Teaching students with Developmental Language Disorder in Secondary School. : A study on Subject Teachers´knowledge, teaching methods and professional developement needs.

Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and its associated challenges is growing, leading to more frequent detection among children and young students in Swedish schools. Statistically there are one or two students in every class who are affected and experience difficulties with language and communication. The purpose of this study has been to examine what teachers know about the diagnosis of DLD, how they work, adjust their teaching methods and whether they feel a need of further education to be able to meet and support their students and what that education or support might include. Results of the study are based on interviews with nine teachers, teaching grade 7-9 at two different schools within the same city in the northern part of Sweden. The outcome of this study shows that teachers feel that they do not have enough knowledge about the diagnosis and about students with DLD in order to adjust their education for the students, so that the students are able to reach full potential in their learning. The teachers who participated in this study all agreed on, that they need a more formal education about DLD but also more time with each student.