How primary teachers can support pupils with learning and attention difficulties

Why do people go into teaching? It can be an extremely rewarding career, giving you the chance to make a positive difference in the lives of many children.

It can also be incredibly varied when you are catering to different learning styles, attention spans and educational levels. There are a variety of learning and attention difficulties to be aware of, each affecting how a child learns and perceives information differently. The most common include dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADHD, as well as students that have visual, auditory or slow processing speed issues. These affect about 1 in 5 children, yet very few receive specialised attention to facilitate their learning.

As a teacher, you constantly evaluate your teaching style to find new ways of encouraging students to openly participate in class. Through a mix of accommodation techniques, creative teaching styles and proper guidance, you can create an environment where pupils with learning and attention difficulties can thrive.

Multisensory teaching

Multisensory teaching involves engaging with multiple senses at once to support and enable different styles of learning. These include utilising touch, kinetic, visual and auditory forms of learning.

For students with dyslexia

By using a mix of teaching styles, you can help students with different learning conditions to learn more efficiently. For example, students with dyslexia struggle with visual reading. So why not incorporate touch by using the finger to tap out each sound in a word or using audio supplements? This will go a long way in helping them make sense of the word and its pronunciation.

In maths lessons

Multisensory teaching can also be used in maths. Teachers can use physical tools (called manipulatives) such as blocks to allow children to visually see addition and subtraction in a real-life setting — particularly useful for children with dyscalculia.

For students with ADHD

Kinetic teaching methods are especially beneficial for those with ADHD and can be popular in classrooms regardless of learning style because they incorporate a physical way of learning which is different from the most common aural and visual forms of learning. The movement involved gives children a productive outlet for their excess energy and supports the retention of new information.

You can provide multisensory teaching material such as the previously mentioned manipulative tools and visual aid to explain concepts. In addition, text-to-speech software can help students to see and hear words at the same time to better grasp the meaning.

One-on-one support and guidance

By reducing the size of groups that teachers manage, they can provide greater care for their students and dedicate more guidance to certain individuals, or groups of individuals. Small groups generally work best, especially for children with learning and attention difficulties because they receive a more personalised approach to teaching.

How to create effective teaching groups

In some cases, pupils may need more explanation or support from a teacher than the rest of the class, which may bring about feelings of alienation. Therefore, creating a group where the teacher can spend time with and support each person may allow the child to feel more comfortable and integrated with the community of students who learn at a similar pace to them. Each specific learning style can be made into a group; for instance, those with ADHD may benefit from working in a setting with fewer distractions and those with dyslexia may benefit from reading in a group.

In these specialised groups, teachers can adjust their pace to give students time to absorb information.

Empathy and respect

Put yourself in the student's shoes

Imagine you're a child with ADHD and you enter a classroom where you're asked to sit quietly for large chunks of the day. By putting yourself in that child’s shoes, you are showing empathy which is empathy - a valuable trait when supporting children with learning issues. With this in mind, aim to use positive rather than negative language when setting rules. For example, you could suggest that “when we come in, we do it quietly and sit at our desks” instead of the phrase “do not make noise when you come in.”

The power of rules and boundaries

It's important not to forget how powerful rules and boundaries are when creating an uninterrupted learning environment. The CASPER approach highlights the steps to follow when dealing with behavioural management. This involves appearing calm and assertive and considering status preservation, empathy and respect when reprimanding students.

Keeping a level head

Whenever faced with a difficult situation, maintain a calm and controlled mindset - this sets a standard of respect within the classroom. Children can and probably will unintentionally misbehave — they are still learning and developing their manners, social awareness and skills. By empathising, but remaining assertive, you can effectively deal with any issues and set boundaries in a way that facilitates growth and consideration in the classroom.

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