Specific learning difficulties

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition which affects parts of the brain which controls attention, impulses and concentration. Untreated, it can affect school, peer relationships, self-esteem, and family life.

The signs of ADHD are different in every person but they may include:

• a short attention span and being easily distracted
• making careless mistakes, for example, in schoolwork
• appearing forgetful or losing things
• being unable to concentrate on tasks
• excessive talking
• acting without thinking.

For additional support and guidance you can visit:

• our ADHD support page
• ADHD shortlist from our directory
• the NHS website
• the Mental Health Foundation website.

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling. Unlike a learning disability, intelligence isn't affected.

The signs of dyslexia are different in every person but they may include:

• difficulties with reading and writing
• poor spelling and/or handwriting
• writing letters in the incorrect order
• difficulty understanding written information
• difficulty planning and organising tasks
• difficulty with time perception.

Watch this video from the British Dyslexia Association to see find out about dyslexia.

For additional support and guidance you can visit

• our Dyslexia shortlist from our directory
• the NHS website
• the British Dyslexia Association website.

Dyspraxia affects both movement and coordination, affecting balance, sports, and learning to drive. It is also known as developmental coordination disorder (DCD).  It does not affect your intelligence.

The signs of dyspraxia are different in every person but may include:

• problems with activities that require any kind of physical movement or coordination, such as playground games
• navigating around the house, including going up and down the stairs
• writing and drawing, or doing craft activities
• tying shoelaces or buttoning up clothes
• using cutlery
• sitting still.

Watch this video created by Abi who has dyspraxia, explain what dyspraxia is and how she deals with it in her day to day life.

For additional support and guidance you can visit:

• our Dyspraxia shortlist from our directory
• the NHS website
• the Dyspraxia Foundation website.

Children with dyscalculia have difficulty understanding, learning, and performing maths and number-based operations.

The signs of dyscalculia are different in every person but they may include:

• a poor understanding of number and estimation
• weak mental arithmetic skills
• difficulty in remembering mathematical facts and procedures, even with extensive practice
• taking a very long time over calculations
• difficulty counting backwards
• the inability to tell whether answers are right or nearly right.

Watch this video to learn about dyscalculia.

For additional support and guidance you can visit

• our Dyscalculia shortlist from our directory
• the NHS networks website
• the British Dyslexia Association website
• the Dyscalculia Association website.

Dysgraphia means having trouble reading and hearing written words, letters, or sounds. Those with dysgraphia find writing, spelling, and forming words hard.

The signs of dysgraphia are different in every person but they may include:

• unclear, irregular or inconsistent handwriting
• writing very slowly
• mixing styles and upper/lower case letters
• inconsistent letter and word spacing
• unusual or cramped grip or position while writing
• incorrect spelling.

Watch this video to learn more about dysgraphia.

For additional support and guidance you can visit

• the British Dyslexia Association website
• the Hft website.

The educational setting will offer additional support if your child or young person has difficulty with mathematics. It could be they do one or more of these things:

• copy from a worksheet, screen, board or follows others
• do not remember facts about numbers
• have difficulty applying logical or critical thinking to a maths problem
• use their fingers to count more than using a pen and paper.

The support they offer could include:

• acknowledgment and encouragement of good verbal contributions whenever possible
• encouraging the use of different coloured pens to highlight work and provide markers
• supplying additional teaching resources including:
  • checklists
  • storyboards
  • taskboards
  • word maps
  • working walls.
• using number games, or programmes such as Numicon to support counting
• using visual programmes such as Number Shark to target gaps in their learning.

The educational setting will offer additional support if your child or young person has difficulty with their memory. It could be they do one or more of these things:

• can follow the first step of instructions and then struggles afterwards
• cannot complete their homework, even if it's explained
• copy or follow others
• do not often ask for help or are highly dependent on adult support
• fail to complete tasks
• have anxiety
• have poor organisation skills
• are easily distracted
• struggle with the pace of learning and teaching.

The support they offer could include:

• a detailed explanation of the 'bigger picture' when a new topic is introduced
• aiming to provide a 'check-in' support rather than constant individual attention
• allowing extra time for the pupil to write down written instructions or give assistance
• asking them to take part in memory activities or games to help develop their memory
• chunking instructions one step at a time and check understanding throughout task
• encouraging the use of different coloured pens to highlight work and provide markers
• homework tasks and important instructions are provided in pictoral or written form
• providing opportunities for repetition and overlearning
• supplying additional teaching resources including:
  • checklists
  • storyboards
  • taskboards
  • word maps
  • working walls.
• support through extra time or providing a personal copy to have on their desk
• visual support and reminders, including a multisensory approach.

The educational setting will offer additional support if your child or young person has difficulty with their reading, writing and spelling. It could be they do one or more of these things:

• avoid engagement and are disruptive in class
• cannot process visual clues
• copy often from a worksheet, screen or board
• do not like to read out loud and have anxiety when asked
• frequently spell words wrong
• have difficulty with learning phonics beyond the simple alphabetic code
• have poor organisation skills
• have poor word recognition
• read slowly or inaccurately
• struggle writing, where it takes a lot of effort.

The support they offer could include:

• allowing and encouraging alternative methods other than handwriting when recording work and giving them extra time to read and absorb information
• checking the suitability of their chair or desk, posture and paper placement
• encouraging and supporting word processing for written work where possible
• highlighting or ticking the correct parts of the word rather than errors
• marking written work on content rather than spelling
• providing left or right-handed pens and pencils as appropriate
• not asking them to read in front of others unless they want to
• substituting an alternative task, including working on NESSY or Wordshark for spelling tests
• teaching touch-typing
• teaching strategies to help track words on the page
• the reduction of written homework requirements
• using of a scribe or voice recording for some tasks
• using colour to highlight spelling patterns
• using dyslexia friendly software, for example CLICKER
• using inbuilt accessibility features of tablets, phones or laptops, for example speech to text functions.