SPECIAL NEEDS HUB
Common Types of Special Needs
Here are the common types of special needs found in the various age group.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Behaviour traits:
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Difficulty in interacting with others (faces challenges in initiating self into discussion/activity, fails to comprehend perspective of others
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Difficulty in communication ~ verbal (unable to express needs and wants effectively) and non-verbal (facial expression and body language)
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Rigidity (extremely limited interest and feeling out of place whenever there is a change in routine)
ADHD
Behaviour traits:
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Impulsiveness (acting before thinking of consequences, jumps from one activity to another, disorganisation, tendency to interrupt during conversations)
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Hyperactivity (restlessness, often characterized by an inability to sit still, fidgeting, squirminess, climbing on things, restless sleep)
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Inattention (easily distracted, incomplete work, difficulty listening)
Dyslexia
Behaviour traits:
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Quality of written work does not adequately reflect the known ability of the student in the subject; has difficulty with planning and writing essays
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Good orally but very little written work is produced – many incomplete assignments
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Poor presentation of work : e.g. illegibility, mixed upper and lower case, unequal spacing, copying errors, misaligned columns (especially in Maths work)
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Sequencing poor : student appears to jump from one theme to another, apparently for no reason
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Inability to hold numbers in short-term memory while performing calculations
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Symbol and shape confusion (especially in Maths)
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Poor self-image : lacking in confidence, fear of new situations e.g. may often erase large quantities of written work
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Has poor sense if direction and still confuses left and right
