Investigating the impact of impairment and barriers experienced by students with language and/or attentional difficulties

Students with language and/or attentional difficulties are present in all classrooms, but evidence indicates they are poorly identified and supported. Reasonable adjustments are a legislative requirement, but these are often generic and fail to address instructional barriers. Students are uniquely placed to report on the pedagogical implications of language and/or attentional difficulties, however, little research has connected standardised assessment data to the classroom impacts of impairment as experienced by students. In this paper, we report on 59 students with language and/or attentional difficulties participating in a study aimed at improving students’ classroom experiences, engagement and academic achievement through accessible assessment and inclusive practice. We draw on standardised assessment and interview data to investigate similarities/differences in students’ language and/or attention profiles, and/or in what students’ wish their teachers knew about them and how they learn. Finally, we present a rationale for whole-class, accessible teaching practices as the foundation for classroom instruction.