How to Adapt Activities for Different Learning Needs

If there is one thing I have learned from working in Education, it is that one activity rarely works perfectly for every learner in the room.

And honestly? I don't think it is supposed to.

I have worked with learners with a wide range of SEND needs, including autism, ADHD, SEMH and additional learning needs, and one of the biggest lessons I have taken from that experience is that adapting an activity does not mean creating a completely different lesson for every child.

Sometimes, a very small change can make the difference between a learner saying:

"I can't do this."

and:

"Okay... I'll give it a go."

That is what effective adaptation is really about.

It is not about lowering expectations. It is about removing unnecessary barriers so that learners can actually reach those expectations.

Start with the learning goal – not the worksheet

This is probably my biggest piece of advice when adapting activities.

Before changing the task, ask yourself:

What do I actually want the learner to learn or demonstrate?

For example, imagine the learning objective is:

Identify and explain how a character changes throughout a story.

The learning goal is about understanding character development.

It isn't about whether the learner can:

• write three paragraphs independently
• spell every word correctly
• copy information from the board
• organise their ideas onto a blank page
• read a large amount of text independently.

Those things might be part of the original activity, but they aren't necessarily the learning objective.

Once you separate the learning goal from the barriers, adaptation becomes much easier.

You might allow one learner to write a full analytical paragraph.

Another might use sentence starters.

Another might sequence character cards before explaining their ideas verbally.

Another might annotate a short extract rather than writing an extended response.

The learning can remain the same even when the route to it is different.

And this is something I have found particularly important in AP settings, where learners can arrive with very different experiences of education.

Don't automatically make the work "easier"

This is something I think we sometimes get wrong when talking about differentiation.

If a learner is struggling, our first instinct can be to reduce the amount of content or give them a much simpler version of the task.

Sometimes that is absolutely appropriate.

But sometimes the learner doesn't need easier work.

They need more accessible work.

There is a big difference.

For example, a learner with ADHD might understand exactly what a task is asking but struggle to process a huge block of written instructions.

Instead of reducing the intellectual demand, you could:

• break the instructions into smaller steps
• highlight the key instruction
• give one instruction at a time
• use a visual checklist
• model the first example
• provide a clear endpoint.

The learner is still being asked to complete the same thinking.

You have simply removed the unnecessary cognitive load around it.

Think about the barrier first

When I am adapting an activity, I find it much more useful to think:

"What is getting in the way?"

rather than:

"What worksheet should I give them?"

For example:

If a learner struggles with reading

The barrier might be decoding rather than understanding.

You could:

• reduce the amount of text
• provide key vocabulary
• use a shorter extract
• read the text aloud
• provide an audio version
• pre-teach unfamiliar words
• use images alongside key information.

But be careful not to automatically remove the reading altogether if reading is actually the skill you are trying to develop.

The adaptation should support access without accidentally removing the learning opportunity.

If a learner struggles with writing

They may have excellent ideas but find it difficult to get those ideas onto paper.

Try:

• sentence starters
• writing frames
• word banks
• graphic organisers
• bullet-point planning before writing
• model answers
• verbal rehearsal
• speech-to-text where appropriate.

For example, instead of:

Explain how the writer creates tension.

you might provide:

The writer creates tension by...

This makes the reader feel...

The word/phrase "..." suggests...

This is effective because...

The learner is still doing the analytical thinking.

You have simply provided some scaffolding around the writing.

If a learner struggles with attention

This is one I have encountered frequently, particularly when working with learners with ADHD or SEMH

needs.

A 40-minute activity can feel enormous.

Try turning it into smaller challenges:

Step 1: Read the extract.

Step 2: Find three interesting words.

Step 3: Choose your favourite.

Step 4: Explain what it suggests.

Step 5: Challenge yourself to develop your explanation.

Suddenly, instead of one enormous task, the learner has a sequence of manageable wins.

And those small successes matter.

Adapt the presentation, not just the content

Sometimes the content itself isn't the problem.

It is how the learner is being asked to access it.

A page containing dense paragraphs, multiple instructions and several different activities might be perfectly manageable for one learner and completely overwhelming for another.

Consider:

• font size and spacing
• amount of text on the page
• colour and contrast
• visual clutter
• number of instructions
• positioning of information
• use of headings
• whether examples are clearly separated from tasks.

This is one reason I tend to prefer resources that have a clear visual structure.

A learner shouldn't have to spend their mental energy figuring out where to start before they can even begin learning.

Use visuals strategically

Visual support can be incredibly useful, particularly for learners who benefit from concrete or visual information.

But "add a picture" isn't necessarily differentiation.

The visual should have a purpose.

For example, if you are teaching persuasive language, you could show an advert and ask learners to identify:

What is being sold?

Who is the audience?

What is the advert trying to make you think or feel?

The image becomes an entry point into the learning.

For a learner who struggles with abstract concepts, a visual representation can also make something much easier to understand.

This is particularly useful when introducing unfamiliar vocabulary.

Instead of simply writing:

Isolation

you might provide an image, a simple definition, an example and then ask the learner to use the word themselves.

That creates several different routes into the same concept.

Give learners choices where appropriate

Another strategy I have found useful is giving learners some ownership over how they demonstrate their understanding.

For example:

Show what you know:

• Write a paragraph.
• Create a labelled diagram.
• Record a verbal explanation.
• Complete a sequence of prompts.
• Talk through your answer with an adult.

This obviously depends on the objective.

If you are specifically assessing extended writing, then the learner ultimately needs to demonstrate extended writing.

But during teaching and learning, there can be much more flexibility.

Sometimes a learner needs to say the answer before they can write the answer.

Sometimes they need to physically move information around before they can organise it.

Sometimes they need to draw it.

Sometimes they need to talk.

That doesn't mean they aren't learning.

Think carefully about scaffolding

Scaffolding is incredibly useful, but it should not become permanent dependence.

One of my favourite approaches is to think of scaffolding as something that can gradually be removed.

For example:

High support

The character feels ______ because ______.

Medium support

The character's reaction suggests that...

Lower support

Explain what the character's reaction reveals about them.

Independent

How does the writer develop the character throughout the text?

The learner is gradually moving towards independence rather than being given the same level of support forever.

And that is the important bit.

The goal of adaptation should be access and independence, not dependence.

Don't forget the emotional side of learning

This is particularly important in AP.

Sometimes the barrier isn't simply academic.

A learner may have experienced years of being told they are "behind", "lazy", "difficult" or "not trying".

They may walk into a lesson already expecting to fail.

In that situation, handing them a huge worksheet and saying "Have a go" isn't necessarily going to create

independence.

Sometimes the first adaptation is simply making the task feel achievable.

Start with something they can succeed at.

Give them a clear first step.

Celebrate genuine progress.

Then increase the challenge.

I've found that when learners begin to believe "I can do this", they are much more willing to attempt the

next difficult thing.

And that can be far more powerful than any fancy differentiation strategy.

Adapt the task – but keep the expectation high

One of the things I really believe in is that SEND provision shouldn't automatically mean low expectations.

A learner might need:

• fewer questions
• additional processing time
• a visual prompt
• a writing frame
• chunked instructions
• adult support
• a movement break
• alternative ways to record ideas.

That does not mean we have to assume they are incapable of challenging work.

In fact, sometimes the most inclusive approach is:

"I know this is difficult for you, so let's work out what you need to access it."

rather than:

"This is difficult for you, so I'll give you something easier."

There is a subtle difference, but it can completely change how we approach inclusion.

You don't need 30 different worksheets

This is probably the most practical point I would leave you with.

If you are a teacher, tutor or home educator, you do not need to create a completely different resource for every learner.

That isn't sustainable.

Instead, start with a strong core activity and think about the adaptations you can make around it.

For one activity, you might have:

Core task:

Analyse how the writer creates tension.

Possible adaptations:

→ vocabulary bank

→ shortened extract

→ highlighted quotations

→ sentence starters

→ modelled example

→ visual prompt

→ challenge question

→ verbal discussion before writing

→ extension task for learners ready to go further.

Now you have one lesson that can flex around the learners in front of you.

And that is much more realistic.

Inclusion doesn't mean making everything identical

I think this is something worth remembering.

Fair doesn't always mean the same.

Two learners can be working towards the same learning objective while needing completely different levels or types of support.

One might need a visual timetable.

Another might need reduced written instructions.

Another might need a challenge activity because they have already mastered the concept.

Another might need you to sit beside them and talk through the first question.

The aim isn't for every learner to complete exactly the same task in exactly the same way.

The aim is for every learner to have a genuine opportunity to learn.

And sometimes that means being willing to adapt what you've planned when the learner in front of you tells you, in one way or another:

"This isn't working for me."

That's not failure.

That's teaching.

A final thought

Working in SEND, High School, Higher Education and Alternative Provision has taught me that some of the best adaptations are actually very simple.

A sentence starter.

A smaller chunk of text.

A visual.

A conversation.

An extra five minutes.

A choice.

A model.

A different way of recording an idea.

None of these things require you to completely rewrite your curriculum.

They require you to know your learners well enough to recognise the barrier and respond to it.

And that's really what inclusive teaching is about.

Not creating a separate curriculum for every learner.

Creating a curriculum that is flexible enough to meet learners where they are – while still helping them move forward.

Looking for ready-to-use curriculum planning?

This is exactly the thinking behind The Inclusive Curriculum Studio.

I create structured, practical curriculum resources designed to give teachers, tutors, home educators and flexible learning settings a strong starting point – while leaving enough flexibility to adapt learning for the individual learners in front of you.

My curriculum planning guides provide a week-by-week framework across the academic year, helping take some of the pressure out of deciding what to teach next, while still allowing you to adapt activities, scaffolding and delivery to suit your learners.

Whether you're working in mainstream education, Alternative Provision, tutoring, home education or another flexible setting, having the structure in place can make it much easier to focus your energy on how your learners actually learn.

You can explore the curriculum guides and other resources from The Inclusive Curriculum Studio here.

Because inclusive curriculum design shouldn't mean creating everything from scratch.