Learning Difficulties
A child with learning difficulties finds it harder than peers to acquire new knowledge or skills, in one area or several. We start from what the child already knows and build skills in small, achievable steps.
Learning, cognition and academics
Building the foundations of learning, from attention and matching to reading, writing and maths.
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Learning rests on foundations. Before a child can read, they need to attend, imitate, match, understand concepts such as same and different, and hear the sounds in words. Before they can do sums, they need to count objects one by one and understand more and less. When a child struggles at school, the gap is often in these foundations rather than in the schoolwork itself.
We assess where your child’s learning is secure and where it is not, then teach in small, concrete steps, moving from real objects to pictures to written work. For older children we work on literacy, numeracy and classroom skills, including English, Hindi and Mathematics, and share strategies with families and, where you wish, with teachers.
29 needs explained in plain language
These descriptions help you understand terms you may hear. They are not a diagnosis, which can only come from a qualified clinician.
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Learning, cognition and academics, explained
Academic Difficulties
Academic difficulties show up in schoolwork such as reading, writing or maths, and often affect confidence. We look for the underlying gap, such as attention, language or foundational skills, and work on it directly.
School Readiness Difficulties
School readiness includes sitting for activities, following group instructions, waiting, communicating needs, using the toilet independently and early learning skills. We work on these foundations so the start of school is smoother.
Foundational Learning Difficulties
Foundational learning skills, such as attending, imitating, matching and following simple instructions, underpin all later learning. When these are not yet secure, we build them first, because everything else rests on them.
Reading Difficulties
Reading difficulties can involve recognising letters and sounds, blending sounds into words, reading fluently or understanding what was read. We use structured, multisensory approaches matched to the child’s level.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that mainly affects accurate and fluent word reading and spelling, often linked to how the sounds in words are processed. It is not related to intelligence. Structured, systematic phonics-based teaching and supportive strategies help.
Writing Difficulties
Writing involves forming letters, spelling, organising ideas and getting them onto paper. The difficulty may lie in the physical side of writing, the language side, or both. We find out which and work on it step by step.
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a specific difficulty with writing that can affect legibility, spacing, speed or the ability to express ideas in writing. Occupational therapy and structured writing support, together with sensible adjustments, can help.
Mathematics Learning Difficulties
Some children find maths concepts, number facts, calculation or problem-solving particularly hard. We go back to concrete materials and build understanding before moving on to written methods.
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty affecting number sense, learning number facts and calculating accurately and fluently. Concrete, visual and step-by-step teaching helps a child build a secure foundation.
Handwriting Difficulties
Handwriting may be slow, uneven, hard to read or tiring. Contributing factors include pencil grasp, hand strength, posture and visual-motor skills. We address these and teach letter formation systematically.
Early Literacy Skills
Early literacy includes enjoying books, recognising letters, hearing rhymes and sounds in words, and knowing that print carries meaning. We build these through shared reading, songs and play.
Early Numeracy Skills
Early numeracy covers counting, recognising numbers, comparing quantities and understanding more and less. We use everyday objects and games to make numbers meaningful.
Number Sense and Counting Skills
Number sense is an intuitive feel for numbers, such as knowing 5 is more than 3 or recognising small quantities at a glance. Counting each object once, in order, is a key early step that we teach carefully.
Reading Comprehension
Comprehension means understanding and thinking about what is read, not just decoding words. A child may read aloud well but struggle to answer questions about a passage. We teach strategies such as picturing the story, predicting and retelling.
Writing and Composition
Composition is planning and organising ideas into sentences and paragraphs. We use frameworks, pictures and talking before writing to help children put their ideas on paper.
Basic Arithmetic
Basic arithmetic covers adding, subtracting and early multiplication and division. We move from concrete objects to pictures and then to written numbers, so each step is understood.
Cognitive Developmental Delays
A cognitive delay means a child’s thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills are developing more slowly than expected. Structured teaching of foundational concepts, with plenty of practice, supports progress.
Problem-Solving Difficulties
Problem-solving means working out what to do when something is not straightforward, such as fitting a puzzle piece or finding a lost toy. We practise it through play and guided questions, gradually giving less help.
Reasoning Skills
Reasoning includes understanding why things happen, making predictions and drawing conclusions. We develop it through stories, cause-and-effect activities and age-appropriate questions.
Memory Difficulties
Memory difficulties can affect learning new information and recalling it later. We use repetition, visual supports and meaningful links to help information stick.
Matching, Sorting and Classification Skills
Matching identical items, sorting by colour or shape and grouping things into categories are early thinking skills that support language and maths. We teach them through hands-on activities.
Pattern Recognition
Recognising and continuing patterns, such as red, blue, red, blue, supports early maths and reasoning. We use beads, blocks and pictures to build this skill.
Sequencing Skills
Sequencing is putting events or steps in the right order, such as the steps of washing hands or the parts of a story. It supports independence, language and learning.
Cause-and-Effect Understanding
Understanding that an action leads to a result, such as pressing a button to make a sound, is a foundational thinking skill. We build it with responsive toys and everyday routines.
Concept Development
Concepts such as big and small, in and on, same and different, or before and after help children understand instructions and lessons. We teach them with real objects and practise them across settings.
Learning Readiness
Learning readiness means having the attention, sitting tolerance, imitation and cooperation needed to learn from teaching. We build these skills so the child can benefit fully from therapy and school.
Pre-Academic Skills
Pre-academic skills include recognising colours, shapes, letters and numbers, holding a pencil and following group routines. They prepare children for formal learning.
Classroom Participation and Learning
Taking part in class means following instructions, working alongside others, waiting and finishing tasks. We teach these skills and, where families wish, share strategies with teachers.
