ELT well Classroom Activities
Including dyslexic learners in a large language class may seem very challenging, but a few simple strategies can make learning more accessible for all.
Sometimes it is suggested that students who have a SpLD should not have to learn another language, but should instead use the time to work on their first language skills. While this policy may be well-intentioned, there are some strong arguments for everybody having the opportunity to learn another language:
- it seems wrong to disadvantage some students like this by insisting they remain monolingual in our increasingly global culture;
- for EAL/ESOL learners there is little choice but to learn English, if they are to have any independence;
- research suggests there are many benefits in learning another language, from improving phonological processing to facilitating a broader world view and greater tolerance.
The arguments for excluding learners from language classes do not really stack up in comparison.
Dyslexia is a specific learning difference (SpLD) that is estimated to affect 5% - 10% of the population. In almost any class there is likely to be someone who has a SpLD, who will therefore learn in a different way from the majority of the class. It is not always easy to identify which learners have a SpLD, such as dyslexia, although using the CAML suite of assessment materials will enable teachers to gain an insight into their learners’ cognitive profiles. For example, many students who have a SpLD experience difficulties with short term and working memory and need to develop strategies to retain new information. There may be evidence of slower (and/or inaccurate) processing of visual and/or auditory input, and phonological processing may be less well developed than in their peers. On the other hand, sometimes dyslexic learners are able to see links and connections that their ‘neuro-typical’ classmates cannot, and this can be a strength in problem solving. (Think of Winnie-the-Pooh suggesting that he and Christopher Robin could use the umbrella as a boat – genius!)
Although learners with SpLDs undoubtedly face greater challenges in learning languages, they do not have to be insurmountable, and with the right kind of input and support all learners can succeed in acquiring a new language. The most important things to keep in mind are that the input should:
• be multi-sensory
• afford many opportunities for recapping and reviewing
• be presented in small manageable chunks, and
• include explicit instruction in grammar, study skills and phonological systems.
Activities that embody these characteristics are not only most helpful for dyslexic learners, all the learners in a class will benefit – indeed, many of the techniques that are usually suggested represent good general teaching practice. If you would like to explore these issues further, have a look at the Spring 2012 series of workshops to see when your nearest session is running, or go to the page on bespoke training to find out how to set up an in-house session for your team.