Edge Learning &
Teaching Group
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Barriers To Learning
Dyslexia
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Dyspraxia
Aspergers’ Syndrome
ADHD / ADD
Some pupils display more than 1 specific
learning disorder – everyone wants Einstein!
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
Aspergers’ Syndrome
Tourette Syndrome
ADHD /ADD
Barriers to Learning
The barriers to learning faced by pupils differ
from individual to individual and often from
day to day. Knowledge of their difficulties will
help us to appreciate their learning needs.
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Typical barriers that are recognised are :
visual impairment
deafness
specific learning difficulties
health difficulties
mobility, dexterity and chronic pain.
What is Dyspraxia?
• Praxis comes from the Greek word meaning to
do.
• 3 abilities are required for effective praxis:
these are the abilities to conceptualise,
organise and execute sequences of unfamiliar
actions. If one or more of these is impaired
then dyspraxia may result.
• Children dyspraxics are often referred to as
having “clumsy child syndrome” because of
their tendency to bump into things and they
often have trouble with sport.
• 5 - 10% of the population are affected meaning
that there may well be at least 1 dyspraxic
pupil in a mainstream class of 30.
Typical Dyspraxic Features
Poorly
presented work
Bag full of
rubbish
Badly
organised
Poor dressing skills /
scruffy / grubby but
can’t see it
Writing is
laborious
Messy
eater
No books /
homework
Slow to get
changed for / after
PE
Can’t remember
instructions
What is Dyslexia?
• Lexis refers to language.
• This can refer to reading, writing, spelling and
phonological problems which result in difficulties
acquiring new language.
• Another typical is a discrepancy between
intelligence and specific skills such as
organisation, short term memory and certain
information-processing abilities. Often verbal
expression is favoured over written.
• Possibly 10% of people are dyslexic, of these 6%
are mildly or moderately affected, 4% severely so.
This may affect 2 or 3 pupils in a class of 30.
What difficulties might a Dyslexic Pupil
have?
Poorly
presented work
Poor
spellings
Badly
organised
I may give great
verbal answers that
show good
understanding
Writing is
laborious /
slow to
complete work
No books /
homework
Can’t remember
words from the board
/ poor copying skills
I may try to hide
my
embarrassment
with bad
behaviour
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• 3 broad areas of ASD:
Communication disorders, social
difficulties and obsessions.
When Bill Gates first got to try out
a computer he immediately
became inseparable from it and
would stay in the computer room
all day and night and he used up
the school’s whole year of
computer time allocation in just 3
weeks!
• Students may be very literal (e.g.
confused by ‘pull your socks up’);
may assume speaker knows
because listener knows; may need
pictorial clues to manage
day/lesson; may speak in
monotonous voice and sound
rude.
• Students may struggle to
understand social rules and body
language and may need plenty of
personal space. Pupil may find eye
contact very stressful .
Aspergers’ Syndrome
So I need to
be taught how
to take turns
and helped
into groups
I may be very
successful
academically but
lost socially
So please use
direct language – I
don’t understand
hidden meanings
Perhaps allow me to
express my feelings
simply e.g. by using
a number scale
I don’t like noisy,
cluttered or
brightly lit
environments
I have difficulty
grasping
meaning of
conversations
So I may need to
go out with a TA on
occasions to work
quietly.
ADD/ADHD
• Key feature of ADD is distractibility for ADHD add
hyperactivity.
• Current understanding is that key chemical pathways are
not working – these neurological disorders are linked in
current research to smoking, drugs and alcohol use in
families as well as excessive TV watching.
• Disorders treated with Ritalin and nowadays more slowrelease drugs.
• Recommended strategies include: always
get the first touch right (smile, positive
greeting, warm welcome).
• Praise for doing the right thing.
• Give pupils a job (clean board, collect books, take
message, etc.)
Thomas Edison
inventor
"My teachers say I'm addled... my
father thought I was stupid, and I
almost decided I was a dunce."
"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000
ways that won't work."
Edge Barriers to
Learning
Thanks to:
•Baskerville School,
•Victoria School,
•Hunters Hill
Technology College.
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