Did you know? Some of the most common terms used in Special Education

Diverse learners– varying learning needs, including cultural diversity

Special Education Needs (SEN)– needs of children who struggle in school for diverse reasons including disability

Inclusive Education – teaching all children in mainstream schools with necessary adjustment to cater for diversity

Special Education (SpEd) – educational programs designed for students with diverse needs to access the curriculum and reach their learning potential – with a focus on disabilities and disorders

Neurodivergent – an individual whose brain is wired differently making their learning style and behaviour deviate from the norm (e.g. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) )

Disability – any condition that affects an individual physical, cognitive and emotional/social abilities. Types of disabilities – visible (e.g. cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, visual impairment etc.) and invisible (e.g. epilepsy, intellectual disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, learning difficult etc.)

Specialist teacher – a teacher with expertise in working with children with SEN

Special Education School/Resource Centre – schools that cater for children with SEN

Functional skills –practical skills and abilities that individuals use to navigate everyday life, e.g. cooking, self-care, communicating

Learning Difficulties – challenges in acquiring, processing or retaining information, skills and knowledge

Activities of Daily Living (ADL) – basic self-care tasks that people need to do every day to keep themselves safe.