Skip to content
Skip to main content

About this free course

Download this course

Share this free course

Supporting children's development
Supporting children's development

Start this free course now. Just create an account and sign in. Enrol and complete the course for a free statement of participation or digital badge if available.

1.1 Defining terms

The first activity gives you the opportunity to test your understanding of some of the terminology used when describing a child’s disability or condition. All the definitions are taken from The National Autistic Society (NAS) or the British Council websites.

Activity 1

Timing: Allow about 10 minutes

Match the following terms with their correct definition.

Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.

  1. Dyslexia

  2. ADHD

  3. Dyspraxia

  4. Autism

  5. EAL learner

  6. Asperger syndrome

  • a.An immaturity in the way the brain processes information resulting in problems of perception, language and thought (NAS)

  • b.A specific learning difficulty which mainly affects the development of literacy and language-related skills (NAS)

  • c.An overarching term used to refer to all conditions on the autism spectrum (NAS)

  • d.A condition that makes a person inattentive, impulsive and hyperactive (NAS)

  • e.A person with this condition has difficulties with social communication, social interaction and social imagination (NAS)

  • f.Anyone who has been exposed to a language other than English during early childhood (British Council)

The correct answers are:
  • 1 = b
  • 2 = d
  • 3 = a
  • 4 = c
  • 5 = f
  • 6 = e

Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them.

The SEN Code of Practice for Wales provides practical advice to Local Education Authorities, maintained schools, early years settings and others on carrying out their statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for children’s special educational needs.

The code of practice provides practical advice to local authorities (LAs), maintained schools and early years settings.

It helps them to carry out their statutory duties, identify, assess and make provision for children’s special educational needs (SEN). It became effective on 1 April 2002 and can be found on the Welsh Government website:

SEN code of practice for Wales [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]

This next part explains the four areas of special educational needs and the legal definition of ‘disability’.