Supporting students with Specific learning Difficulties
What are Specific Learning difficulties?
Although the term ‘Specific Learning Difficulty‘ (SpLD) can be used as a diagnosis in its own right, it is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to various diagnoses, as follows:
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is an underlying language processing difficulty. ‘It mainly affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. It is characterised by difficulties with phonological processing, rapid naming, working memory, processing speed, and the automatic development of skills that may not match up to an individual’s other cognitive abilities’
Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia is a difficulty with motor co-ordination and visual perception and can hinder the efficiency with which the individual can plan and carry out motor tasks. As a result, people with dyspraxia may have difficulty with physical organisation and orientation as well as with fine motor control, visual perception, and spatial awareness. Dyspraxia can be defined as ‘an impairment of the organisation of movement and is also associated with problems of perception, language and thought’
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia primarily affects the ability to acquire arithmetical skills. ‘Students with dyscalculia 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’
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia primarily affects handwriting. It is the result of difficulties in the processes that are required to assemble the motor codes for writing and is characterised by difficulties with the organisation of fine motor control and/or processing difficulties.
comorbidities
There are common aspects and characteristics that are shared between each of these diagnoses (i.e. it is common for there to be overlaps between the various Specific Learning Difficulties). It is also quite common for an individual to have co-occurring SpLDs or to have an SpLD that co-occurs with other impairments such as Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder (AD(H)D) and/or Asperger Syndrome (AS)
More information (ADRC)
University of Cambridge Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC)
More information can be found on the ADRC web pages.
how can we support students with Specific learning difficulties?
The Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC)
The ADRC supports current and prospective disabled students, including those with:
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- Specific learning difficulties (including dyslexia, dyspraxia)
- Physical/mobility impairments (including people who are wheelchair users, Upper Limb Disorder – also known as RSI)
- Sensory impairments (including hearing loss, visual impairment)
- Mental health conditions (including depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder)
- Long-standing illnesses/health conditions (including cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, HIV, diabetes, epilepsy)
- Asperger syndrome and autism
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how does this impact on how we deliver teaching?
The Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre, in collaboration with colleges and departments/faculties, is committed to promoting best practice throughout the University, and to continually develop the provision of support for disabled students. This provision enables the University to meet its legal obligations to disabled students under the Equality Act (2010).
The Equality Act (2010) protects people with diagnosed Specific Learning Difficulties.
Section 6 of the Act defines disability as follows:
‘A person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’
There is a legal obligation to make ‘reasonable adjustments‘ to ensure that the University’s provisions do not put a disabled student at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with students who are not disabled. These adjustments are in relation to:
(1) A provision or practice (e.g. teaching & assessment methods)
(2) Physical access (e.g. access to lecture theatres, labs etc.)
(3) Auxiliary aids (e.g. hearing loops, accessible content etc.)
The duty is anticipatory; the University should not wait until adjustments are proposed, rather look to ensure, where possible, that alterations to policies, practices and procedures have been made in advance to prevent disabled students suffering substantial disadvantage.
Students requiring adjustments to access learning are provided with a ‘Student Support Document’ (SSD), which summarises of recommendations in supporting and teaching an individual disabled student. It consists of recommendations specific to the student, College and subject studied, which are concise and focussed. An SSD is a live document and can be updated and redistributed throughout the period of study.
It’s important to embrace the idea that ‘Reasonable adjustments’ required for disabled students are typically just good practices that will benefit all students. More information about inclusive teaching and user-friendly styles can be found by clicking the button below:
Code of Practice
The University publishes a Code of Practice that sets out expectations of support for disabled students. The latest version (along with archived versions) of the Code of Practice: Access and Inclusion for Disabled students can be found HERE.
An update on ssds and how they are communicated
March 2023
Key Support Actions
- Permit recording of lectures
- Provide handouts in advance of lectures
- Provide directed reading lists
- Facilitate examination access arrangements (such as extra time, and/or use of a word processor, and/or rest breaks and marking advice to examiners)
- Follow the user-friendly style guidelines, which can be found HERE.
