Moderate Learning Difficulties:

the term and pedagogic implications

Rationale for study

 - pupils with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) represent the largest proportion of those identified as having special educational needs in the school system,

 - neglected as a focus for educational initiatives.    - 25% of all pupils identified as having SEN at school

action plus or with Statements in ordinary and special schools

 - neglect attributed to several factors.

– come disproportionately from families who experience socio-economic disadvantage

– no well established advocacy or voluntary group dedicated to the interests of these pupils

– historic uncertainty about pupils with MLD : between those with severe intellectual disabilities and ‘normal’ pupils who are lower attaining

– historic uncertainty about pupils with MLD between those with severe intellectual disabilities and ‘normal’ pupils who are lower attaining

References found by ‘title and abstract’ search for:

Moderate LD 35

Specific LD 65

Dyslexic/ia 403

Autism/ic 450

Behaviour difficulties 74

Emotional difficulties 176

British Education Index Search:

1. Not low attainment – not severe intellectual disability2. Traditionally defined in IQ terms : 50/55-70 range3. Subject to much critique – ethnic / cultural bias/ use of IQ;

intelligence tests 4. Terminology changes/sensitivity: Mental deficiency, Educational

imbeciles, Feeble minded, Mild /moderate educational subnormal, Educational mentally retarded, Mild/moderate intellectual disability

5. Terms and meaning vary internationally 6. Socially constructed term – serving dominant interests7. Raises questions about : what is special education, who needs it? 8. Acid test’ of inclusion policies.

Moderate learning difficulties

Pupils with moderate learning difficulties will have attainments significantly below expected levels in most areas of the curriculum, despite appropriate interventions. Their needs will not be able to be met by normal differentiation and the flexibilities of the National Curriculum.

They should only be recorded as MLD if additional educational provision is being made to help them to access the curriculum.

Pupils with moderate learning difficulties have much greater difficulty than their peers in acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills and in understanding concepts. They may also have associated speech and language delay, low self-esteem, low levels of concentration and under-developed social skills.” (DfES, 2003)

Moderate learning difficulties

MLD % of all with SEN Numbers

Primary SA+ 30.4*

Primary Statement 13.5*** (after SLCN, ASD)

Primary Total 27.2*

Secondary SA+ 27.1** (after BESD)

Secondary Statement

23.6*

Secondary total 26.2** (after BESD)

Special SA+ 4.9

Special Statement 23.3** (after SLD)

Special total 22.9** (after SLD)

Total SA+ 28.9* 127,880

Total Statement 20.7* 44,100

Total overall 26.2* 171,960

Statistics on MLD at SA+ and Statement in ordinary and special schools (2008 DfE stats)

* highest %; ** 2nd highest %; *** third highest %

Table 1: Crowther et al. (2001) system for defining MLD

Associated with Milder learning difficulties

More severe learning difficulties

No other significant difficulties

Significant emotional and behavioural difficulties

Significant sensory/medical difficulties

  not use associated not SLD norterm difficulties SpLD

MLD specify cut-off

low low lowcognitive attainment attainmentability and ability cross

curriculum

Figure 1:Concept map of themes in LEA definitions’ of MLD term

“achievement of pupils with MLD at Key stage 3 and 4, these pupils underachieve radically”

DCSF statistics 2009,Achieving 5ACEM: 50.7% overall16.5% with SEN

2008Achieving KS2 Level 4+ Eng and Maths:84.6% overall33.7% SEN

Desforges (2006) review:

% of pupils with Statements/SA+ in each areas of SEN achieving level 4+ in Eng and Maths

% numbers

Specific LD 22.7 9,042

Moderate LD 11.1 19,480

Severe LD 21 2,410

Beh, Emot Soc D 36.2 12,116

Visual Impairment 52.5 652

DCSF (2010)

3 prototypes (LA use) :

1. definitions in terms of low curriculum attainments (all / a number), with cut-offs specified and with associated areas of difficulties; 2. definitions in terms of low attainments AND cognitive abilities, with cut-offs specified, distinguished from severe and specific learning difficulties and with associated areas of difficulties; 3. not use MLD term.

- depends on definition: attainment only OR attainment AND cognitive ability

- MLD as general learning difficulty; SpLD as specific difficulty

- categoric versus dimensional (continuum position)

- dimensional with pragmatic cut offs

Is there a difference between MLD, low attainment and specific learning difficulties SpLD?

Specific

LD

General LD: MLD

uneven even

Specific – general learning difficulties

Range of attainments

MLD low attaining average attaining high attaining

Why use the term MLD?

Is it a disability, like severe learning difficulties?Or is it just very low attainment?

- Raises dilemma about differentiating this group

1.If do we identify MLD as an area of SEN / disability?

Risks – negative labelling, false identification ad disability/SEN 2. If do we not identify it as difficulty / disability

but as part of the continuum of attainment?

Risks – overlook rights / needs of some vulnerable pupils, lose additional resources

 1. Retain and specify MLD category as an area of

SEN 

2. Abandon MLD as a SEN category: consider as very low attainment provide in terms of compensatory education / social inclusion framework.

  3. Abandon MLD for majority, redefine new tighter category of mild mixed difficulties for minority.

3 options for resolving dilemma:

- Little research; what written suggests no MLD specific pedagogy teaching (Fletcher-Campbell, 2004)

- various teaching approaches relevant to MLD but also relevant to pupils with lower attainment

- Continua of pedagogic strategies: appropriate teaching as intensification / more focussed extension of general teaching approaches

What positive difference does this make for teaching?Is there a specific set of MLD relevant teaching strategies?

-developing ground rules for working in joint research mode,• using case pupils (small number of pupils around whom the development is focussed),• identifying what to learn and why; the research focus,• drawing on what has been learned already about this focus, • joint planning,• joint observation (data capture)• analysing and recording of what has been learned from case pupils and by researchers,• capturing and distilling practice / data (through using videos, stills and audios)• finding ways of helping others to learn from what has been learned (innovated, refined, modified),•creating an artefact to communicate this (e.g. powerpoint, video, coaching guide, etc.) and using it.

Lesson Study methodology components:

•traditional assumption is that there are weaker intellectual abilities; reasoning, problem solving, thinking skills etc.

• one way forward is to adopt a thinking skills scheme to inform the developments using Lesson Study

• this line pursed in research in other countries:

Dr Pang (Hong Kong University)

What do we know about focus on MLD that is relevant to Lesson Study developments?

1. Information processing

2.Reasoning

3.Enquiry

4.Creative thinking

5.Evaluation

Thinking skills (National

Curriculum)

Thinking skills (National

Curriculum)

Information processing•sort and classify•compare and contrast•analyse part/whole relationships

Creative Thinking•generate and extend idea•suggest hypotheses•look for alternative, innovative outcomes

Reasoning•give reasons for opinions and action•draw inferences and make deductions•make informed judgements and decisions

Evaluation•evaluate information•judge the value of what they read, hear and do•develop criteria for judging the value of work or ideas

Enquiry•ask relevant questions•plan what to do and how to research•predict outcomes and anticipate consequences•test conclusions and improve ideas

1. Advance organisers2. Analogies3. Audience and purpose4. Classifying5. Collective memory6. Living graphs7. Mysteries8. Reading images9. Relational diagrams10. Summarising

Teaching strategies:

Leading in Learning

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1 Advance organisers

2 Analogies

3 Audience and purpose

4 Classifying

5 Collective memory

6 Living graphs and fortune lines

7 Mysteries

8 Reading images

9 Relational diagrams

10 Summarising

National Curriculum Thinking Skills The Strategies

Planning Review Planning Review Planning Review

1st Lesson 2nd Lesson 3rd Lesson

Observation, video, meeting,

interviewing pupils, reading learning logs

Observation, video, meeting,

interviewing pupils, reading learning logs

The 3-Lesson Model

Thinking skills and Lesson Study in your subject

• What opportunities are there in the lesson you are focusing on in Lesson Study to integrate some relevant thinking skills?

• Will this integration of specific thinking skills in the lesson planning for and teaching of the Pupil/s with identified MLD help to raise their and others’ attainment?

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ARCS model: expectancy – value model

ATTENTION - perceptual arousal- inquiry arousal- variability /novelty

RELEVANCE - goal orientation- motive matching

CONFIDENCE - learning requirements- success opportunities- personal responsibility

SATISFACTION - intrinsic reinforcement- extrinsic rewards- equity

Motivation strategies

ARCS model (Keller)

• Design guidelines for developing effective motivational strategies

• Attention

• Relevance

• Confidence

• Satisfaction

Motivational observation/interviewing schedule:

Based on areas arising from Motivation Survey based on ARCS (focus on

individual and/or group)

Arousal / attention:

i. Shows initial interest in lesson

ii. Interest retained during lesson

iii. Shows curiosity for aspects of lesson

iv. Retains attention through variety of activities

v. Repetition and practice leads to boredom

vi. Content of lesson too hard /challenging to maintain attention

Relevance

i. can relate activity / lesson to personal interests/ experiences

ii. understands how activity / lesson relates to learning goals / targets

iii. sees the point / purpose of lesson for longer term personal gaols

Confidence:

i. shows confidence about doing the activities

ii. believes that s/he can cope with activities

iii. communicates about difficulties / challenges of learning

iv. takes control of learning activities

Satisfaction:

i. enjoyed activity so much that wants to do more

ii. shows that working at activity is worthwhile

iii. shows pleasure during the activity / lesson

iv. experiences satisfaction when activity completed

Motivation strategies and Lesson Study

in your subject

• What opportunities are there in the lesson that you are focusing on in Lesson Study to integrate teaching that promotes motivation strategies?

• Will the integration of specific motivation strategies in lesson planning for pupil/s with identified MLD help to raise their and other pupils’/students’ motivational attainments?