Numeracy Related Activities and difficulties with Language/Comprehension
Remember, disability is a highly individualised experience. People with the same disability may have very different capabilities and/or needs, so it is always best to discuss any adaptations to practice, the environment or equipment directly with the disabled person themselves rather than making assumptions about what adjustments may be suitable.
Effective communication, between teacher and student and/or between students, is crucial for many learning activities, including sessions/courses that address numeracy.
Difficulties with language and comprehension can include a broad range of difficulties associated with processing the speed, detail or organisation of written or spoken information. People with language and comprehension difficulties may include those with dyslexia, those with hearing impairments who use British Sign Language (BSL) as their first language, overseas students with English as their second language or students with autistic spectrum disorders who use language literally and have difficulties with abstraction and ambiguous instruction.
When organising sessions that include members with a disability and/or learning difficulty, it is important to look closely at the conventions that are being used and to consider whether they are appropriate. Difficulties that might be experienced by certain students could include the following:
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Students with visual impairments who cannot see who is speaking. These students may also be unable to use facial expression and body language as an additional means of interpretation.
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Deaf students who use British Sign Language (BSL) will only be able to follow a discussion by looking at their interpreter. This will inevitably slow down the speed with which they can receive inputs, and also mean that they cannot always focus on the facial expressions of the speaker. These students will also require extra time to formulate their own responses during discussions.
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Students who lip-read will find it hard to follow discussion unless seating enables all participants to see each other, lighting and acoustics are good, and a formal discussion is effectively chaired.
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Some students with autistic spectrum disorders may find it hard to communicate directly. Their disability makes aspects of social communication, for example eye contact, particularly difficult.
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Some students with mental health difficulties and learning difficulties may find two-way communication hard for a variety of reasons: they may feel very inhibited in entering a discussion, they may find certain aspects of discussion (e.g. any contribution that they might perceive as being critical of them) very threatening; conversely, they may become very enthusiastic about a particular subject and find it hard not to dominate the discussion and reluctant to allow it to move onto other areas.
