Moderate Learning Difficulties: the term and pedagogic implications

1. Moderate Learning Difficulties: the term and pedagogic implications

2. 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

3. British Education Index Search: 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

4. Moderate learning difficulties • Not low attainment – not severe intellectual disability • Traditionally defined in IQ terms : 50/55-70 range • Subject to much critique – ethnic / cultural bias/ use of IQ; intelligence tests • Terminology changes/sensitivity: Mental deficiency, Educational imbeciles, Feeble minded, Mild /moderate educational subnormal, Educational mentally retarded, Mild/moderate intellectual disability • Terms and meaning vary internationally • Socially constructed term – serving dominant interests • Raises questions about : what is special education, who needs it? • Acid test’ of inclusion policies.

5. 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)

6. Statistics on MLD at SA+ and Statement in ordinary and special schools (2008 DfE stats) * highest %; ** 2nd highest %; *** third highest %

7. Associated with Milder learning difficulties More severe learning difficulties No other significant difficulties Significant emotional and behavioural difficulties Significant sensory/medical difficulties Table 1: Crowther et al. (2001) system for defining MLD

8. Figure 1: Concept map of themes in LEA definitions’ of MLD term not use associated not SLD nor term difficulties SpLD MLD specify cut-off low low low cognitive attainment attainment ability and ability cross curriculum

9. Desforges (2006) review: “achievement of pupils with MLD at Key stage 3 and 4, these pupils underachieve radically” DCSF statistics 2009, Achieving 5ACEM: 50.7% overall 16.5% with SEN 2008 Achieving KS2 Level 4+ Eng and Maths: 84.6% overall 33.7% SEN

10. DCSF (2010) % 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

11. 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.

12. Is there a difference between MLD, low attainment and specific learning difficulties SpLD? • - 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

13. Specific – general learning difficulties uneven even Specific LD General LD: MLD Range of attainments MLD low attaining average attaining high attaining

14. 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

15. 3 options for resolving dilemma: 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.

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

17. Lesson Study methodology components: • 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.

18. What do we know about focus on MLD that is relevant to Lesson Study developments? • traditionalassumption 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)

19. Thinking skills (National Curriculum) • Information processing • Reasoning • Enquiry • Creative thinking • Evaluation

20. Thinking skills (National Curriculum)

21. Teaching strategies: 1. Advance organisers 2. Analogies 3. Audience and purpose 4. Classifying 5. Collective memory 6. Living graphs 7. Mysteries 8. Reading images 9. Relational diagrams 10. Summarising

22. 1 Advance organisers 2 Analogies 3 Audience and purpose 4 Classifying 5 Collective memory 6 Living graphs and fortune lines 7 Mysteries The 3-Lesson Model 8 Reading images Planning Review Planning Review Planning Review 9 Relational diagrams Observation, video, meeting, interviewing pupils, reading learning logs Observation, video, meeting, interviewing pupils, reading learning logs 10 Summarising 1st Lesson 2nd Lesson 3rd Lesson Leading in Learning The Strategies National Curriculum Thinking Skills

23. 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?

24. ARCS model: expectancy – value model

25. Motivation strategies ARCS model (Keller) Design guidelines for developing effective motivational strategies Attention Relevance Confidence Satisfaction

26. Motivational observation/interviewing schedule: Based on areas arising from Motivation Survey based on ARCS (focus on individual and/or group) Arousal / attention: • Shows initial interest in lesson • Interest retained during lesson • Shows curiosity for aspects of lesson • Retains attention through variety of activities • Repetition and practice leads to boredom • Content of lesson too hard /challenging to maintain attention

27. Relevance • can relate activity / lesson to personal interests/ experiences • understands how activity / lesson relates to learning goals / targets • sees the point / purpose of lesson for longer term personal gaols Confidence: • shows confidence about doing the activities • believes that s/he can cope with activities • communicates about difficulties / challenges of learning • takes control of learning activities Satisfaction: • enjoyed activity so much that wants to do more • shows that working at activity is worthwhile • shows pleasure during the activity / lesson • experiences satisfaction when activity completed

28. 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?