With dyslexia being a language disorder, shouldn’t pupils with dyslexia therefore be excused from studying further languages? What should we as parents be considering?
One of the themes that I come across in my discussions with parents of dyslexic learners is the question about learning Modern Foreign Languages.
It is well known amongst parents about how tiring school or college can be for a dyslexic learner especially when grappling with subjects that can, without the right support, put a lot of strain on concentration, memory, and the processing of information especially if the student is experiencing heightened levels of anxiety related to their dyslexia.
Some parents have told me that they have argued with their schools about making their child take extra languages as subjects when they are already struggling with English Language and Literacy subjects.
So should we, as parents be seeking to excuse our children from learning extra languages?
Is learning Modern Foreign Languages beneficial for the dyslexic student?
The British Dyslexia Association have a web page providing some interesting thoughts and advice on this topic.
In general, dyslexia experts seem to agree that dyslexic children should be given the opportunity to learn foreign languages. The reason they share is that our dyslexic learners will enjoy the multi-sensory methods of language teaching that involve the use of:
Role play,
Games,
Singing,
Group activities.
Granted that the above will appeal to the strengths of the dyslexic learner in most cases but the BDA go on to say that consideration should be taken when teaching a dyslexic child a foreign language as it may still take them longer to learn it compared to their peers and they may experience similar difficulties as when they learnt their own native language.
For me, the advice appears to say that whilst language learning is potentially a positive activity to do in school and is often beneficial, those involved with teaching languages should be aware of the impact of dyslexia on a child’s learning and be prepared to use the multi-sensory activities to support that learning. It is therefore important that a school is aware of the child’s dyslexia and is working with the parents to ensure that the most appropriate intervention is in place.
Click here to read the British Dyslexia Association’s advice.
What intervention should be in place?
As a starting point we should be aware that language learning can be boosted with the use of assistive technology (AT). In a lot of the articles that I have written about on AT, the focus has often been on topics such as English Language and Literature, but the same AT solutions can be used in different languages. In fact when using a PC, often there is inbuilt accessibility for language learning with text to speech and translation features. Being able to hear how a particular phrase in a different language sounds using text to speech is really useful for learning it in a different multi-sensory way e.g the text is highlighted as it is being read out etc.
This is great when using a PC but what about printed materials?
There is assistive technology available for this purpose too which is great as at some point our children will need to take part in MFL exams that are often on printed media not to mention using text books.
One example of technology is the ‘reader pen’ technology from Scanning Pens. This technology is essentially a text scanner in a form of a pen and incorporates text to speech in different languages, definitions of words from different languages as well as translation capabilities too.
The video below gives some insight into the LingoPen.
As you can see from the above video, selecting and using the most appropriate assistive technology is essential in helping the unique needs of a dyslexic learner whether they are using a PC or a handheld device. Technology is great for promoting independent learning. Being able to listen to and re listen to text being read out is useful for learning and with earphones this is something that could easily be done in class or at home without drawing attention to the extra listening etc.
So, should a dyslexic learner be excused from language learning?
I don’t think that this question really has a one size fits all answer.
I think the answer would be the same for any subject. In my own opinion, why would we want to excuse our children from the opportunities that language learning presents? As a child, I remember taking my options and requesting not doing French. At the time, I didn’t see the point of learning French and the world of the 80’s for a 14 year old boy was much smaller than it is now. But I had to learn French at school, I failed my GCSE but what I did learn stuck with me and later in life I have used these (basic) language skills to build positive relationships with friends and business contacts in France, Belgium and Switzerland. Despite being terrible at speaking French, just trying to speak the language breaks the ice and forms long lasting relationships.
In hindsight, whilst I literally hated my French lessons, and whilst my teacher clearly only wanted to teach naturally gifted language learning pupils (not me!), I can honestly say that I am glad that I had that opportunity, and that it is actually an ambition for me to learn to be fluent in another language. I now find at least trying to learn fun when I travel and I now have some varying levels of ability with French, German, Swedish, Dutch and (believe it or not) Swahili. Non of it is fluent and some of my languages involve a limited set of words, but fun all the same as this ability has helped me to play to my people strengths in building relationships. For me, I now see the value in attempting to learn languages.
What I wish I had back in the day was a teacher who knew how to teach someone who was neurodiverse and who could embrace technology that helps with language learning. It wasn’t available back then, but it is now.
So my answer to the question about language learning, for me is that no, our dyslexic kids shouldn’t necessarily be excused, but schools should provide what pupils need in order to learn languages effectively and encourage other strategies within the classroom that help to manage the weaknesses that come with having a dyslexic mind.
Surely that should be the case with every subject in school?
