Page 30 - ELG1801 Jan Issue 453

RESOURCES .

Spot

the

difference

Fresh from her presentation to an English UK
‘Inclusive Classrooms’ event on special needs,
expert Anne Margaret Smith gives us the lowdown
on how to spot ‘specific learning differences’ in
English language learners

pecific Learning Differences (SpLDs) is carers/family. underpin literacy development, independent
an umbrella term for some common Have an informal conversation with the of their linguistic profile. There are tasks in
developmental differences in the way student to find out more information about the Cognitive Assessments for Multilingual
Sthe brain works, including dyslexia, their education, health and home life. Learners (CAML) suites (see references below)
dyspraxia, AD(H)D and autism, as well as that allow teachers to do this.
dyscalculia and dysgraphia. They often co- 2. Literacy practices
occur and can present additional challenges for If the learner has had the opportunity to access 3. Short term and working
language learners if they are not identified and education in his/her first language, it is worth memory
accommodated. evaluating first-language literacy: Memory is very important for language
But how we can identify learners with SpLDs?  Ask the learner to write for 10 minutes in learning, and a weaker short-term or working
Language learners experience difficulties for his/her first (strongest) language about any memory span could be an indicator of an
many different reasons, so before assuming topic and observe how confidently the task is SpLD. We can check this by:
that a student has an SpLD, we need to rule completed. (Even if you can’t read what s/he  Asking the learner to repeat a lengthening
out other factors such as medical conditions has written you can evaluate the consistency of sequence of names of people they know. (Ask
or social/emotional issues. On the other hand, the handwriting and overall layout.). him/her to nominate the names to be used
it is better to find out as early as possible how  Observe how fluently s/he can read a short to make sure that pronunciation is not a
best to work with that learner. Evaluating the unfamiliar text written in this language. problem.)
cognitive function of multilingual people is a  If the learner has not had the opportunity  Showing a growing selection of coloured
complex process, and there are several things to develop literacy in the first language, it shapes, covering them, and getting him/her to
we need to consider. would be worth exploring the skills that indicate which shapes were shown.
1. The student’s background
We need to find out as much as we can about
the learner’s previous educational experiences, FURTHER READING
family situation and preferred ways of working.
To do this we can: n Smith A.M. (2015) Cognitive Assessments for Multilingual Learners.
 Observe their behaviour and coping Available from www.ELTwell.com
strategies in class and in other contexts. (An
observation record sheet enables several n Smith, A.M. (2017) Including Dyslexic Language Learners. Lancaster: ELT well
members of staff to share their perceptions, and [available from www.ELTwell.com]
patterns can be more easily spotted.)
 Send out questionnaires to gather n Smith, A.M. (2017) Raising Awareness of SpLDs. Morecambe: ELT well [available
background information from the student, from www.ELTwell.com]
the teacher(s) and if possible, the parents/
48 December / January 2018