What does SpLD mean?

When experiencing difficulties at education , quite often unusual phrases are used that are not often understood by the very people that the phrases are being used to describe.

In this post, we will take a look at some information that is on the British Dyslexia website that seeks to help with the understanding of the phrase, SpLD (Specific Learning Difficulty).

This is very much an umbrella term for conditions that affect the ability of a pupil or student to learn and achieve at the same ability as their peers.  They do not describe a lack of intelligence but describe various ways in which the brain processes information differently to those people without the condition.  In education there is a strong reliance on reading , writing and arithmetic, but if you are unable to recognise words or numbers because you happen to view them differently, then this is an indication of a specific learning difficulty.  If the teacher can change their approach and help the pupil to learn the same information but by using a method that the brain can use to process information more efficiently then that will help to boost the confidence of the pupil or student.

A good example of this is someone who has the SpLD called dyslexia.  They may not be able to process words and information visually but if they can have access to the text being read out then this is a great example of how to process the same information but in a different way.

Download this guide on technology that reads out text.

The British Dyslexia Association has a very informative web page that details what an SpLD is and what types of conditions are covered within this umbrella term.  To read that page just click here.