and rural communities have separate views of the mental capacity of a person. While city dwellers place high value on mental speed, literacy, and numeracy, agricultural populations tend to focus more on the human “physical intelligence” as a measure of productivity.

The idea of learning disability draws differing opinions about its origin, causes, implications, and nature. Nonetheless, with all the acceptable explanations, people with such condition can seek help and learn how to cope with the difficulties associated with having learning disabilities.

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More information about Yul Whitney and insights on people’s learning differences can be read on this Twitter page.

Yul Whitney: Helping children with learning disabilities break free from isolation

An advocate of children with learning disabilities, school psychologist Yul Whitney makes sure that the differently abled students he works for feel accepted. This is because students who feel isolated and rejected will most likely be unable to respond to instructions, compromising their academic progress.

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Social isolation has become a common consequence to children’s learning disabilities. The “differentness” these students have discouraged their classmates to talk to them, causing them to feel unwanted and unloved. And this emotion, if left untouched, can leave a permanent mark on them, affecting their social relationships in the future. For this reason, school officials should take it upon themselves to offer solutions to alleviate the feeling of rejection students with learning disabilities experience.

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School psychologists like Yul Whitney suggest that as adults, school officials should show the other children that they appreciate and respect the differently abled students. They should never say and do things that will suggest that the special students are disliked. Children look up to those older than them, and if they see their teachers and school administrators treating the special children with dignity and respect, then they may start to follow their example.

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It is also important for educators to discover the special students’ areas of competence and, of course, support them. They should encourage the students to join club activities wherein they will be able to excel. If they happen to succeed, students with learning disabilities can develop a feeling of self-confidence, inspiring them to finally socialize with others.

By offering their support to these special students, school officials will be able to generate an environment where everyone can learn and grow without feeling unwanted.

To learn more about Yul Whitney, check out this Twitter page.

Falling through the cracks: Yul Whitney and dual diagnosis

Dual diagnosis occurs when a person have both a mental problem and a substance abuse issue. For psychologists like Yul Whitney, many people who face dual diagnosis factors are in double jeopardy as each element in the duality contribute to the worsening of the other.

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Though separate in terms of diagnoses, mental health issues and substance abuse problems are in fact interrelated, and each feeds off the other; psychiatric problems can be masked with alcohol or substance abuse, and alcohol and substance use can mimic the symptoms of having a mental disorder.

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What is troubling is that there are no “red flags” to indicate that a person who is suffering from a mental disorder is also a substance abuser. According to psychologists like Yul Whitney, it is this factor that causes many patients suffering from dual diagnosis to fall through the cracks of tests for either treating mental disorders or addressing substance abusers, and is regarded primarily as causing relapses in a patient.

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For people with substance abuse problems, the initial step is to undergo a period of detoxification, under strict medical supervision, for the body to rid itself of the substances and alcohol in its system. After detoxification, a dual treatment program will be conducted to address the issues that may have contributed to the substance abuse issue and the development of the mental disorder of the patient.  

For more information about Yul Whitney, check out this Twitter page.

Yul Whitney and supporting teachers

Teachers do everything they can to provide students with the needed foundation for a successful learning experience. Yul Whitney affirms the central role that teachers play in forming his own policies as a school administrator.

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With a sterling educational background and having held numerous positions in the educational sector, Whitney has always been a supporter of teachers, personnel who work on a daily basis to impart their knowledge to their students. Whitney avers that his knowledge of the different aspects of the education system comes from his close collaboration with teachers and his observations of their conduct with students. By doing so, he is able to form his recommendations to enhance the learning environment for the students. As Whitney himself professes, he has no actual experience in teaching in a K-12 classroom; he believes in the expertise of school administrators and teachers to create the positive learning environment.

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Yul Whitney believes that education is important. He is an advocate of children with learning disabilities, and has been in the field of education for 11 years.

Working together with the teachers that make up the school, Whitney is able to develop policies to make the institution a better, safer, and more competitive place for learning. Whitney states that without the contribution of the teachers and the school personnel, the policies that were crafted could not have come into fruition.

From Yul Whitney

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