DLD/SLCN Specialist Teacher Network

NAPLIC Specialist Teachers Network overarching theme for this academic year is ‘ DLD and Literacy’.

The NAPLIC Specialist Teacher event is open to all teachers with a particular interest and background in DLD. Some are part of centrally based teaching teams and others are lead teachers in SLCN centres etc. We cover the full age range across all key stages.

We meet once a term and follow the same theme throughout the academic year. The first session is usually led by a speaker with expertise in the chosen field, the second session is an opportunity for teachers to network via breakout rooms to share experiences, resources and ideas, and the third session is where we ask people to give a very short, informal presentation on an aspect of learning that they have put into practice as a result of new knowledge gained. Sometimes this is action research, or sometimes something simple such as a brief explanation of a new approach they might have tried.

Why should every teacher know about DLD and understand the impact it may have on reading, writing and other aspects of literacy?

Professor Maggie Snowling will join us for the first of three linked sessions, to introduce and explore the theme. What can we, as Specialist Teachers, do to support greater understanding of the link between spoken language and literacy in schools across all age ranges? We will aim to develop your understanding of how DLD can impact upon literacy acquisition and consider the best support strategies, interventions and approaches to aid DLD learners.

Subsequent NAPLIC Specialist Teacher event sessions will focus on peer sharing of ideas and resources linked to literacy and DLD to build your knowledge bank (Spring term 2026) and an opportunity to present any new learning through small scale action research projects or informal skill development within your work teams (Summer term 2026).

Professor Maggie Snowling is a clinical psychologist and a world-leading expert in language difficulties. Most recently, Maggie was President of St John’s College, Oxford and Professor in the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford. Much of her research has been linked to the development of language and literacy skills, and also interventions that can be put in place to support identified areas of difficulty.

Please note that this event is primarily for NAPLIC Specialist Teacher members. Any follow up notes and handouts will only be available from the NAPLIC website. To become a member of NAPLIC, please follow the link NAPLIC | Membership