Dyslexia in the classroom. Teaching English to children with Dyslexia

One of the many benefits of home tuition is that the student has one-to-one attention from the teacher. This is often the first time that a student has enjoyed such close attention and it allows the teacher to discover and help with any areas of language learning that the student finds especially difficult. This one-to-one attention maybe one reason why we discover quite a few young students with 'special learning needs' such as Dyslexia.

Many of our teachers have a wide range of clasroom experience and quickly pick up when a student excels in some areas of language acquisition, but struggles with others. At Homelingua we appreciate there is wide national variation in the way that Dyslexia is recognised. We also appreciate that in some countries Dyslexia may not be a recognised condition at all and that a child might simply be regarded as having 'reading difficulties'.

Whilst it is not the role of our teachers to comment on or 'diagnose' possible learning difficulties, it is vital that our teachers have training and methods in place to make sure that all students will get maximum benefit from their English homestay course.

To many experts, dyslexia seems to be a very elusive condition. Some are still arguing over its nature, origin and symptoms, since dyslexia has many faces. Dyslexia manifests itself by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of writing, reading, speaking, listening, reasoning and mathematical abilities.

What is Dyslexia?

According to the UK group called Dyslexia Action:

• 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.
• It is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no clear cut-off points.
• Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation, but these are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia. Personal attention from a teacher means that English Homestay is an ideal language programme for a child or adult who has possible Dyslexia.

Useful UK websites about Dyslexia

• The Dyslexia Association
• Interesting article about Dyslexia in the classroom