F07B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
About this Unit
This Unit is about the support provided to pupils with cognition and learning difficulties to
enable them to participate in learning activities and to develop effective learning strategies.
This competence is for Teaching/Classroom Assistants who provide support for pupils who
demonstrate features of moderate, severe or profound learning difficulties, specific learning
difficulties, e.g. dyslexia or dyspraxia, or who present features associated with autistic
spectrum disorder. Some pupils may have associated sensory, physical and/or behavioural
difficulties which compound their special educational needs.
Scope
The scope is here to give you guidance on possible areas to be covered in this Unit. The terms
in this section give you a list of options linked with items in the performance criteria. You
need to provide evidence for any option related to your work area.
Cognition and learning needs to which this standard applies:
 language, memory and reasoning skills
 sequencing and organisational skills
 understanding of number
 problem solving and concept development
 improving fine and gross motor competences
Information to which this standard applies:
 from the class teacher
 from a specialist teacher or the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator within the school
 from written records/reports
 from outside specialists and agencies
Learning activities to which this standard applies:
 for individual pupils
 for small groups of pupils
 for the whole class
Learning strategies to which this standard applies:
 independent learning skills
 exercising choice
 decision making
 problem solving
 information processing
Problems to which this standard applies:
 related to learning resources
 related to the learning environment
 related to the pupil’s ability to learn
Teaching and learning materials to which this standard applies:
 books and other paper-based resources
 equipment and apparatus
 ICT software
 games and problem-solving tasks
Unit: FO7B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
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F07B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
Evidence Requirements for the Unit
It is essential that you adhere to the Evidence Requirements for this Unit.
Specific Evidence Requirements for this Unit
Simulation:
 Simulation is NOT permitted for any part of this unit.
The following forms of evidence are mandatory:
 Direct observation: Please note, in relation to competences AHP23, assessment
must be carried out in full by an appropriately experienced and qualified assessor (as
defined in the assessment strategy).
 Your assessor must observe you in real work activities, which provides evidence for
a significant number of the performance criteria for this unit. You should be
observed supporting pupils with cognitive and learning difficulties
 Reflective accounts/professional discussion: These will be descriptions of your
practice. You should be able to give examples of the processes undertaken, these
account need to reflect what you did , how you did it, what went well, what did not
go so well and what you would change in future. These also need to show how you
related to individuals
Competence of performance and knowledge could also be demonstrated using a
variety of evidence from the following:
 Questioning: may be used to provide evidence of knowledge, legislation, policies
and procedures, which cannot be fully evidenced through direct observation or
reflective accounts. In addition the assessor/expert witness may also ask questions
to clarify aspects of your practice.
 Witness testimony: can be a confirmation or authentication of the activities
described in your evidence, which your assessor has not seen. This could be
provided by a teacher.
 Work Products: These can be any records that you would usually use within your
work role e.g. individual care plans. NB Confidential records are not required to be
in your portfolio, they can remain where they are normally stored and checked by
your assessors and verifier. If they are included they must be made anonymous
 APL/Assignment/Project: you may have already completed a project or assignment
from Vocationally Related Qualification; you may also have evidence form other
training e.g. teaching assistant, recording and reporting, communication.
General guidance
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Prior to commencing this Unit you should agree and complete an assessment plan
with your assessor which details the assessment methods you will be using, and the
tasks you will be undertaking to demonstrate your competence.
Evidence must be provided for ALL of the performance criteria ALL of the
knowledge and the parts of the scope that are relevant to your job role.
The evidence must reflect the policies and procedures of your workplace and be
linked to current legislation, values and the principles of best practice within Health
Settings. This will include the National Service Standards and/or KSF for your areas
of work and the individuals you care for.
All evidence must relate to your own work practice.
Unit: FO7B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
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F07B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
KNOWLEDGE SPECIFICATION FOR THIS UNIT
Competent practice is a combination of the application of skills and knowledge informed by
values and ethics. This specification details the knowledge and understanding required to
carry out competent practice in the performance described in this Unit.
When using this specification it is important to read the knowledge requirements in
relation to expectations and requirements of your job role.
You need to provide evidence for ALL knowledge points listed below. There are a
variety of ways this can be achieved so it is essential that you read the ‘knowledge
evidence’ section of the Assessment Guidance.
You need to show that you know, understand and can apply in practice:
Enter
Evidence
Numbers
Legislation, policy and good practice
1. A working knowledge of the school’s policy on inclusive education and
how this relates to national and local policies for inclusion
2. A working knowledge of relevant school curriculum policies and how
these relate to national and local curriculum frameworks and policies
Care and support of the individual
3. A working knowledge of the cognition and learning difficulties of the
pupils with whom you work and the implications of these for supporting
different types of learning activities
4. A working knowledge of the significant differences between global
learning difficulties which can affect all aspects of a pupil’s learning,
and specific learning difficulties, e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, specific
language impairment, which can exist as an anomaly in the overall
pattern of a pupil’s abilities
5. A working knowledge of any Individual Education Plans and/or
Behaviour Support Plans for the pupils with whom you work.
6. A working knowledge of the impact of any medication used by pupils
with whom you work on their cognitive and physical abilities, behaviour
and emotional state
7. A working knowledge of the range of cognitive skills necessary for
effective learning and the effects of single or multiple disabilities on
functions such as perception, memory and information processing
Materials and equipment
8. A working knowledge of the curriculum plans and learning programmes
developed by the teacher
Procedures and techniques
9. A working knowledge of the importance of active learning for pupils
with cognition and learning difficulties and how to promote this
10. A working knowledge of how to adapt or modify planned activities for
pupils who are making extremely slow progress
11. A working knowledge of the sorts of problems that might occur when
supporting pupils with cognition and learning difficulties and how to
deal with these.
12. A working knowledge of the cognition and learning difficulties of the
pupils with whom you work and how to adapt and modify teaching and
pupil materials so that they are given every opportunity to understand
concepts and ideas
Unit: FO7B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
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F07B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
You need to show that you know, understand and can apply in practice:
Enter
Evidence
Numbers
13. A working knowledge of how cognitive difficulties impact upon the
development of language and communication, and vice versa, and how
this affects learning.
Unit: FO7B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
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F07B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
Performance criteria
DO
RA
EW
Q
P
WT
1. obtain accurate and up-to-date information
about the pupil’s cognition and learning
needs
2. obtain detailed information from the teacher
about the planned learning activities
3. obtain and use equipment and materials as
appropriate to the learning objectives and
the pupil’s cognition and learning needs
4. provide levels of individual attention,
reassurance and help with learning tasks as
appropriate to the pupil’s cognition and
learning needs
5. provide support as needed to enable pupils
to follow instructions
6. use praise, commentary and assistance to
encourage pupils to stay on task
7. monitor the pupils’ response to the learning
activities and, where necessary, modify or
adapt the activities as agreed with the
teacher to achieve incremental and lateral
progression towards the intended learning
outcomes
8. promptly report any problems in supporting
pupils during learning activities to the
teacher
9. provide relevant information to the teacher
about the learning achievements of pupils
with cognition and learning difficulties
10. agree with the teacher the strategies to use to
help pupils with cognition and learning
difficulties to develop effective learning
strategies
11. sequence and structure learning experiences
and the learning environment, as directed
by the teacher, so pupils develop
organisational, information processing and
problem solving skills
12. use specific visual, auditory and tactile
methods to help pupils understand the
functional use of objects and gain
information about the environment
DO = Direct Observation
EW = Expert Witness
RA = Reflective Account
P = Product (Work)
Unit: FO7B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
Q = Questions
WT = Witness Testimony
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F07B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
Performance criteria
DO
RA
EW
Q
P
WT
13. adapt and modify teaching and learning
materials, as directed by the teacher, to suit
the pupil’s maturity levels and learning
needs
14. provide information, advice and
opportunities for pupils to choose and make
decisions about their own learning
15. give positive encouragement, feedback and
praise to reinforce and sustain pupils’
interest and efforts in learning activities
16. provide an appropriate level of assistance to
enable pupils to experience a sense of
achievement, maintain self-esteem and selfconfidence and encourage self help skills
17. use appropriate strategies for challenging
and motivating pupils to develop effective
learning strategies
18. encourage pupils to take responsibility for
their own learning
19. help pupils to review their learning
strategies and achievements and plan for
future learning
DO = Direct Observation
EW = Expert Witness
RA = Reflective Account
P = Product (Work)
Unit: FO7B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
Q = Questions
WT = Witness Testimony
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F07B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
To be completed by the Candidate
I SUBMIT THIS AS A COMPLETE UNIT
Candidate’s name: ……………………………………………
Candidate’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: …………………………………………………………..
To be completed by the Assessor
It is a shared responsibility of both the candidate and assessor to claim evidence, however, it
is the responsibility of the assessor to ensure the accuracy/validity of each evidence claim and
make the final decision.
I CERTIFY THAT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE HAS BEEN PRODUCED TO MEET
ALL THE ELEMENTS, PCS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS UNIT.
Assessor’s name: …………………………………………….
Assessor’s signature: ………………………………………....
Date: …………………………………………………………..
Assessor/Internal Verifier Feedback
To be completed by the Internal Verifier if applicable
This section only needs to be completed if the Unit is sampled by the Internal Verifier
Internal Verifier’s name: ……………………………………………
Internal Verifier’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: ……………………………………..…………………………..
Unit: FO7B 04 (AHP24) Support pupils with cognition and learning difficulties
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