Task 5.2
Looking at the different ways of accommodating learners with dyslexia in the foreign language classroom, I can’t say that I find them implausible or unfeasible.
Whereas in theory each of these seem to be easy to apply, in practice we encounter many difficulties. The insufficient teaching hours of English in our schools don’t really allow us to cover the material we are obliged to, not to give supplementary one.
Most of our classrooms are not equipped with the technological devices that will enable us to make our teaching more efficient.
If we take under consideration the fact that our classes are mixed not just in terms of level but of nationality as well, as we have students coming from different countries and backgrounds, things are getting a bit complicated. I mean, when we try to simplify what is taught we” gain” those students with learning problems but at the same time we “lose” the others! Maintaining daily routines and using step-by-step instruction has as a consequence not only satisfied but bored students as well! Not to mention that these days of economic crises copies are considered a luxury, at least in my school – and I guess not just mine.
No matter what the circumstances, I believe that most of us make efforts in our everyday teaching to embed many of these techniques in order to help our students acquire basic knowledge of the foreign language and have happy kids in our classrooms.
Task 5.1
I can see that the majority of the teachers really care about their students. However, it is absolutely normal that we are unaware of the teaching techniques / methods that help dyslexic students. For example, explicit instruction methods were "banned" in a way and gave their place to the communicative approach. Now I can see that these methods are actually beneficial for dyslexic learners. That was something I did not know; not until I attended the same seminar anyway. I believe that is Step 1. What we actually need in order to be able to help dyslexic learners is personalised help since every dyslexic learner is different. "Being" here , at this seminar is an important step, not necessarily a step to further knowledge but a step to sensitization.