Abstract
This chapter focuses on the analysis of the learning difficulties for students with dyslexia in secondary education to learn English as a foreign language. It will look closer at which information and communication technologies psychologists and other experts on dyslexia disorders recommend to foreign language teachers in order to tackle the problems that Spanish dyslexic students face when learning English. This proposal will highlight the importance of giving foreign language teachers the needed ICT tools, the instruction, and the strategies to better support dyslexic students as they learn English as a second language at secondary education in Spain. This chapter analyzes, on the one hand, the educational potential of ICTs and, on the other, the inclusive role of the implementation of multisensory methodologies in teaching and learning processes in general and, especially, for learning foreign languages with dyslexic students.
TopTheoretical Framework
The aim of this section is to gather all relevant existing research information on the learning difficulties of dyslexic students in Compulsory Secondary Education, especially in the learning of English as a second language. All relevant existing information on the inclusive potential of Information and Communication Technologies will also be collected.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Multi-Sensory Learning Approach: Multisensory instruction is a way of teaching that engages more than one sense at a time. When kids learn, they often rely on sight to look at text and pictures and to read information. Many kids also rely on hearing to listen to what the teacher is saying.
ICT: ICT tools for teaching and learning cover everything from digital infrastructures such as printers, computers, laptops, tablets, etc., to software tools such as Google Meet, Google Spreadsheets, etc.
Dyslexia: Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities.
Second Language Acquisition (SLA): Second language acquisition, or sequential language acquisition, is learning a second language after a first language is already established. Many times this happens when a child who speaks a language other than English goes to school for the first time.