Dyslexia and English as a Foreign Language in Norwegian Primary Education: A Mixed Methods Intervention Study
Abstract
Τhe current study explored the effect of specific teaching accommodations for English language learners with dyslexia in a Norwegian primary school. Specifically, this single group intervention project investigated the impact of a range of multisensory techniques on spelling skills and motivation. Participants included a special education teacher and five dyslexic pupils from the fifth and sixth grades. Pre- and post-tests were administered to observe development in spelling, while data were also collected via a pupil evaluation questionnaire and a teacher interview after the intervention. The findings revealed that the intervention was quite successful. The group exhibited substantial differences in mean scores between the pre- and post-test. However, there were individual differences in scores and comorbid disorders appeared to impact the effectiveness of the intervention. Nonetheless, all of the pupils reported gains in their motivation and improvement in their attitude towards learning English, which was confirmed by their special education teacher. The paper concludes by offering specific didactic suggestions regarding accommodations for English language learners with dyslexia.
Downloads
References
Aas, Å. M. (2021). Dysleksi håndboka for lærere [Dyslexia Handbook for Teachers]. Universitetsforlaget.
Biesta, G. (2012). Mixed methods. In J. Arthur, M. Waring, & L. V. Hedges (Eds.), Research Methods & Methodologies in Education (pp. 147–152). SAGE Publications.
Check, J., & Schutt, R. K. (2012). Research methods in education. SAGE Publications.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education. Routledge.
Cravedi, E., Deniau, E., Giannitelli, M., Xavier, J., Hartmann, A., & Cohen, D. (2017). Tourette syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders: A comprehensive review. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 11(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-017-0196-x
Creswell, J. W. (2015). A concise introduction to mixed methods research. SAGE Publications.
Crystal, D. (2012). English as a global language. Cambridge University Press.
Dahl, A., & Vulchanova, M. D. (2014). Naturalistic acquisition in an early language classroom. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 329. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00329
Daloiso, M. (2017). Supporting learners with dyslexia in the ELT classroom. Oxford University Press.
De Winter, J. C. (2013). Using the Student’s t-test with extremely small sample sizes. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 18(10), 1—12. https://doi.org/10.7275/e4r6-dj05
Domagała-Zyśk E., & A. Podlewska (2018). Strategies of oral communication of deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) non-native English users. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 34 (2), 156–171. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2019.1581399
Dysleksi Norge. (2017). Om tilpasset opplæring i engelsk for elever med dysleksi [About adapted education in English for pupils with dyslexia]. Dysleksi Norge.
Ellis, R. (2012). Language teaching research and language pedagogy. Wiley-Blackwell.
Ferraz, E., dos Santos Gonçalves, T., Freire, T., Mattar, T. D. L. F., Lamônica, D. A. C., Maximino, L. P., & Crenitte, P. A. P. (2018). Effects of a phonological reading and writing remediation program in students with dyslexia: Intervention for specific learning disabilities. Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica, 70(2), 59–73. https://doi.org/10.1159/000489091
Galuschka, K., Görgen, R., Kalmar, J., Haberstroh, S., Schmalz, X., & Schulte-Körne, G. (2020). Effectiveness of spelling interventions for learners with dyslexia: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Educational Psychologist, 55(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2019.1659794
Helland, T., & Kaasa, R. (2005). Dyslexia in English as a Second Language. Dyslexia, 11(1), 41–60. https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.286
Helland, T., & Morken, F. (2016). Neurocognitive development and predictors of L1 and L2 literacy skills in dyslexia: A longitudinal study of children 5–11 years old. Dyslexia, 22(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.1515
Helland, T. (2012). Språk og dysleksi [Language and dyslexia]. Fagbokforlaget.
Høien, T., & Lundberg, I. (2012). Dysleksi. Fra teori til praksis [Dyslexia. From theory to practice]. Gyldendal Akademisk.
Holmberg, M. (2019). HELP. Holmberg English Learning Program. Info Vest Forlag AS.
Hulme, C., & Snowling, M. J. (2016). Reading disorders and dyslexia. Current opinion in pediatrics, 28(6), 731–735. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOP.0000000000000411
Kormos, J., & Nijakowska, J. (2017). Inclusive practices in teaching students with dyslexia: Second language teachers’ concerns, attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs on a massive open online learning course. Teaching and Teacher Education, 68, 30–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.08.005
Kormos, J., & Smith, A. M. (2012). Teaching languages to students with specific learning differences. Multilingual Matters.
Kormos, J. (2018). Learning with learning difficulties. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to learning English as a second language (pp. 35–42). Cambridge University Press.
Kristoffersen, G. (2000). The phonology of Norwegian. Oxford University Press.
Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2015). Det kvalitative forskningsintervju [The qualitative research interview]. Gyldendal Akademisk.
Lim, L., & Oei, A. C. (2015). Reading and spelling gains following one year of Orton‐Gillingham intervention in Singaporean students with dyslexia. British Journal of Special Education, 42(4), 374–389. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12104
Liontou, T. (2018) Foreign language learning for children with ADHD: Evidence from a technology-enhanced learning environment. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 34(2), 220–235. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2019.1581403
Lyster, S-A. H. (2012). Elever med lese- og skrivevansker. Hva vet vi? Hva gjør vi? [Pupils with reading and writing difficulties. What do we know? What are we doing?]. Cappelen Akademisk Forlag.
McNally, J., & Murray, W. (1962). Key words to literacy: A basic word list for developing early reading and writing skills (No. 3). The Schoolmaster.
Ministry of Education. (2020). Curriculum in English (ENG1-04). https://www.udir.no/lk20/eng01-04/kompetansemaal-og-vurdering/kv3
Montgomery, D. (2006). Spelling, Handwriting and Dyslexia: Overcoming Barriers to Learning. Routledge.
Montgomery, D. (2017). Dyslexia-friendly strategies for reading, spelling and handwriting. Routledge.
Muijs, D. (2010). Doing quantitative research in education with SPSS. SAGE Publications.
Nijakowska, J. (2010). Dyslexia in the foreign language classroom. Multilingual Matters.
Nijakowska, J., Tsagari, D., & Spanoudis, G. (2018). English as a foreign language teacher training needs and perceived preparedness to include dyslexic learners: The case of Greece, Cyprus, and Poland. Dyslexia, 24(4), 357–379. https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.1598
Nilsen, T. S. (2010). English pronunciation and intonation: British, American and World Englishes. Universitetsforlaget.
Opplæringslova. (1998). Lov om grunnskolen og den vidaregåande opplæringa (LOV-1998-07-17-61) [Educational Law]. Lovdata.
Pfenninger, S. E. (2016). Taking L3 learning by the horns: Benefits of computer-mediated intervention for dyslexic school children. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 10(3), 220–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2014.959962
Philips, S., & Kelly, K. (2016). Teaching literacy to learners with dyslexia: A Multi-sensory approach. SAGE Publications.
Rapti, D., Gerogiannis, D., & Soulis, S. G. (2022). The effectiveness of augmented reality for
English vocabulary instruction of Greek students with intellectual disability. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2022.2045816
Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Raviv, S., & Low, M. (1990). Influence of physical activity on concentration among junior high-school students. Perceptual and Motor skills, 70(1), 67–74. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1990.70.1.67
Seidlhofer, B. (2008). English as a lingua franca. In K. Dziubalska-Kołaczyk & J. Przedlacka, (Eds.), English pronunciation models: A changing scene (Vol. 21) (pp. 59–75). Peter Lang.
Siegel, L. (2016). The case of children learning English as an additional language. In L. Peer & G. Reid (Eds.), Multilingualism, Literacy and Dyslexia: Breaking down barriers for educators (pp. 220–240). Routledge.
Simonsen, H. G. (2018). Lydskrift [Phonetic Transcription]. In Store norske leksikon. https://snl.no/lydskrift
Snowling, M. J., & Hulme, C. (2011). Evidence‐based interventions for reading and language difficulties: Creating a virtuous circle. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 81(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8279.2010.02014.x
Snowling, M. J., Hulme, C., & Nation, K. (2020). Defining and understanding dyslexia: Past,
present and future. Oxford Review of Education, 46(4), 501–513. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2020.1765756
Sundqvist, P. (2022). Extramural English in language education. In H. Mohebbi, & C. Coombe, (Eds.). Research questions in language education and applied linguistics: A reference guide. Springer. (pp. 201–205). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79143-8_37
The National Council for Teacher Education. (2016). National Guidelines for the Primary and Lower Secondary Teacher Education Programme For Years 5-10. https://www.uhr.no/_f/p1/iecd98eeb-d012-44ce-b364-c8787ca51a95/national_guidelines_for_the_primary_and_lower_secondary_teacher_e ducation_programme_for_years_5_10.pdf
Torgesen, J. K., Wagner, R. K., Rashotte, C. A., Herron, J., & Lindamood, P. (2010). Computer assisted instruction to prevent early reading difficulties in students at risk for dyslexia: Outcomes from two instructional approaches. Annals of Dyslexia, 60(1), 40–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-009-0032-y
In order to ensure both the widest dissemination and protection of material published in CEPS Journal, we ask Authors to transfer to the Publisher (Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana) the rights of copyright in the Articles they contribute. This enables the Publisher to ensure protection against infringement.