2.2 Explain how global learning difficulties and specific learning difficulties affect learning

This guide will help you answer 2.2 Explain how global learning difficulties and specific learning difficulties affect learning.

Understanding how different types of learning difficulties affect a person’s ability to learn is an important part of supporting individuals in health and social care. Learning difficulties describe conditions that make learning more challenging. These can vary widely from person to person. The way they impact learning will depend on the type of difficulty, the level of support available, and the individual’s strengths and needs.

Global learning difficulties are different from specific learning difficulties, and both can affect how someone takes in, processes, and recalls information. Workers in healthcare support must know the distinctions to provide appropriate assistance.

Global Learning Difficulties

Global learning difficulties refer to a broad impact on learning and day-to-day functioning. This means the person’s intellectual ability is below average in most or all areas of learning. It affects a wide range of skills rather than only one type of task.

Global learning difficulties are often present from childhood. They can be mild, moderate or severe, affecting communication, problem-solving and the ability to manage personal and social life.

Characteristics of Global Learning Difficulties

• Slow pace of learning across all subjects and skills.
• Difficulty retaining information, even after practice.
• Challenges in understanding instructions or abstract ideas.
• Limited vocabulary and speech development.
• Reduced problem-solving ability in practical situations.
• Need for repeated explanations and simple language.

Causes and Influences

Global learning difficulties can be caused by genetic conditions such as Down’s syndrome or Fragile X syndrome. Other causes can include birth complications, brain injury or exposure to toxins in pregnancy. Supportive environments greatly influence how well a person can develop skills.

Impact on Learning

People with global learning difficulties often require learning broken down into very small, manageable steps. They may need a high level of repeated practice over longer periods. Progress tends to be slower than for others, and concepts may need to be taught in concrete ways using visual aids and hands-on experience.

Language skills can be weak, so reading, writing and understanding written text may be affected. Number skills can also be challenging, from basic counting to understanding money or time.

Peer relationships can be harder because differences in communication and social skills can lead to isolation. This can affect confidence and motivation to learn.

Examples of Learning Impact

• Struggling to follow multi-step instructions without support.
• Taking longer to complete assignments or tasks.
• Difficulty generalising skills learned in one setting to another, for example being able to count blocks in class but unable to count groceries at home.
• Needing high levels of encouragement to stay engaged in learning.

Supporting Learning for Global Difficulties

Support must be consistent, clear and patient. Learning plans should be adapted to meet the person’s pace and how they best understand information.

Common strategies include:

• Breaking tasks into simple, clear steps.
• Using repetition over long periods to strengthen memory.
• Providing visual prompts like charts, pictures and symbols.
• Encouraging practical learning through real-life tasks.
• Using simple, concrete language and avoiding complex instructions.
• Giving regular feedback and reassurance.

Physical environment matters. Learning spaces should be calm, organised and free from too many distractions. Consistency in the person’s routine helps reduce confusion.

Specific Learning Difficulties

Specific learning difficulties refer to challenges in one or more particular areas of learning, while overall intelligence may be average or above average. These difficulties do not affect every aspect of learning, but have a noticeable impact on specific skills.

Conditions in this group include dyslexia (reading and writing difficulties), dyscalculia (difficulty with numbers and mathematical concepts), dyspraxia (motor coordination difficulties), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Characteristics of Specific Learning Difficulties

• Skills are strong in some areas but weaker in others.
• Difficulty with tasks related to the specific area affected, even if other areas are unaffected.
• Challenges may not be obvious in casual conversation or general activities.
• The person may use coping strategies to hide the difficulty.

Examples

• A person with dyslexia may speak confidently but struggle with spelling, reading speed, and decoding written text.
• A person with dyscalculia may understand written language but have trouble with basic arithmetic and understanding graphs.
• A person with dyspraxia may be intelligent but find motor tasks such as handwriting, using tools or sports difficult.
• A person with ADHD may have strong ideas but struggle to concentrate, organise work or follow instructions.

Impact on Learning

Specific learning difficulties can lead to frustration because the person may know they are capable in other areas but find certain tasks disproportionately challenging. This can impact confidence and lead to avoidance of tasks linked to their difficulty.

These difficulties can slow progress in the targeted skill. For example, dyslexia can affect reading fluency, leading to slower task completion and reduced comprehension of written material. Dyscalculia can affect understanding of measurements, time, money and sequences.

Attention and focus can be affected, especially with ADHD. This impacts organisation, remembering instructions, and staying on task for long periods.

Examples of Learning Impact

• Struggling with specific school subjects while doing well in others.
• Avoiding reading or maths tasks and choosing verbal or creative work instead.
• Misinterpreting written instructions or making calculation errors.
• Handwriting being slow or hard to read, affecting written communication.

Supporting Learning for Specific Difficulties

Support needs to match the type of difficulty and the person’s preferred learning style. The aim is to help them find ways around the challenge and build confidence in their abilities.

Strategies include:

• Providing text in accessible formats, using larger fonts or coloured overlays for dyslexia.
• Allowing use of calculators or apps to support number work for dyscalculia.
• Offering extra time for reading or writing tasks.
• Using audio books or speech-to-text software for those with reading difficulties.
• Breaking tasks into smaller stages with clear time limits to help with attention issues.
• Using practical hands-on activities to reinforce abstract concepts.
• Teaching organisational skills like checklists and planners.
• Encouraging alternative ways to record information such as diagrams, mind maps, and voice recordings.

Support from specialists such as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists or educational psychologists can improve outcomes.

Differences Between Global and Specific Learning Difficulties

While both types cause barriers to learning, their impact pattern is different. Global learning difficulties generally affect all learning areas to some level. Specific learning difficulties target a particular skill set, while other skills remain strong.

Global difficulties often require ongoing comprehensive support across most educational and life skills. Specific difficulties require targeted aid aimed at the problem area, while allowing strengths in other areas to be used fully.

Confusion can occur if the distinction is not clear. For example, a child with dyslexia may be wrongly assumed to have a low overall ability, when in reality their intelligence in other areas may be high.

Social and Emotional Effects

Both global and specific learning difficulties can affect social skills. Repeated struggles in tasks others can do easily can lower self-esteem. Individuals may become anxious about learning situations and fear embarrassment.

Global difficulties often mean the person has more visible differences in communication and processing, which may affect friendships and social acceptance. Support in social skills and community activities can help build confidence.

Specific difficulties may lead to hidden frustration because abilities are uneven. A person might excel in spoken work but find written exams much harder, creating stress. Without support, this can be misinterpreted as laziness or lack of effort.

Positive relationships with tutors, carers and peers make a big difference. Encouragement and recognising achievements matter greatly for motivation.

Role of Healthcare Support Workers

In health and social care settings, support workers need to adjust communication and learning activities. Awareness of both types of difficulties ensures that instructions and educational activities are set at the right level.

Practical actions include:

• Observing how the person responds to different teaching styles.
• Working alongside teachers, therapists and family to maintain consistent approaches.
• Using tools that help with memory and organisation.
• Giving encouragement for effort, not only for results.
• Adapting tasks so the person can succeed without removing challenge completely.
• Offering breaks and keeping learning periods manageable.

Final Thoughts

Global learning difficulties and specific learning difficulties each affect learning in their own way. Global difficulties spread across most areas of life and education, and people need a high level of ongoing support to make progress. Specific difficulties target one or a few skills, leaving other abilities untouched, which means the person can build on their strengths while receiving targeted help for problem areas.

By recognising the difference between them, workers in health and social care can use the right approach for each individual. This helps create learning experiences that reduce frustration and give the person the best chance to succeed. Patience, clear communication and adaptable methods make a significant difference in how someone with learning difficulties experiences education and personal growth.