Global Developmental Delay: what is it?

Global Developmental Delay (GDD) is a subset of developmental disabilities with early onset and relates to children who experience significant delay in two or more developmental domains (e.g. gross/fine motor, speech/language, cognition, social/emotional) compared to their chronological peers. The term GDD is often reserved for younger children (under 5 years of age).  The prevalence of …
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Moderate Learning Difficulties: unravelling the confusion

Origins In 1978 the Warnock Report introduced the term ‘moderate learning difficulties’ (MLD) to replace the formal term ‘educationally sub-normal to a moderate degree’ or ESN (M) introduced in 1945.  Ironically, although one of the main aims of the Warnock Report was to move away from a medical model in which children were labelled according …
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Quest for Learning

Guidance and Assessment Materials for Children with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties Quest for learning is the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment’s (CCEA) first assessment tool and comprehensive guidance materials to support the teaching and learning of Northern Ireland pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD).  It was launched at the Dunadry …
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Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)

This term is used to describe difficulties in the development of movement skills. It begins to show itself in the early years when children are learning to walk, climb, run etc. It will affect all aspects of their daily activities at home, play and at school. The condition is a result of impairment in the …
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Color Anomia

This is a condition where colour vision is normal but children cannot name colours even though they may be able to match them. Children with this condition can sort into different colours and may be able to consistently name black and white. This condition may be related to an impaired short term memory. Further Information …
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Teaching pupils with SLD (Dyslexia)

Focus on what is done well and give praise and encouragement. Be wary of asking pupils to read aloud in a large class. If necessary for oral assessment etc. give them cue cards with small amounts of text rather than one long block of text. When marking tick the correct work – don’t highlight all …
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Customizing the curriculum for severe or complex needs

In order to assess learning in the classroom, pupils who are unable to write may well be able to mark with a pen or pencil. Multiple choice answers could be used. Record sheets can be devised to tick when activities have been completed etc. Many of these children will require therapy of one sort or …
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Teaching pupils with Moderate Learning difficulties

In some schools breakfast and lunch clubs appear to be effective.  Pupils are paired with volunteers from higher ability classes.  Special libraries of graded books are used and pupils work their way through them.  Records are kept and pupils/tutors make a note for each book read.  Certificates and progress awards are presented. To teach spelling …
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Teaching pupils with Dyspraxia

Try to ensure that the child is sitting in an upright position with both feet flat on the  floor. If possible try to give him/her a sloping surface to write on. The child should be seated away from doors and windows where there might be distractions.  He/she should be close enough to hear and see …
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Teaching a child with Dyscalculia

Don’t expect the child to recite tables or other facts. Give him/her concrete reference materials wherever possible, e.g. a number square or calculator. Teach pupils to follow a given method with steps for problem solving. Provide wall charts/maths dictionaries etc. with maths language definitions. Put a list of numbers and their spellings on a prompt …
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