Page 5 - Part-A

Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties

What is meant by the term Specific Learning Difficulty

First of all, it is important to be clear about what is meant by Specific Learning
Difficulty (SpLD).

Specific Learning Difficulty is a term that describes differences or difficulties with
particular aspects of learning. These difficulties can affect the way a person learns
or processes information and their ability to work with spoken or written language.
SpLDs can also affect the organisation of a person’s movements. The impact on a
person’s life is extensive and variable, often extending way beyond reading, writing
and arithmetic difficulties.

SpLDs are a group of related conditions, and people commonly have traits of more
than one SpLD at the same time. They are believed to affect around 15% of the
population to a certain degree.

It is important to note the word specific, as this tells us that these difficulties affect a
specific range of abilities in a significant but selective way, whilst the person’s general
intellectual abilities are not affected. In fact, SpLDs often occur in people of above
average intelligence.

The most common SpLDs are:

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) / Attention Deficit
Disorder (ADD)

• Dyslexia

• Developmental Coordination Disorder

• Dyscalculia.

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