Supporting Learners with Learning Difficulties
Every group includes learners who find reading, writing, number work or concentration harder than their peers.
About this course
Every group includes learners who find reading, writing, number work or concentration harder than their peers. This three-day workshop helps you recognise the signs of common learning difficulties, separate them from other causes of underachievement and respond with practical, evidence-informed teaching strategies.
You will practise adapting materials, instructions and assessments, explore simple assistive tools and learn how to protect learners' confidence. The course closes with building an individual support plan and agreeing how to work with families and specialists.
What you'll learn
- Recognise the signs of common learning difficulties, including dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia
- Distinguish learning difficulties from gaps in prior learning, language barriers and low motivation
- Apply multisensory and structured teaching strategies in the classroom
- Adapt materials, instructions and the learning environment to make them more accessible
- Plan fair assessment adjustments that measure knowledge rather than literacy alone
- Protect learners' confidence and encourage self-advocacy
- Build an individual support plan and monitor progress with families and specialists
Curriculum
- Key definitions and terminology
- Learning difficulty, disability and delay compared
- How processing, memory and attention affect learning
- Common myths and misconceptions
- Dyslexia and reading difficulties
- Dyscalculia and difficulties with number
- Dysgraphia and written expression
- Attention difficulties and ADHD-related behaviours
- Dyspraxia and coordination difficulties
- What to look for in class
- Gathering evidence from observation and work samples
- Screening checklists and their limits
- When and how to refer for specialist assessment
- Multisensory teaching
- Breaking tasks into manageable steps
- Explicit instruction and modelling
- Repetition, retrieval and overlearning
- Managing cognitive load
- Readable layouts, fonts and colour
- Visual supports and graphic organisers
- Simple assistive technology and digital tools
- Routines, seating and classroom organisation
- Formative assessment for diverse learners
- Extra time, readers and alternative formats
- Separating subject knowledge from literacy skills
- Recording and reviewing adjustments
- The emotional impact of repeated failure
- Building confidence and a growth mindset
- Giving constructive, encouraging feedback
- Developing self-advocacy skills
- Communicating sensitively with families
- Collaborating with colleagues and specialists
- Writing an individual learning plan
- Setting targets and monitoring progress
Who it's for
Teachers, trainers, learning support staff and education coordinators who want to include and support every learner more effectively.
Before you start
- Experience of teaching or training groups is helpful but not required
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