Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties 

Teaching Strategies

• Establish a supportive relationship with the student

• Focus on what the student can do rather than what he/she cannot do and build on his/her strengths

• Include praise and encouragement as part of the student’s learning and teaching experience

• Simplify language, repeat words and clarify meanings

• Enable the student to experience success through identifying realistic learning objectives for each lesson

• Ensure tasks have a clear meaning and purpose

• Consider a multi-sensory approach to spelling that provides opportunities for the student to follow the look, copy, trace, picture, cover, write and check sequence technique

• Utilise semantic/concept mapping to build on the student’s existing knowledge

• Use short sequential steps when teaching

• Build opportunities for over-learning and repetition into lessons

• Help students to realise that making mistakes is part of the learning process

• Incorporate the student’s interests, aptitudes, experiences and skills into learning and teaching

• Utilise active learning, participation and collaboration with peers

• Encourage the development of life skills, personal and social skills through all aspects of the curriculum and allow for the fact that these skills may also have to be taught explicitly

• Use a wide range of learning resources (e.g. visual aids (charts/artefacts), concrete objects, computer software and accessible texts

• Provide handouts/worksheets that minimise the amount of writing required

• Support in all areas of the curriculum 

• Alternative methods of recording and/ or completing work

• Teaching of self-help, independence and social skills

• Agreed signs and symbols when communicating

• Use signals for when a pupil doesn't understand

• Working in small groups

• Regular communication with parents/ guardians

• Children with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties need to experience learning at an appropriate level for them. They need plenty of opportunities to repeat experiences that focus on developing their communication, sensory, physical development and take account of their complex physical and mental health needs