Cognition and learning is one of the four broad areas of special educational needs outlined in the 2001 SEN Code of Practice.
Some children's learning difficulties are the result of another, primary cause or condition. For example, children with Down's syndrome, or those who have brain damage, usually have some degree of learning disability.
There are also some children whose learning difficulty is a disability in its own right, not the result of another problem or condition.
Whatever the reason for the learning difficulties, you must make sure the child is fully included in your setting's activities and curriculum. Do this by taking time to get to know the child and use this knowledge in your planning. A lot of 'best practice' is common sense, and you will probably find that you have already been doing much of it.
Planning
* Observations - Observing is an immensely important and useful tool for gathering information about a child, and it is never time wasted. Observe the child in the setting to discover what motivates, stimulates and challenges them. What you find should be used to plan an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and the teaching strategies for implementing it.
* Likes and dislikes - During your observations, make a note of what bores the child and what their dislikes are. This information is useful because you can avoid giving them activities that are a 'turn-off' while they're at the early stages of learning a skill. Helping them to tolerate and complete tasks that they don't enjoy can come later, after they've achieved some of their targets and their self-esteem is higher.
* Learning styles - Find out what the child's learning style is. This is crucial information that will enable you to key into their personal way of working and you will be better able to help them achieve by planning to exploit the way that they learn most effectively.
Target setting
* Baseline assessment - Use some baseline assessments to check on the level of achievement the child has reached and plan their next targets from that point. The Code of Practice recommends a maximum of three or four targets, but this doesn't mean you must plan that amount - if the child is likely to make more progress by working on fewer targets, then plan fewer.
I use a motorway analogy - the 70mph speed limit doesn't mean you have to travel that fast; if you felt more comfortable driving at 60mph, then that's the speed you'd go.
* Small steps - Work towards IEP targets in small steps. If the child is struggling, reduce them further until the child starts to achieve. Once they're confident with a skill, you can start to put little challenges back in.
* Allow repetition - Some children need to practise a skill a lot before they consolidate it, so give plenty of repetition. Also, they may not be able to generalise their new skill, so be prepared to teach it again in several different contexts before it 'clicks'.
* Achieving success - When the child achieves, even if it isn't the final target, praise them and let them have a reward. Make sure the reward is something that has meaning for them. You could let them choose their reward system at the planning stage. Be careful never to reward 'work' with a session of 'play' in case you give the child the impression that the two are separate.
Working together
* Record keeping - Involve the child in their own record keeping. Filling in achievement charts or putting merit stickers in a folder can have a magical effect. Again, let the child choose their system of recording achievements, because this will give it more meaning.
* Give support - When the child needs support, work with them in a small group at first or in a one-to-one situation, whichever is better for them.
You can increase the group size as they begin to gain confidence.
* Signing systems - If the child has communication difficulties, take the time to learn a signing system such as Makaton. Many children with learning difficulties find this system helpful, and other children in the setting quickly pick it up and become enthusiastic users too. Liaise with a speech and language therapist for this.
* Break it down - Give instructions in small 'bite-size' amounts, if necessary. If you can, have some pictures showing the steps of the task you're wanting the child to do and talk about these before you get them to do the task.
* Instant success - You might find it helpful to 'back chain' some tasks.
When you're teaching a new skill, show the child the last part first so they have instant success. Then add each earlier stage a bit at a time.
* Daily routines - Keep to the daily routine as much as possible. Many children need consistency in their day in order to make sense of the world around them, so warn the child of any changes. Use something physical, such as an egg timer or an alarm clock. For example, set the clock and say, 'When the alarm rings we'll be going out to practise for Sports Day.'
I'm often asked how much time a child should be given to achieve a target or assimilate a concept. There's no answer to this except to give them as much time as they need. By closely monitoring the IEP, you'll be able to see whether the child is making progress. If they're not, after three months or so, you'll need to rethink their targets. But if the child is achieving success, then you've pitched it right, so be guided by that.
Let children work at the pace and in the way that's most effective for them and you can be confident that the concepts they're learning are giving them a good foundation for continued progress.
Further reading
'Check it out' by Collette Drifte, Nursery World, 8 April 2004.
Good practice
In preparation
Benny, age five, has Down's syndrome. He has learning disabilities and needs to have tasks explained in small stages, and instructions given one bit at a time.
At the moment he is working on two targets: how to prepare for painting sessions and how to get ready for playtime.
Benny and his practitioner took photographs of everything he needs for painting and displayed them on the wall in the correct sequence. He uses the photos for reference when he wants to paint. Benny also uses a second set of photographs displayed in reverse order to help him tidy away when he's finished with the activity.
Because Benny finds it hard to remember complex instructions, his practitioner gives him one part at a time before playtime: 1 Change your shoes
2 Put on your coat
3 Put on your hat
4 Put on your gloves
5 Line up at the door
6 Go outside to play.
In time, when Benny is ready, the practitioner will give him two parts of the instruction at the same time, gradually increasing the number of elements until Benny can manage complex instructions. As with the painting target, Benny has two sets of photographs showing this task. One is displayed on the wall. He uses the other to play a sequencing game to reinforce the concept.
Button up
Aliss, seven, has learning difficulties. She finds it hard to generalise a concept or skill even when she has grasped it in the original teaching situation. She also has difficulty in fastening her buttons.
Aliss's IEP targets include one to develop the concepts 'circles' and 'round', and another to learn how to fasten buttons. She has learned about circles using plane shapes in her art work, in play situations and maths sessions. She is now learning about circles again in everyday places, such as vehicles and buildings, and embedded in other contexts such as in magazine pictures, on posters and in displays.
To help Aliss with fastening buttons, her practitioner is using a back chaining technique. She fastens all but the last button, modelling and talking through each one as Aliss watches. She encourages Aliss to fasten the last one, helping if necessary. When Aliss can fasten this button by herself, the practitioner will fasten all but the last two buttons, again modelling and talking through the process, then Aliss will finish the job.
In this way, Aliss should eventually be able to fasten all her buttons unaided.
