Over the past few years, working closely with students preparing for GCSE English, I have noticed a clear and consistent pattern.
More and more students are finding English unexpectedly difficult.
These are often bright, capable students. They have good ideas, contribute well in discussion, and understand more that it might first appear.
However, when it comes to putting these ideas into writing, something does not quite connect.
What does this look like in practice?Many students I work with :
In many cases, these students know more than they are able to show on paper.
Why is this happening?There is not one single reason.
For some students, these challenges are linked to dyslexia or other learning differences, whether formally diagnosed or not.
For others, it may be a combination of factors. These include less time spent reading independently, increased screen use, gaps in foundational teaching, or simply not being explicitly taught how to structure and organise ideas.
Whatever the cause, the outcome is often the same.
Students begin to lose confidence. They start to feel that they are not good at English, and the gap widens over time.
The frustration behind itOne of the most difficult things, for both students and parents, is seeing a child who clearly understands more than they are able to show on paper.
I often hear:
This can be incredibly frustrating, particularly as students move closer to GCSE, where written expression becomes so important.
Why I have developed dyslexia-focused support
Through working with so many students over the years, it became clear that a different approach is often needed: one they are not always getting in school.
What is needed are clearer, more structured ways of understanding language, organising ideas, and building confidence in written expression.
This is what led me to complete specialist training in dyslexia so that I can better support students who find English challenging in this way.
Who is this support for?
This type of support is not only for students with a formal diagnosis.
It can also be helpful for students who:
Many of these students are highly capable. They simply need a different approach.
Moving forward
With the right strategies and support, these challenges can be significantly reduced.
Students can understand texts more clearly, structure their thoughts with confidence, and begin to express their ideas in a way that truly reflects their abilities.
This is exactly what I focus on in my teaching and in the dyslexia workshops I am now offering.
If you would like to find out more, you can read more here.
More and more students are finding English unexpectedly difficult.
These are often bright, capable students. They have good ideas, contribute well in discussion, and understand more that it might first appear.
However, when it comes to putting these ideas into writing, something does not quite connect.
What does this look like in practice?Many students I work with :
- struggle to fully understand what they are reading, particularly more complex texts
- misunderstand key words or phrases, which affects overall comprehension
- find it difficult to organise their thoughts into clear, structured writing
- lose clarity when writing longer responses such as paragraphs or essays
- struggle with spelling, punctuation and grammar despite effort and practice
In many cases, these students know more than they are able to show on paper.
Why is this happening?There is not one single reason.
For some students, these challenges are linked to dyslexia or other learning differences, whether formally diagnosed or not.
For others, it may be a combination of factors. These include less time spent reading independently, increased screen use, gaps in foundational teaching, or simply not being explicitly taught how to structure and organise ideas.
Whatever the cause, the outcome is often the same.
Students begin to lose confidence. They start to feel that they are not good at English, and the gap widens over time.
The frustration behind itOne of the most difficult things, for both students and parents, is seeing a child who clearly understands more than they are able to show on paper.
I often hear:
- "They can explain it when they speak, but not when they write"
- "Their ideas are there, but it does not come out properly on paper."
This can be incredibly frustrating, particularly as students move closer to GCSE, where written expression becomes so important.
Why I have developed dyslexia-focused support
Through working with so many students over the years, it became clear that a different approach is often needed: one they are not always getting in school.
What is needed are clearer, more structured ways of understanding language, organising ideas, and building confidence in written expression.
This is what led me to complete specialist training in dyslexia so that I can better support students who find English challenging in this way.
Who is this support for?
This type of support is not only for students with a formal diagnosis.
It can also be helpful for students who:
- struggle with reading comprehension
- find writing difficult or overwhelming
- have ideas but cannot organise them clearly
- take longer to process language or instructions
Many of these students are highly capable. They simply need a different approach.
Moving forward
With the right strategies and support, these challenges can be significantly reduced.
Students can understand texts more clearly, structure their thoughts with confidence, and begin to express their ideas in a way that truly reflects their abilities.
This is exactly what I focus on in my teaching and in the dyslexia workshops I am now offering.
If you would like to find out more, you can read more here.
Copyright © 2022
Created with
