{"id":59415,"date":"2022-03-09T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-09T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/?p=59415"},"modified":"2024-06-25T13:21:46","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T12:21:46","slug":"what-are-specific-learning-difficulties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/what-are-specific-learning-difficulties\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs)?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Around 150,000<\/a> children in England received SEN support for a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) in 2020\/21. Yet there still remains a lack of understanding across society regarding how to identify, assess, and support children with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we will provide a definition of Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs), detail some common SpLDs, outline some of the signs which may indicate a child has an SpLD, talk about SpLDs and neurodiversity, and explain how to carry out an SpLD assessment. <\/p>\n\n\n

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What Does SpLD Mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that often affects a child\u2019s ability to receive, process, and recall information<\/strong>. SpLDs are differences which impact certain areas of learning, namely reading, writing, spelling, and mathematics \u2013 such as dyslexia or dyscalculia. The term is used for a range of learning difficulties where not all aspects of cognition and learning are affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children experience SpLDs on a continuum ranging from mild to severe. Mild difficulties are often experienced when the child has challenges in one or two areas – which can often be managed through in-school Universal Provision and high-quality teaching – or adaptations to it. It can be much harder to identify SpLDs when they are experienced mildly, which can limit diagnosis opportunities. If the difficulties are moderate, the child may need interventions and specialist support in school. Where a child experiences severe difficulty, they will often be supported by outside agencies and receive intensive interventions. Schools will assess individual children\u2019s needs through the Graduated Approach<\/a> cycle of Assess, Plan, Do, Review. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone with an SpLD will have a different profile,<\/strong> but these characteristics tend to be observed across the range:<\/p>\n\n\n\n