Pupils with special needs and the National Literacy Strategy: an analysis of the literature

Abstract

When the National Literacy Strategy was implemented in September 1998, Kate Wall was teaching at a junior school in the southwest of England. She became keenly aware of the effects it had on herself as a practitioner, her colleagues and the children identified with special educational needs (SEN) in her class. Now, as an educational researcher, she has had the opportunity to look at the policy changes in literacy education from a new perspective. In this article, looking at current research and commentaries on the National Literacy Strategy and using her own experiences and background, Kate asks how it affects teachers’ professionalism, their practice and perceptions on the inclusion of pupils with SEN.