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Tomo Haske
Professor Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
September 28, 2015
Learning to Learn
Introduction/Overview
Learning differences have in recent years, become the topic of many education related
discussions. As schools design their curricula, they often ask how they can best cater to the needs
of all of their students. This has always been important as everyone has different approaches to
learning. However, in recent years awareness of learning disabilities has risen in hopes of
achieving greater academic equality. I would like to conduct my research on slow processing
speed and other learning differences, to better understand how they are developed, and how they
can affect areas outside of education including self-esteem and social interaction.
While the name (learning difference) may suggest that it affects students only in an
educational environment, research has shown that these differences often translate to social
problems as well. In a report released by the National Association of Special Education Teachers
it is mentioned, Although not all children with LD have socialemotional problems, they do run
a greater risk than their nondisabled peers of having these types of problems. In the report they
go on to say, In the early years they are often rejected by their peers and have poor selfconcepts. As adults, the scars from years of rejection can be painful and not easily forgotten.
When speaking of slow processing speed in particular, licensed clinical psychologist
Doctor Steven Butnik writes, There are many sources of slow work pace. It can be associated

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with physical illness or injury, lack of adequate sleep or reaction to medications, Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning disorders, and/or emotional factors.
Researcher at the National Institute of Child and Human Development, Doctor G. Reid
Lyon, defines a learning difference as a, discrepancy between a childs academic achievement
and his or her apparent capacity to learn. A majority of the research on learning differences has
been conducted in only the past few years. I believe it will make a good topic because of its
current nature and the general lack of knowledge on the subject.

Initial Inquiry Question(s)

How does slow processing speed and other learning disabilities cause depression among
adolescents and how does this affect social interaction?

My Interest in this Topic

My interest in this topic is initially sparked by the fact that I am diagnosed with slow
processing speed and Attention Deficit Disorder. These learning differences have had a huge
impact on all aspects of my life and I am curious to research on ways of coping with these
differences and reflecting on my past to learn what may have contributed to my situation. For
example, a good friend of mine and fellow high school graduate, has suffered 9 concussions and
was diagnosed with the same learning differences as me. Within minutes of researching I found
an article linking traumatic brain injury to slow processing speed. With regard to the depression
and social interaction aspect, I have always been fascinated by the basis in which people judge
accomplishment and how this can raise self-esteem and affect social interaction.

Next Steps

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I plan to gather research from various medical and psycho educational online sources and
reference this information with my own personal experience to hopefully add some validity to
these documented medical findings. I will also seek the help of a librarian to find possible
printed resources. However, I feel I may be limited to online sources and very recently published
information due to the fact that processing speed is a very recent topic and is not even officially
recognized as a formal learning difference yet.

You might want to take a little time to narrow your topic or at least make it sound that way in the
proposal. Try to present it as something feasibly researchable and offer ways to expand your
search. Also be sure that comparing with yourself doesnt introduce a significant bias. Could
muck with paper. I like the idea though and your general direction.