EDUCATION REPORT - Learning Disabilities, Part 7: Attention

EDUCATION REPORT - Learning¹ Disabilities, Part 7: Attention Deficit² Disorder³
By Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Thursday, March 18, 2004

This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report.

We continue our series about learning disabilities. So far, we have discussed some of the brain disorders⁴ that make different skills unusually difficult to learn. Last week, we told how schools can help.

Today, we discuss something that is not considered a learning disability itself. We include it in our series because it can interfere⁵ with learning. Our subject is attention deficit disorder, or A.D.D. A related⁶ form is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- A.D.H.D.

These are some of the signs of one or both: Children cannot sit still and control themselves. They talk excessively⁷, and do not seem to listen. They lose things, forget easily and are not able to finish tasks.

Many of us experience problems like these at one time or another. But people with A.D.D. or A.D.H.D. say it interferes⁸ with their lives and threatens their chances for success. One woman says it is like having twenty televisions in her head, all on different programs.

Doctors say the cause involves chemical balances in the brain. It can affect not only school performance, but also personal relationships and the ability to keep a job. Many people with attention deficit are also found to have a learning disability or suffer from depression.

A doctor has to identify A.D.D or A.D.H.D. There are drugs to help the chemical balances in the brain. These drugs calm people down, so they can finish tasks. But there are also possible side effects.

Critics say parents and doctors are often too quick to give drugs. Some children outgrow⁹ effects like hyperactivity. Critics also express concern at the growing numbers of boys and girls identified with A.D.D. or A.D.H.D. Others say these are real disabilities.

Drugs alone are not enough. Other important parts of treatment include providing a supportive environment. Students need to learn organizational skills, better use of time and different ways to study. They often need extended¹⁰ time to take tests, and individual help from concerned adults. Experts say children who make problems in class may not find their schoolwork interesting enough or difficult enough.

Our series continues next week. All of our reports are on the Internet at www.unsv.com. We also have links to organizations for people with A.D.D. or A.D.H.D in thirty-nine countries around the world.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy Steinbach. This is Steve Ember.

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

3 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

4 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

6 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。

7 excessively   

ad.过多地，过分地

参考例句：

• The doctor advised him not to drink excessively. 医生劝他不要饮酒过度。
• He became excessively annoyed at〔with〕 newspaper reports. 他对报纸上的报道极为恼火。

8 interferes   

vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉

参考例句：

• The noise interferes with my work. 这噪音妨碍我的工作。
• That interferes with my plan. 那干扰了我的计划。

9 outgrow   

vt.长大得使…不再适用；成长得不再要

参考例句：

• The little girl will outgrow her fear of pet animals.小女孩慢慢长大后就不会在怕宠物了。
• Children who walk in their sleep usually outgrow the habit.梦游的孩子通常在长大后这个习惯自然消失。

10 extended   

adj.延伸的；伸展的；延长的；扩大的v.延伸(extend的过去式和过去分词)；伸展；延长

参考例句：

• an extended lunch hour 延长了的午餐时间
• France has greatly extended its influence in world affairs. 在世界事务中，法国的影响已大大地扩大了。 来自《简明英汉词典》