In the third article in this series on neurodevelopmental disorders in the classroom, developmental psychologist Kathryn Bates collates the evidence on developmental coordination disorder. What should teachers look out for and what support can they give?
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is less talked about than some other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD, despite occurring in around 5-6% of children. Confusingly, this disorder has had many different names, including clumsy child syndrome and developmental dyspraxia. The diagnosis “dyspraxia” is still given to adults with motor impairments.
“Without appropriate support children can fall behind in learning and in psychosocial and physical development.”
The notion of “clumsiness” arises from the motor impairments that characterise those with a diagnosis of DCD. These can include difficulties with fine motor skills, such as writing or buttoning a shirt, and/or gross motor skills, like running or sitting down. Children with DCD often have co-occurring issues, such as inattention/hyperactivity symptoms or social communication difficulties. Although DCD is not an intellectual or learning disability, without appropriate support children can fall behind in learning and in psychosocial and physical development.
Developmental coordination disorder in the classroom
Motor skills are required in most school activities. Lining up for lunch break, writing, and throwing a ball can be challenging for children with DCD. These children may also struggle with executive and organisational skills, causing them to forget homework assignments or have difficulty planning ahead. Motor impairments in children with DCD can therefore present a barrier to learning.
Emma Sumner, an expert on special educational needs, explains the varied symptoms children with DCD may experience and their impact on learning: “Children may be identified as poorly coordinated but most often poor handwriting is the red flag. Children with DCD struggle with letter formation, producing recognisable letters, and writing at speed. This can impact on their ability to ‘keep up’ in copying or writing tasks, which make up a large proportion of the school day. Since problems with motor planning and execution can lead to wider executive and organisational difficulties, children with DCD may also have difficulty engaging in school activities and maintaining peer relationships.”
“Children with DCD might be reluctant to participate in sports or games, for fear of doing something wrong or being ridiculed by peers.”
Awareness of the variety of difficulties that can accompany a diagnosis of DCD is vital to ensure children do not fall behind. Children with DCD might be reluctant to participate in sports or games, for fear of doing something wrong or being ridiculed by peers. This can greatly impair their self-esteem, relationships with peers and quality of life. Difficulty in participating in activities also contributes to poorer athletic performance and higher obesity rates. Impaired motor abilities therefore affect many aspects of young people’s lives.
Greater awareness of DCD can help young people succeed
Teachers need resources so that they can support children with writing tasks, and they need time to plan to provide extra help. Easy-to-grip pencils may help younger children, while training in typing and access to a laptop can be helpful to older children. The Movement Matters UK group, which advocates for support for children with DCD, has lots of helpful suggestions for how teachers can support children in the classroom. These include providing varied tasks, such as jigsaw puzzles for practising motor skills, and breaking tasks down into short and regular sessions – for example, spending five minutes every day practising using scissors.
It is easy to misconstrue symptoms of DCD – pushing, struggling to line up properly for lunch, or refusing to participate in team sports, for example – as bad behaviour. It is important to be sensitive to the varying ways difficulties might present themselves. Early years team leader and reception teacher Catherine Finniear tells me that talking to parents is crucial when planning support: “They know their children more than anyone and can give expert advice on how to help them.” Together, parents and teachers can identify issues and devise strategies that might best suit a specific child.
“Together, parents and teachers can identify issues and devise strategies that might best suit a specific child.”
These practical suggestions for teachers are useful, but truly supporting young people with DCD requires greater recognition and more formal support for parents and children. Research conducted in the UK highlights just how limited support currently is. One study found that 43% of parents whose children were diagnosed with DCD were offered no practical support at all, and a study of adolescents with DCD found that 37% were not receiving formal education support in school. Formal measures, such as developing a support plan led by the school special educational needs coordinator or occupational psychologist to devise strategies and make classroom adjustments, are imperative, since the difficulties children experience may well snowball over time. As pointed out in the latter study, the secondary problems that often occur in DCD, including reduced participation in activities and less supportive friendships, can contribute to a vicious circle of less engagement in school and poorer academic outcomes.
Ultimately, one of the most prominent barriers to learning for children with DCD is a limited awareness of the implications this disorder can have for their ability to succeed. Teachers can work with parents and children to find manageable tasks that help engage children in learning activities. But without appropriate formal support from educational settings, young people with DCD are likely to fall behind.