Exeter academic wins Research in Literacy Education Award

The UKLA Journal of Research in Reading and Literacy editors noted that the paper presented a well-argued and robust challenge to established practices in relations to children with severe learning difficulties (SLD). The paper outlined the issue that even if learning to read and write is not possible for some pupils with severe learning difficulties there are many alternatives in which they can be involved. 

Dr Lawson is a senior lecturer at the University’s Graduate School of Education, she said: “Children with severe learning difficulties need to be seen as participants in a literate community; the modern world has many new literacies and some of these are accessible without being able to read and write in the traditional sense. More inclusive concepts of literacy would extend ideas of literacy to consider ‘texts’ beyond books and print, such as websites, films, pictures, photographs and symbols and activities beyond reading and writing, such as drama, film making and storytelling.”

Drawing on a study across 35 schools, which involved observations of 122 lessons and 128 interviews with teachers and other professionals, the research team concluded that there is a need to establish broader and more inclusive concepts of literacy as a social practice when working with children with SLD. The research on which the ‘Conceptualisations of literacy and literacy practices for children with severe learning difficulties’ paper is based was funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

The paper has significant implications for policy and practice in this area.

She added:“I am so pleased that this research has been recognised, as it is rare that the issue of literacy with children with severe learning difficulties is discussed.”