Classroom Strategies for Students with Learning Difficulties

Classroom Strategies for Students with Learning Difficulties

Learning difficulties affect a significant proportion of Australian students — estimates suggest 10–16% of students have a specific learning difficulty. For classroom teachers, this means that in a class of 25, you are likely to have two to four students who need targeted support to access the curriculum effectively.

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) requires all Australian schools to document the adjustments they provide for students with disability, including those with learning difficulties. This means teachers need both practical strategies and clear documentation of what they are doing and how students are responding.

This guide covers practical, evidence-based strategies that classroom teachers can use to support students with learning difficulties — from universal approaches that benefit all learners, to targeted interventions for specific conditions like dyslexia, dyscalculia, and developmental language disorder.

A Note on Terminology

It is important to clarify the language used in this space:

• Learning difficulties is the broader term, encompassing any student who is struggling to learn — whether due to a diagnosed condition, environmental factors, gaps in prior learning, or a combination of causes.
• Learning disabilities (or specific learning difficulties) refers to diagnosed neurological conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. These are persistent, not caused by lack of instruction or opportunity, and affect how the brain processes specific types of information.

All specific learning disabilities are learning difficulties, but not all learning difficulties are disabilities. The strategies in this guide are useful across the full spectrum.

For foundational teaching approaches that support students with learning difficulties, see our Explicit Instruction Guide. Many of the strategies on this page also connect to effective behaviour management strategies, since learning difficulties and behavioural challenges frequently co-occur.

The NCCD uses four levels of adjustment to describe the support provided to students with disability. Understanding these levels helps teachers identify where their students sit and what documentation is required.

1. QDTP — Quality Differentiated Teaching Practice

These are the strategies that good teachers use for all students as part of everyday practice. QDTP includes universal design for learning principles, flexible grouping, providing multiple representations of content, and adjusting the pace or complexity of tasks. For a comprehensive guide to implementing QDTP, see our differentiation strategies page. No formal documentation is required beyond standard planning.

2. Supplementary Adjustments

Supplementary adjustments go beyond what is provided to all students. Examples include small-group intervention programs, modified tasks, extra time on assessments, assistive technology (such as text-to-speech), simplified instructions, or additional adult support during specific lessons. These adjustments are documented and monitored.

3. Substantial Adjustments

Substantial adjustments involve significant, ongoing modifications to the curriculum, teaching approach, or learning environment. This level typically includes individualised learning plans (ILPs), regular involvement of specialists (such as learning support teachers, speech pathologists, or occupational therapists), and significant curriculum modifications. Documentation is detailed and ongoing.

4. Extensive Adjustments

Extensive is the highest level of support. Students at this level may require full-time aide support, a highly modified or alternative curriculum, specialist programs, or placement in a support unit or special school. Extensive adjustments involve significant, individualised planning and multi-agency collaboration.

Where Do Most Students with Learning Difficulties Sit?

Most students with learning difficulties fall into the QDTP or Supplementary categories. This is an important point — the majority of adjustments that classroom teachers provide are strategies that can be woven into everyday practice without requiring a formal diagnosis or external specialist involvement.

Key point: Documentation is essential at every level. Teachers need evidence of the adjustments provided and the student's response to those adjustments. This does not need to be onerous — brief, dated notes in a running record, annotated work samples, or short observation notes are sufficient.

Dyslexia (Reading Difficulties)

Dyslexia affects approximately 1 in 10 students. The core deficit is in phonological processing — difficulty hearing, identifying, and manipulating the individual sounds (phonemes) in words. Students with dyslexia often read slowly, struggle with decoding unfamiliar words, and have difficulty with spelling, despite having average or above-average intelligence.

Classroom strategies:

• Explicit, systematic synthetic phonics — teach letter-sound correspondences in a structured, cumulative sequence. This is the most evidence-based approach for students with dyslexia. See our Science of Reading guide for the research behind this.
• Decodable readers — use texts that are controlled to match the phonics patterns students have been taught, so they can practise successful decoding. Browse decodable readers on TeachBuySell.
• Multi-sensory teaching — engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways simultaneously. The see-say-write approach (students see a word, say the sounds, and write it) is particularly effective for spelling.
• Extra time for reading tasks — students with dyslexia need more processing time. Allow additional time without drawing attention to it.
• Audiobooks and text-to-speech — provide alternative access to curriculum content so that reading difficulties do not prevent students from learning in other subject areas.
• Phonological awareness activities — build the foundational skills that underpin decoding. See our phonological awareness activities for ready-to-use resources.

Dyscalculia (Maths Difficulties)

Dyscalculia is a specific difficulty with understanding number concepts, number facts, and mathematical procedures. Students with dyscalculia may struggle with number sense, counting, place value, basic operations, and mathematical reasoning — even after extensive instruction.

Classroom strategies:

• Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) approach — start with physical manipulatives (concrete), move to visual models and diagrams (representational), and only then move to abstract symbols and equations. This progression is essential, not optional.
• Manipulatives — base-ten blocks, counters, number lines, fraction bars, and other hands-on materials help students build mental models of mathematical concepts. See our number sense activities.
• Visual models — number lines, arrays, area models, and bar models provide visual representations that support understanding.
• Pre-teach key vocabulary — mathematical language is a significant barrier. Explicitly teach and revisit terms like difference, product, partition, and regroup before they appear in lessons.
• Reduce cognitive load — present one concept at a time, limit the number of steps in a problem, and provide worked examples for students to study before attempting their own.
• Place value support — many maths difficulties stem from weak place value understanding. See our place value activities for targeted resources.

Dysgraphia (Writing Difficulties)

Dysgraphia affects handwriting, spelling, and the ability to organise and express ideas in writing. Students with dysgraphia may produce messy, illegible handwriting, struggle with letter formation, write very slowly, or find it extremely difficult to get ideas onto paper despite being able to express them verbally.

Classroom strategies:

• Explicit handwriting instruction — teach letter formation systematically using a consistent approach. See our handwriting worksheets for structured practice materials.
• Graphic organisers — provide visual frameworks for planning writing (mind maps, story maps, paragraph planners) so that students can organise their ideas before they write.
• Sentence frames and starters — reduce the demand on working memory by providing structural scaffolds. For example: "The main character felt because ."
• Speech-to-text technology — allow students to dictate their ideas. This separates the physical act of writing from the cognitive task of composing, and often reveals that a student's ideas are far more sophisticated than their written output suggests.
• Reduced writing volume with maintained quality expectations — rather than requiring a full page, ask for one well-constructed paragraph. Focus on the quality of ideas and structure, not the quantity of writing.

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)

Developmental Language Disorder affects approximately 7% of children — making it one of the most common childhood conditions — yet it is often called the "hidden" difficulty because it is frequently unrecognised. Students with DLD have difficulty understanding and/or using spoken language, which affects their learning across all subject areas.

Classroom strategies:

• Pre-teach vocabulary — introduce key terms before a lesson so that students are not encountering new language and new content simultaneously.
• Use visual supports — pair verbal instructions with visuals, diagrams, or written dot points. Visual timetables, anchor charts, and word walls are essential.
• Break instructions into steps — instead of "Get your maths book out, turn to page 42, and start question 3", break this into three separate instructions, checking understanding after each one.
• Provide sentence frames — give students the language structures they need to participate in discussions and produce written work. For example: "I agree with because ."
• Allow extra processing time — students with DLD need more time to understand questions and formulate responses. Use wait time of at least 5–10 seconds before expecting an answer.
• For targeted resources, see our Developmental Language Disorder Resources and oral language activities.

ADHD and Executive Function Difficulties

Students with ADHD and executive function difficulties struggle with attention, working memory, organisation, planning, and self-regulation. These difficulties affect learning across all areas and are often misinterpreted as laziness or defiance.

Classroom strategies:

• Chunked instructions — break tasks into small, manageable steps. Provide one instruction at a time rather than a sequence.
• Movement breaks — short, structured movement breaks (1–2 minutes) between tasks help students with ADHD refocus. Brain breaks, stretching, or a quick walk can make a significant difference.
• Visual timetables — predictable routines reduce anxiety and help students anticipate transitions. Display the daily schedule clearly and refer to it regularly.
• Clear routines and expectations — consistency is critical. Students with executive function difficulties rely on external structure to compensate for internal organisational challenges.
• Reduced distractions — preferential seating away from high-traffic areas, noise-cancelling headphones for independent work, and clutter-free workspaces.
• Checklists — provide step-by-step checklists for multi-step tasks so students can track their own progress without relying on working memory.
• For social-emotional strategies that support self-regulation, see our SEL activities.

Reference: AERO — Evidence-Based Practices

The most effective support for students with learning difficulties is not always specialist intervention — it is high-quality, evidence-based teaching practice applied consistently in everyday lessons. The following strategies are designed for students with learning difficulties, but they benefit every student in your classroom.

Explicit Instruction

Clear modelling, guided practice, and independent practice — the I Do / We Do / You Do framework. Explicit instruction is the single most evidence-based teaching approach for students with learning difficulties because it does not assume prior knowledge, makes thinking visible, and provides structured support before expecting independence. See our Explicit Instruction Guide for a full breakdown.

Visual Supports

Visual timetables, anchor charts, graphic organisers, and word walls give students external reference points that reduce the demand on working memory. For students with learning difficulties, visual supports are not optional extras — they are essential scaffolds.

Scaffolded Tasks

Start with high support and gradually reduce it as students gain confidence and competence. This might mean providing a worked example first, then a partially completed example, then an independent task. The key is matching the level of scaffold to the student's current ability.

Multi-Sensory Approaches

Engaging visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways simultaneously strengthens learning and memory. This is particularly important for students with dyslexia and dyscalculia, but benefits all learners. Examples include using manipulatives in maths, sand trays for letter formation, and actions paired with vocabulary.

Flexible Grouping

Use ability-based grouping for targeted instruction (so you can teach at the right level) and mixed-ability grouping for collaboration (so students learn from peers). Avoid fixed groups that become labels — groups should be dynamic and change based on the skill being taught.

Reduced Cognitive Load

Present one concept at a time. Pre-teach key vocabulary before it appears in a lesson. Provide clear, concise instructions. Limit the number of steps in a task. These strategies prevent working memory overload — a common barrier for students with learning difficulties.

Formative Assessment

Regularly check for understanding during lessons — not just at the end. Use mini whiteboards, thumbs up/down, exit tickets, or brief verbal checks to identify students who are struggling and adjust your teaching in response. Formative assessment ensures that no student drifts too far before you notice.

Remember: Many strategies designed for students with learning difficulties are simply good teaching. Implementing these universally benefits every student in your classroom — and means that students who need extra support are not singled out.