The Nurture of Reading: implications for special education

Theoretical frameworks derived from Vygotsky's sociohistorical perspective are seen to offer a way to unify the teaching of reading in special and regular education settings. For example, Clay has recently analysed her Reading Recovery research using the notion of assisted performance. I argue that literacy learning by those who have disabilities is not qualitatively different from that of the majority of students, and may not need different methodologies. Similarly, greater consistency must be sought between home and school efforts to support learning to read and write.