Researchers tell us that really only two overall categories of learners will experience serious difficulties learning a second language – those with severe auditory discrimination problems and those who experience a very high level of frustration in a learning environment. We know that for the largest percentage of students with learning disabilities (LD) their area of difficulty is reading. We also know that this is due in large part to their lack of phonological awareness (PA) skills, a critical component to developing reading skills.

In research looking specifically at the transfer of skills in second language education such as PA, lexical access and verbal working memory, it was found that there was a transfer of PA skills from one language to another. But what if you are a student deficit in this skill (as 80% of LD students are) and you do not have access to early identification and intervention because of lack of resources and training? How can you participate? How will this change by making Grade 5 the entry point? Will we be putting intensive energy into making sure the students with LD in the area of language are given early interventions based on proven methods?

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