In education, we talk a lot about ‘meeting learners where they are.’ But too often, we imagine that learning differences fall along a straight line with some children ‘ahead,’ some ‘behind.’
In reality, many learners don’t move along a line at all. Their learning has natural highs and lows, creating a profile that reflects both what comes easily and what needs more support.
Two ideas can help us understand this better: bumpy learning profiles and spiky learning profiles.
What Is a Bumpy Learning Profile?
Think of gentle hills.
A student might be slightly stronger in reading than writing, or a bit quicker with number sense than problem-solving. They may need occasional support, but their differences aren’t large enough to affect their daily experience or how others respond to them. For example, they might find one subject a little harder, but it doesn’t stop them from participating in lessons, following routines, or keeping up with expectations. They typically don’t receive extra interventions, aren’t seen as “struggling,” and don’t require noticeable adjustments from others.
Most curriculums are designed with bumpy profiles in mind.
What Is a Spiky Learning Profile?
Think steep peaks and deep valleys.
A student might:
- read several years above age expectations but struggle to sequence a short task
- solve complex maths in their head yet find handwriting overwhelming
- speak eloquently but freeze when asked to start an independent task
- understand science deeply but struggle with sensory overload in the classroom
Spiky profiles are incredibly common among neurodivergent learners and are often misunderstood. A child’s strengths can mask their support needs, or their challenges can overshadow their brilliance.
A spiky profile isn’t a problem.
The problem is when learning environments assume bumpy profiles and treat spiky ones as “unexpected” or “difficult.”
Why Spiky Profiles Are So Often Misread
- “If they can do X, surely they can do Y?”
- “They’re capable, they’re just not trying.”
- They can explain complex ideas, so they should be able to follow simple instructions.”
But spiky profiles aren’t inconsistency.
They are consistency, just not the kind our systems expect.
A student who can explain photosynthesis in detail might not be able to organise a worksheet. Another student who builds entire Lego worlds might struggle when their PE socks feels wrong. A third might write beautifully but be unable to start the task without support.
These are not contradictions.
They are predictable patterns of strengths and barriers when we look closely. They are part of a profile that makes perfect sense when we stop expecting learning to move in a straight line.
How Understanding Profiles Improves Student Access
Understanding spiky profiles can help teachers build on what they’re already doing to make learning accessible for every student.
- It becomes easier to separate skills from effort.
Uneven skills are a natural part of development. They’re not reflections of motivation or character, just indicators of where support is needed. - Support shifts toward creating access.
Instead of wondering how to make a child perform evenly across everything, we can ask, “What kind of environment helps this child show what they know and learn comfortably?” - Strengths become useful tools, not expectations.
A child’s peaks can guide us toward meaningful engagement, while their areas of difficulty remind us where scaffolding belongs. Both can be honoured without expecting one to cancel out the other. - The classroom becomes easier for everyone to participate in.
Approaches that help students with the spikiest profiles (e.g., clear routines, visual cues, sensory supports, flexible ways to show learning) tend to reduce barriers for all learners.
A Final Thought: Spiky Profiles Are Common & We’re Just Learning to See Them
When we look closely, it becomes clear that almost all young people (and adults) have areas of strong skill alongside areas that need more support.
Some students simply show these differences more visibly, or their profiles are shaped more strongly by sensory, cognitive, or environmental factors.
Recognising spiky profiles isn’t about finding problems. It’s about understanding students more fully so we can meet them where they are.
And at its heart, this is a belonging practice. It reassures children:
“Your way of learning makes sense. It gives us helpful information. And we’ll work together so you can thrive.”
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About Laura Hellfeld: Neurodivergent Nurse & Sleep Consultant, specializing in supporting disabled and neurodivergent people & their families with resources, online and in-person workshops and inclusive books. https://laurahellfeld.substack.com/
PDA North America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has supports and resources for Pathological Demand Avoidance/ Pervasive Drive for Autonomy. We provide resources for families, professionals and PDA individuals. Please consider a donation to allow us to better support PDA individuals.
