Page 25 - ELG1709 Agu-Sep Issue 450

RESOURCES .

Helping talent

to shine through

Wayne Trotman reads a book about how to help SUPPORTING LEARNERS WITH DYSLEXIA
IN THE ELT CLASSROOM
dyslexic learners overcome their challenges Michael Daloiso, Oxford Handbooks for
Language Teachers 978-0-19-440332-0

et me begin with a question: what did the latter include references to low self- they are in. Chapter three discusses a
Albert Einstein and John Lennon have esteem, anxiety, reluctance to interact and methodological framework for supporting
in common? Answer: they both had being easily frustrated. Most of these relate learners in the ELT classroom. It makes use of
Ldyslexia and, in both cases, although to some students I have known and recall the Language Teaching Accessibility Theory
their schools failed to support them, their being ‘problematic’, but until now had never (LTAT), which helps to identify potential
talent and brilliance still shone through. As considered dyslexic. Perhaps more language barriers to learning for students with dyslexia.
this book makes clear early on, for most other teachers might reflect on this. In light of the LTAT, it next outlines the
dyslexics, this is not the case. Of more direct relevance to ELT is chapter pros and cons of the most popular methods
Dyslexia mainly affects a person’s two, which discusses the factors teachers involved in language teaching, providing
development of literacy and language-related should consider when faced with learners who suggested adaptations to materials used.
skills, and is characterised by difficulties with, The final three chapters focus on more
for example, phonological processing and Dyslexic learners find specific matters. Chapter four looks at two key
identifying and naming items and objects. It is reading aloud, problem areas for dyslexic learners: phonology
understood that 10 per cent of the population and orthography. It suggests that carrying
in Britain has dyslexia – which means that taking dictation and out a comprehensive programme on such
among a class of thirty students, probably matters might not be feasible, and tends to
three would be dyslexic. This title explains copying from the board focus largely on younger learners. Chapter
how these learning differences (as opposed five suggests approaches for developing
to the more commonly used term ‘learning very demanding listening and speaking skills, while the final
difficulties’) can be mitigated by appropriate chapter advises modifications to formal
intervention with information technology and language assessment. It then outlines certain
supportive counselling. may show signs of being dyslexic. Emotional modifications allowed by exam boards such
The first chapter discusses dyslexia in factors such as motivation and foreign as Cambridge English and Ielts in order to
general. It looks at stereotypes, such as language anxiety may lead to frustration and accommodate dyslexics. This book would
the one that suggests dyslexics tend to be ultimately failure as they are exacerbated by be a valuable addition to the reading lists
less intelligent than their peers. It then ‘traditional teaching methods’. for courses at all levels leading to language
provides insights into how languages such Dyslexic learners find reading aloud, taking teaching qualifications.
as English, which have a larger mismatch dictation and copying from the board very
than other languages between their written demanding, as they each require real-time
and spoken forms, appear to be much more language processing, automised skills and
challenging for learners with dyslexia. It multi-tasking. Two helpful questionnaires in Wayne Trotman is a
also provides helpful checklists of common this chapter evaluate any clashes between the teacher educator at Izmir
signs of dyslexia among learners from pre- learning strategies of those indicating signs of Katip Çelebi University,
school to adult level. Attitudinal signs in dyslexia and the actual learning environment Izmir, Turkey.
24 August/September 2017

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