Inclusion in ELT: FAAPI 2016: Workshop: Help! I have students with dyslexia!

Presenters: Mgter. Patricia Alejandra Muñoz

Teacher Assistant: Heidi Anne Mathews

About the workshop

The workshop was addressed to primary and secondary school teachers. In the workshop we dealt with the different definitions and the origin of dyslexia, considering its cognitive and neurological basis. Dyslexia, as a language-based learning disability, refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words. Dyslexia affects individuals throughout their lives; however, its impact can change at different stages in a person’s life. It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in a traditional instructional environment. In the workshop we outlined the characteristics that students with this specific learning disorder (SLD) have, showing practical examples of how to deal with them in a classroom environment. The main focus was the difficulties students may encounter in the reading process, with the phonological and lexical component and the role of memory. We also dealt with different ways in which learning could be improved, based on a multisensory Structured Language Approach. We explored ways to help learners make use of their senses to be active in their learning, as well as encouraging the implementation of systematic, sequential and cumulative opportunities to use strategies that are beneficial for dyslexic students to learn English as a foreign language. In line with this purpose, we gave ideas about how ICT could be used as a valuable tool.

Bibliography

The International Dyslexia Association (IDA). © Copyright 2012. Dyslexia Basics.
Moats, L. C., & Dakin, K. E. (2008). Basic facts about dyslexia and other reading problems. Baltimore: The International Dyslexia Association.
Shaywitz, S. (2003). Overcoming dyslexia: A new and complete science-based program for reading problems at any level. New York: Knopf.
Kormos and Smith (2012). Teaching Languages to Students with Specific Learning Differences.
Brian Abbs and Ingrid Freebairn. (2014) Today 3! England: Pearson.
Carolyn Barraclough and Katherine Stannett. (2014) Next Move 3. England: Pearson.