Children with reading difficulties ‘must be identified earlier’
Youngsters who may go on to develop reading difficulties must be identified at an early stage, an academic has insisted.
According to Professor Maggie Snowling of the University of York, finding those with literacy problems at a young age is "critical", as it allows the "appropriate interventions" to be carried out.
She said this must definitely be while they are still at primary school level, as figures from the university show that many secondary school pupils with reading difficulties have not been added to the Special Educational Needs Register.
"The association between reading difficulties and social deprivation is particularly worrying because many parents of such pupils may themselves have experienced literacy difficulties at school," Professor Snowling commented.
As a result, she believes mothers and fathers are unlikely to speak up if their child is having problems with literacy.
This comes after London Mayor Boris Johnson launched a scheme to encourage volunteers to get children interested in reading from an early age, which he said could help to instill them with a "lifelong passion" for learning.
