The Teacher’s Guide to Understanding and Supporting Children with Literacy Difficulties

Why do some children experience literacy difficulties?
How can I identify a child with reading and writing challenges?
What is the best way to support them in a classroom context?

1 in 8 children will experience some kind of reading difficulty, and while you as a class teacher are not expected to formally assess children or deliver specialist interventions, a good understanding of literacy challenges is crucial for providing optimum educational support.

This guide demystifies and disentangles different types of literacy difficulty and explains how they can impact the child’s day-to-day classroom functioning and general school life. Chapters include: how to identify children that are struggling; how to work with SpLD teachers and parents so they can be maximally supported; the co-occurrence of literacy difficulties with other learning difficulties such as with maths and attention problems; alongside practical tips to support each child’s learning.

Strongly grounded in up-to-date theory and research, this is a perfect companion for classroom teachers of all age levels.

Dr Valerie Muter is a clinical and research psychologist with a special interest in children’s early cognitive development, particularly in relation to language and literacy difficulties.