Dates:  Thursday 28th January, 4th, 11th & 18th February 2027
Time:    7.00 - 8.00 pm (GMT)
Venue: Online via Zoom

Target audience: Designed for mainstream primary teachers, special education teachers, and literacy support teachers

Good teaching doesn't wait for a diagnosis.

Every classroom includes students who struggle with reading, but not every student has an identified learning difficulty. This practical four-part webinar series is designed to help classroom and support teachers recognise struggling readers early, provide effective evidence-informed instruction, and adapt teaching to meet a range of learning needs. Whether a student is showing early signs of difficulty, awaiting assessment, or has an identified learning need, you'll leave with practical strategies you can implement the very next day to help every learner succeed.

Across four 60-minute sessions, Missy Purcell will guide participants through recognising struggling readers, supporting students before identification, making every lesson count after identification, and creating classrooms where every learner can thrive.

Session 1: Recognising Struggling Readers
Learn how children learn to read, recognise the early signs of reading difficulties, and identify the instructional barriers that may be preventing students from becoming successful readers.

Session 2: Supporting Students Before Identification
Discover evidence-informed classroom practices that support struggling readers before a formal identification, including practical strategies that benefit all learners while helping those who need additional support.

Session 3: Making Every Lesson Count After Identification
A diagnosis should inform instruction, not define it. Learn how to use assessment information to adapt teaching, provide targeted support, and ensure every student receives instruction that meets their individual needs.

Session 4: Creating Classrooms Where Every Reader Can Thrive
Build an inclusive literacy classroom that develops confident readers through effective instruction, purposeful differentiation, and practical routines that support students with a wide range of reading abilities.

Bio of Presenter: Missy Purcell

Missy Purcell holds a degree in middle grades education and has more than 15 years of classroom experience, specializing in inclusive education. She is a national speaker and passionate advocate for the Science of Reading.

After successfully advocating for her dyslexic son's right to read, Missy devoted much of her time to supporting countless families navigating learning differences and special education. She is the founder of Miss Purcell Advocates, an advocacy and education platform dedicated to equipping parents and educators with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to work together to ensure every child has access to effective instruction and the opportunity to become a successful reader.

Missy is also the co-founder of Gwinnett Advocates for Dyslexia, a grassroots organization advocating for evidence-based literacy instruction. In addition, she serves as the Education Chair for Decoding Dyslexia Georgia (DDGA), where she works to advance literacy and dyslexia policy.

Missy is married to her husband, Mark, and together they have three sons, Harrison, William, and Matthew, as well as two beloved furbabies, Barkley and Bauer. When she's not speaking, educating, or advocating, you'll likely find her with a cup of coffee in hand at a band concert or on the baseball field cheering on her boys.