Studying a foreign language can be especially challenging for kids with oral and/or written language learning disabilities. The International Dyslexia Association looks at the kinds of problems students with both moderate and severe LD might manifest in foreign language classes, and lists some approaches teachers can employ to assist these learners.
This group of disabled learners has only begun to receive the understanding and attention they require. To understand the difficulties they face and to help them to make the best of their assets while minimizing the effects of their weaknesses, we need to recognize the syndrome and its implications.
Children with learning disabilities (LDs) in reading and youngsters who are English language learners (ELLs) both are at risk for low reading achievement, but for different reasons. Children with genuine LDs in reading have intrinsic learning difficulties or differences, often related to problems in phonological processing that impact their word identification skills. ELLs usually can learn to read normally in their native language, but they lack sufficient exposure to both spoken and written English, which can adversely affect their development of English literacy. When both situations coexist for the same youngster–when a child with a learning disability happens also to be an English language learner–the issues surrounding identification and remediation can be very complex.
This is a cautionary tale, not just for people who have no real idea of what a learning disability is and probably suspect the whole thing is an overindulgent scam, but also for any parent of a child struggling mightily through school.
National Center for Technology Innovation, Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd)
We report the perceptions of a first-year teacher of students with learning disabilities. The teacher describes her first-year challenges and successes; presents her views on assessment, accountability, and inclusion; and makes recommendations for new teachers entering the field. In addition, she suggests steps that teacher educators, school administrators, and experienced teachers can take to ensure the success of first-year teachers. We conclude with observations on teacher retention, first-year teaching experiences, and teacher-education programs.
