On-demand webinar

How to support learners who think differently: tutorial part one

Name: How to support learners who think differently: tutorial part one
Start: 2021-04-19T00:00:00.000Z

A practical tutorial from Helen Wilson on recognising learners' needs and supporting them, domain by domain. Part one of two. Recorded in 2021.

Recorded · 19 April 2021

This is an older recording. Some of it is out of date: see what's still relevant and what has changed.

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How to support learners who think differently: tutorial part one

Speakers

Helen Wilson
Copywriter, National Autistic Society

How to support learners who think differently

Understanding cognition is an essential tool for giving learners the best support. In this practical tutorial, Helen Wilson, then Cognassist’s Science Communications Manager, shares how to recognise and support learners’ needs from start to finish. It takes you through the first half of our guide to supporting learners, for anyone who prefers to listen and watch rather than read.

What we cover

What it means to think differently, and why it matters
Understanding the brain and measuring cognition
Cognitive domains: behaviours to look out for, and top support tips

Continue with part two.

Watch the recording

Recorded April 2021 · reviewed October 2026

What's still relevant

Practical support tips for verbal memory, non-verbal memory and verbal reasoning: chunk information, repeat it, show the end result and keep layouts consistent.
Why relying on self-disclosure alone misses need, and why getting to know learners from day one matters.
How behaviour that looks like disengagement can point to a learning barrier.

What's out of date

How many learners may need support (from 4:14). It gives Cognassist data from over 80,000 assessments as one in three people needing support. Now: Approximately 1 in 3 learners we assess in FE and apprenticeships may have a cognitive barrier that warrants support, and more than 400,000 learners have been assessed across FE, apprenticeships and adult skills.
Number of cognitive domains (from 9:05). It describes an assessment of eight tasks measuring eight cognitive domains. Now: The assessment now measures nine cognitive domains, grouped into three indexes.
Apprenticeship non-completion (from 4:46). It says around 40% of apprentices haven't completed over the past eight years. Now: Apprenticeship non-completion fell from 45.2% in 2021/22 to 33.3% in 2024/25.
Ofsted grades (from 5:02). It talks about the difference between a good and an outstanding Ofsted inspection. Now: Since November 2025, Ofsted has published report cards graded on a five-point scale with no overall grade, and inclusion is graded in its own right.