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. Aspergers syndrome

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Terminology is often defined within government policy documents. In England the SEND Code of Practice: 0 – 25 (Department for Education (DfE), 2014a) defines special educational needs (SEN) as ‘learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for a child or young person to learn than most children and young people of the same age’ (British Dyslexia Association, nd). You may feel that this is a very loose definition, rather than a definition that helps with providing appropriate support for an individual child. This is a valid opinion, and one that both practitioners and parents/carers may share.

The SEND Code of Practice: 0 – 25 (DfE, 2014a), as a policy document relating to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014, is written in such a way deliberately as it provides statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures for children’s services, such as schools. The wording aims to include as many children with special educational needs or disability as possible who may need extra or different help from that given to other children.

The SEND guide for parents and carers (DfE, 2014b) makes a distinction between children having individual learning needs at different points in their education (for example, if a child’s first language is not English) and children needing extra support due to SEND.

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

1 What does SEND mean?

Special educational needs (SEN)