Support at school for children with learning difficulties
When reading, writing or maths just won’t click despite their best efforts, a child’s whole school day can quickly start to fall apart – and with it, their confidence in their own abilities. A school support worker does not take over the teaching of the subject matter, but helps your child to organise their work, stay on track and hold their own in the classroom. As much support as necessary, as little as possible.
How learning difficulties manifest themselves in everyday school life
Whether it’s dyslexia or dyscalculia – in the classroom, a learning difficulty often becomes apparent less in tests than in day-to-day experiences.
- Reading and writing are significantly more difficult (dyslexia): letters are reversed, copying from the blackboard takes a long time, and comprehending texts requires an enormous amount of effort.
- Difficulty with maths (dyscalculia): Quantities and numbers remain abstract; simple calculation methods have to be relearned time and again.
- Growing feelings of being overwhelmed and avoidance: the child ‘forgets’ their exercise books, stops putting their hand up, or withdraws from precisely those tasks they find difficult.
- Declining self-esteem: ‘I can’t do that yet’ quickly turns into ‘I’m stupid’ – a feeling that weighs heavily on the child far beyond the subject itself.
- Slow pace and waning concentration: Written tasks take longer, and frustration causes attention to wane even further.
How our support helps
We do not take over the teaching of the subject matter – that remains the responsibility of the teacher and the school’s support services. We support your child’s participation in lessons and their ability to organise themselves.
- Structuring tasks: We break large tasks down into manageable steps so that your child knows where to start → structuring
- Supporting the use of special arrangements in class: We help ensure that the support provided – such as extra time or alternative task formats – is actually utilised in everyday school life → our methods
- Supporting motivation and self-esteem: We visibly celebrate small steps of progress and help the child to cope with frustration rather than giving up.
- Countering avoidance: Instead of applying pressure, we focus on achievable next steps so that difficult subjects become manageable again.
- Independence as the goal: We withdraw our support as soon as your child no longer needs it.
Legal basis & application
We want to be honest here: a learning difficulty on its own – that is, dyslexia or dyscalculia in isolation – often does not lead to the approval of a school support programme. Entitlement usually only arises when there is an accompanying psychological burden or an imminent impairment to participation; in such cases, the Youth Welfare Office may fund integration support under Section 35a of SGB VIII. We do not raise false hopes, but work with you honestly to assess whether you are eligible in your specific case – and, if so, guide you through the entire application process.
Qualifications of our support workers
Every support worker undergoes a multi-stage selection process before joining us. At our own Splash Academy, we provide targeted training on how to provide structure for children with learning difficulties without taking the learning process away from them. The focus is always on protecting the child’s self-esteem.
Frequently asked questions
Will my child automatically be assigned a school support worker if they have dyslexia or dyscalculia?
No. A reading, spelling or maths difficulty on its own is usually not sufficient. Only when this is accompanied by psychological distress or a risk of impaired participation may there be an entitlement under Section 35a of SGB VIII. We will discuss this openly with you.
Will the school support help my child learn to read or do maths?
Support is not private tuition nor subject-specific support – that remains the responsibility of the teacher. We help your child to participate in lessons, structure tasks and organise themselves.
What is the difference between private tuition and school support?
Private tuition focuses on teaching the subject matter. A school support worker ensures participation in everyday school life and provides support with structure, motivation and making use of measures to compensate for disadvantages.
My child says they’re ‘stupid’. Can support help with this?
Yes, this is exactly where we come in. We highlight progress, help them cope with frustration and boost their self-esteem, so that a learning difficulty does not become a lasting perception of their own abilities.
How do we find out if they’re eligible?
In a free initial consultation, we’ll look at your child’s situation together and assess whether submitting an application to the Youth Welfare Office is appropriate and likely to be successful. Ultimately, the funding body will always make the final decision on a case-by-case basis.
Let’s talk about your child
In a free initial consultation, we’ll clarify your child’s needs, the application process and the next steps – with no obligation.
Request a consultation – send a WhatsApp message
We reply round the clock via WhatsApp – free of charge and with no obligation.
Our own Splash Academy · Multi-stage selection process · Support at mainstream and special schools
This page is for information purposes only and does not replace medical or legal advice. The decision as to whether school support is appropriate and eligible for funding is made by the relevant funding body on a case-by-case basis.