Celebrating Learning Disability Week

Last week marked Learning Disability Week and this year’s theme is ‘art and creativity’; something we’re passionate about here at ROMBi.

The awareness week aims to raise public awareness of learning disabilities and those living with them. With most of us having spent more time at home than ever, this year’s event has presented a great opportunity to highlight, celebrate and encourage that creativity.

For many people with a learning disability and their families, getting creative has been a way to stay feeling connected and upbeat through the challenges of last year.

‘Learning Disability’ explained

Mencap describes a learning disability as “a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities – for example household tasks, socialising or managing money – which affects someone for their whole life.

People with a learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need support to develop new skills, understand complicated information and interact with other people.” 

When communicating with someone with a learning disability, it is important to think about tone of voice and body language. Check out Mencap’s communication tips here!

Learning Disabilities and ROMBi

ROMBi founder and education specialist, Penny has been working with individuals facing learning challenges for over 25 years. It was this work and Penny’s in-depth research that led to the creation of innovative puzzle, ROMBi.

The foundation of Penny’s research highlights that learning is not something that we do, it is happening. This principle is equally relevant for learners across age and academic ability range, from SEN, to mainstream, to FE/HE to workplace skills, to independent learning and self-directed CPD.

ROMBi contracts the magnitude of problems in our perception. What present initially as intractable issues enter the zone of becoming ‘manageable’, and we begin making incremental steps forward and learning as we go.

Completing puzzles regularly allows our minds to cross-verify information and note contradictions rather than being lost in them.

It also extends our capacity to clarify our ideas and see our best ideas being realised in practice.

Ongoing research with UK primary schools through the ROMBi Partnership Programme is highlighting the positive impact that the puzzle is having on children with learning disabilities and difficulties.

We have seen that pupils are doing their homework without strain and the puzzle is bringing unexpected synergies in the classroom in pupils as young as 6.

How to get started with ROMBi

Do you or does someone close to you have a learning disability? ROMBi could help unlock unknown potential.

Visit our product page or find out more about how your school can get involved in the ROMBi Partnership Programme here.

To get involved in Learning Disability Week, check out Mencap’s great resources including their ‘Hand Print Spatter Art Pack’, downloadable here!

#LearningDisabilityWeek2021 #LDWeek2021