Task 5.1

 
 
Picture of ΜΑΡΙΑ ΤΑΟΥΚΤΣΗ
Μαρία Ταουκτσή
by ΜΑΡΙΑ ΤΑΟΥΚΤΣΗ - Πέμπτη, 29 Οκτώβριος 2015, 2:33 μμ
 

None of the suggestions about accommodating learners with dyslexia in EFL classroom seems implausible or unfeasible, provided that time dedicated to teaching English at school and teaching conditions are adequate. To be more specific, I think 2 teaching hours of English in the secondary school schedule is too little time to accommodate not only dyslexic students’ needs but every learner’s needs.

Also, dealing with distraction issues of dyslexic students in my school is a big challenge, as 5 out of the 8 classrooms are very small  Kibo prefabricated cabins, located next to the pavement of one of the most frequently used streets of the town. This means that we can see and hear every single person passing by, especially when windows are open. Sometimes, people even stop and have a small talk before they go on! So, before blocking out extraneous stimuli of a text for the dyslexic students, I have to deal with external distractors.

What I’m trying to say is that each of the suggested ideas seems simple and easy to implement but, sometimes actual, external or unpredictable factors impede their implementation. So, maybe we should start with the basics: provide an proper, learning-friendly environment to the students.

Picture of Ευαγγελία Γκαντίδου Σχολικός Σύμβουλος Καβάλας ΠΕ06
Απάντηση: Μαρία Ταουκτσή
 

You are right. But this is not up to the teachers. Although these issues can interfere in our teaching there is not much we can or should do about them. A way would be to inform the parents , especially the parents of students with SPLDs, of the importance of classroom environment to their children's progress so that they can put pressure on the stakeholders. Actually, one of the articles on integration vs. inclusion in the previous unit talks about parent involvement.