Cognition and Learning - understanding primary needs
Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD)
Children with MLD will have attainments well below expected levels in all or most areas of the curriculum, despite appropriate interventions. They will have much greater difficulty than their peers in acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills and in understanding concepts. They may also have associated speech and language delay, low self-esteem, low levels of concentration and underdeveloped social skills.
Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD)
Children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and associated difficulties with mobility, communication, behaviour, and personal care.
Children with severe learning difficulties have significant intellectual or cognitive impairments. This has a major effect on their ability to participate in the school curriculum without support. They may also have difficulties in mobility and coordination, communication and perception and the acquisition of self-help skills. Children with severe learning difficulties will need support in all areas of the curriculum.
Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD)
Children are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as a physical disability or sensory impairment.
Children with profound and multiple learning difficulties have complex learning needs. In addition to very severe learning difficulties, children have other significant difficulties such as physical disabilities, sensory impairment, or a severe medical condition. They will require a high level of adult support, both for their learning needs and for their personal care. They are likely to need sensory stimulation and a curriculum broken down into small steps. Some children communicate by gesture, eye pointing or symbols, others by simple language and/or signing.
Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities - Definition | Mencap
Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)
These effect one or more specific aspects of learning. This covers a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia.
Dyslexia
The British Dyslexia Association5 describes Dyslexia as a learning difficulty which primarily affects reading and writing skills. However, it does not only affect these skills. Those with dyslexia may have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and the acquisition of literacy skills. Dyslexia can also impact on other areas such as organisational skills. General signs of dyslexia in school age children can include:
- Speed of processing slow spoken and/or written language
- Poor concentration
- Difficulty following instructions.
-
Forgetting words
Dyslexia - British Dyslexia Association (bdadyslexia.org.uk)
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a condition that affects the ability to acquire arithmetical skills. Dyscalculic learners may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, lack an intuitive grasp of numbers, and have problems learning number facts and procedures. Even if they produce a correct answer or use a correct method, they may do so mechanically and without confidence.
Dyscalculia - British Dyslexia Association (bdadyslexia.org.uk)
Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD)
Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical co-ordination. It causes a child to perform less well than expected in daily activities for their age and appear to move clumsily as they may bump into objects, drop things, and fall over a lot. Other signs include difficulties hopping, jumping, running, and catching or kicking a ball. Writing, drawing, and using scissors, getting dressed, doing up buttons and tying shoelaces. They may have difficulties staying still and swing their arms and legs a lot.
Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia) in children - NHS (www.nhs.uk)