scholarly journals Towards Effective Foreign Language Teaching: Focus on Dyslexia

Verbum ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 55-61
Author(s):  
Renata Botwina

This paper aims to overview the problems faced by dyslexic students learning a foreign language in the theoretical framework of foreign language teaching methodology (Berninger and Wolf 2009, Crombie 2010, Stasiak 2004, etc.) and psychology (Gardner 1983, 1999, Bogdanowicz 2002, 2004, Davis 1997, etc) The author of the paper is going to prove that dyslexic students benefit from the use of multisensory techniques (VAK) which stimulate their learning process by engaging students at multiple levels of perception. Special attention is given to the nature of dyslexia, its types and handicaps it results in. Numerous solutions to the problem are presented and analysed within the framework of Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (MIT), which seeks to explore each student’s strong intelligences to deal with those weaker ones. Accordingly, dyslexic students and their teachers should be challenged to recognise the hidden potential of dyslexia and see it as a gift to be explored. Moreover, the importance of safe classroom environment has been stressed, as once a dyslexic student feels comfortable in the classroom, the teacher can equip him with a range of techniques and strategies to deal with dyslexia successfully. In addition, a significant role of the teacher and parents in the process of teaching dyslexics is discussed. Finally, the author of the paper gives a number of practical tips how to deal with dyslexia and proves that foreign language teaching (FLT) can be both effective and enjoyable for those who encounter this handicap.

Author(s):  
Luiza Ciepielewska-Kaczmarek

The following factors have contributed to arising new target groups in teaching foreign languages: the European Union’s claim concerning the multilingualism of its members, migrations, common mobility. As a consequence of this situation new handbooks for teaching and learning foreign languages have appeared on the market. Thus, the teacher is often confronted with the necessity of choosing the handbook, which is most adequate for the needs of a particular group of learners. The present article aims at defining the criteria of handbook selection in the light of the latest trends in foreign language teaching methodology.


Author(s):  
Olha Datskiv ◽  
Sofia Datskiv

An integral part of the formation of the New Ukrainian School is an inclusive component, which forms a new philosophy of society based on the understanding of diversity and equality for all. Involvement in education and constant support of children with special educational needs should take place at all stages of receiving complete secondary education, especially in primary school. The paper discusses the features of inclusive foreign language teaching in primary school. Based on the research analysis, pedagogical observation of the educational process in English lessons in inclusive classes, the conclusion is made that it is important for primary school English teachers to use clear and comprehensive instructions before doing exercises and tasks, introduce and maintain the learning routine (greeting, a permanent place for writing homework, questions at the beginning and at the end of the lesson, etc.), change the types of tasks frequently, adapt previously used exercises to the new learning conditions, use scaffolding strategies. The article presents a set of exercises and tasks to use in English lessons when studying the topic “My home” in an inclusive 3rd grade of a general secondary education institution, as well as checklists for self-and peer evaluation of the inclusiveness of the learning environment for English teachers. The exercises and tasks of the set were tested in the 3rd-B grade of Ternopil schools No. 16 and No. 7. The final assessment of the educational achievements of students in English in the second semester of the 2020 / 2021 academic year confirmed the effectiveness and appropriateness of using these exercises and tasks in the English lessons. Checklists for self-and peer evaluation of the inclusiveness of the learning environment were tested and approved by English teachers and recommended for use in the educational process by foreign languages teaching methodology groups.


1981 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 246-257
Author(s):  
A.G. Sciarone

Applied Linguistics is generally regarded as a multidisciplinary field in which didactics, psychology and linguistics participate. It is remarkable that within the context of foreign language teaching the focus is mainly on the didactic experiment and on the construction of psycholinguistic hypotheses. Yet for a linguistic-didactic experiment to be relevant, insight in what is to be taught, viz. language,is necessary. Many variants of language teaching could have been avoided with a better linguistic insight. Moreover, a better linguistic understanding in applied linguis-tics leads to a better distinction between the views of linguists on language didactics and psycholinguistics and the descriptions of language they give. In this paper the relation between grammar and vocabulary is discussed. It is argued that this distinction is based more on definition than on reality. Stressing the importance of the role of vocabulary does not imply denying or minimising the importance of grammar. On the contrary, the traditional task division in linguistics between grammar and lexicology has led to a sterile grammatical description. Recent tendencies in linguistics now show a more integrated description of grammar and vocabu-lary. Finally, with regard to the didactically important problem of vocabu-lary selection, some remarks are made concerning the difference between selection on the basis of linguistic properties and selection on the basis of usually arbitrary non-linguistic idiosyncrasies of words and the influence of this on teaching material. This is illustrated with examples from language courses.


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