Modern Languages in Special Educational Needs

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Table of Contents

Literature Review
Conclusion
Reference List

The uniqueness in a learner makes him or her special. Certain learners require special needs during particular times in their learning process and therefore educational systems have to take the necessary action. The response given to special educational needs has at times resulted in exclusion. It is often been assumed that learning of foreign languages is too difficult to be imposed on the special needs group. This response can be true in certain cases. However, I believe this could only be valid during those times when our knowledge on cognition as well as second language learning was not as advanced as it is now

The aim of the topic foreign language learning needs is to challenge the view that foreign language learning should be excluded in the special needs learners curriculum. The reason the topic has been chosen for this project is to explore the advantages and the disadvantages of providing foreign language learning to special needs learners so as to come up with a conclusion that the objective of the study. This study will attempt to answer the question by focussing on children with all types of learning disabilities. It will discuss the ability of the learner to expand knowledge through the language, acquire cultural knowledge, and improve self-esteem and confidence as well as the foundation for the future development of the language. It will also look at the possibility of lowering performance profiles of mainstream schools, whether it compromises learning of other subjects and the effects it has on the teachers in mainstream schools.

The topic has attracted many concerns and several researchers on the same have revealed amazing results. According to Neil, Salters and Wright (1998, 364) Northern Irelands educational reform of 1989 that provided for the inclusion of modern language studies in the curriculum has ensured a large expansion in the provision of modern languages to learners with unique educational needs. This convincingly shows that all learners should be given the opportunity to learn modern language since it is in the best of their interest.

Literature Review

Advantages

Foreign language learning no longer takes place solely in the school curriculum, but a lifelong endeavour. Linnila et al. (2005, 3) suggests that foreign language learning should be provided to learners with special needs as an essential foundation for the language development. Prerequisite factor works for all learners and therefore even for the special needs learners, it works for them at a given time as well as place. Inclusion of foreign language learning in the curriculum helps learners with special needs to acquire a foundation for future development and expansion of knowledge in the language.

Learning of foreign language helps both teachers and the learners with special needs overcome scepticism and in its place develop enthusiasm. It improves self-esteem for both learners and teachers and the notion of entitlement is done away with (Neil, Salters & Wright 1998, 368). Being excluded from the language learning is often perceived as a sign of rejection and failure. Most of these learners have little confidence as well as low self-esteem that often makes them too hesitant to make an effort to produce strange and foreign sounds especially in front of their classmates.

They would greatly prefer silence during that time when their linguistic competence is being developed. They would appreciate the development of the language through tasks that are not necessarily demonstrated in spoken responses. Learning of foreign language enables learners with special educational needs experience success in listening skills (Hipkin, Hawkins & Ree 1973, 77). If these learners experience a level of success in the learning of the language, their self-image is greatly improved. This will also make it possible for them to develop positive attitude towards others.

Persons with differing intellectual profiles as well as educational systems try hard to accommodate the special needs learners when teaching subjects in the curriculum. According to Linnila et al. (2005, 1) foreign language learning is one of the subjects that is very important in terms of varied learning styles. According to the theory of Multiple Intelligence, there is no single mind or even single intelligence. Instead, every individual has a range of intelligences which include linguistic, musical as well as naturalist intelligence among others. Good modern language learning intelligently utilizes multiple cognitive resources either directly or indirectly. It enables grammar-translation and community language learning. It also helps develop total physical response as well as language integrated learning. All these attempt to exploit and tune the childrens diverse frames of mind in order to help them be successful in their foreign language learning and learning of other contents.

Bovair and Bovair (1992, 18) believe that although the capacity to manipulate foreign language is expected to remain at lower levels in most pupils, there are equally many potential benefits to be gained from learning of the language. According to them, success should not only be measured on how much foreign language is retained by the pupils. Modern language could be used as a tool for teaching even more skills such as observational skills, comparing, interpreting as well as social skills among others. These therefore mean that giving special needs learners the opportunity to access modern language learning improves their ability to perform in other subjects.

In successful foreign language teaching, the attention paid on language learning styles is a sign of appreciation that learners have diverse needs as well as preferences when learning a non-native language. This has made those in the teaching profession acknowledge and focus on individualized learner-based curricula. Teaching learners with special needs foreign languages have made the language teaching adapt to learners diverse needs for quite a long time now. There has also been an increase in emphasis on individual learning preferences. According to Linnila et al. (2005, 2) it has been noted that the same logic employed in good foreign language teaching for non-special needs learners also applies to special needs learners.

The teaching of a foreign language to learners with special educational needs gives them an insight into other cultures. According to Hipkin et al. (1973, 80) some pupils may not achieve any mastery of the language but could greatly benefit from knowing other cultures, ways of life as well as lifestyles of other communities. Hawkins (1983, 123) argues that the rationale of teaching the language is not only to equip the special needs learners with survival skills in the language but a full education which includes an insight into the language. Understanding other cultures enables learners realize that there is more than one way of seeing the world.

This can enable them evaluate critically their cultures and hence give them the opportunity to redefine their identity and make them understand what it means to be a part of their community. Some learners may not be able to clearly understand themselves as well as their place in the community till they get an opportunity to contrast their lives with those of other people from other regions. McColl (2005, 3) states that providing foreign language learning to these learners would help in preparing them for citizenship in the greater society. They develop sensitivity towards other languages as well as cultures. Besides, they also become confident to use their language. They are therefore more likely to better understand other people during interactions and to be also respected by them. This is likely to create a more democratic, open as well as inclusive society.

Disadvantages

Inclusion of modern languages in the special needs learners curriculum has brought challenges to teachers teaching these pupils. A number of teachers are now faced with the responsibility of providing language education to learners who until now would have been left out of the language department. This implies that certain teachers in special institutions now have to be given the task of teaching languages that they themselves may not be very familiar with.

According to Cortland, LeLoup and Ponterio (1997, 2) the number of special educational needs learners are increasing in classrooms and yet most of the foreign language teachers are not well prepared to carter for the needs of these learners. Most of them are not aware of the diverse learning styles. These teachers also have little access to research which could guide them in their classroom practice. This means that inclusion of foreign languages into the curriculum of learners with learning disabilities will require more changes in the educational system.

Linnila et al. (2005, 3) believes that teaching foreign language to learners with special needs in mainstream schools affects examination result profiles. Since these schools are normally affected by market forces of competition particularly through examination results, there is always underlying pressure to get the most out of average performance. If the market-oriented schools become under pressure to produce results then the special educational needs learners stand to lose especially in non-obligatory subjects which are considered to be hard. This is likely to encourage de-selection of learners who score lower grades in subjects these subjects. Results-oriented competitive schools may pressure some learners to avoid learning or worse still take tests in the foreign language. This means learners with special needs who live in countries where the foreign language is not considered compulsory may still not benefit after all and may also not have the advantage of learning certain subjects.

On the other hand, the national inclusion policies could be hard to categorize and are also subject to change due to policy considerations. The inclusive non-segregated policy for learners with special needs is reportedly creating tension that is affecting the teachers as well as the schools. The tension is associated by the shifting focus from special schools to mainstream schools. Educational responsibilities are also being removed from special education teachers to mainstream teachers creating more pressure on the mainstream teachers.

According to Linnila et al. (2005, 3) modern language learning is a lifelong process and should therefore be provided to children to form the foundations for the language learning. However, the Warnock Report revealed that that may be very difficult. The Warnock Report approximated that out five children; at least one would require certain form of special education during particular times in their school career. Just a small percentage of these children attend special schools while the majority go to mainstream schools. This implies that a teacher in charge of a mixed ability class with many learners of averagely 30 children has to be aware that there are some learners in the class who would require some special education at certain times during their school career and others who at any given time could require special education (Warnock Report, 41).

On the other hand, the Northern Ireland Curriculum Council (1991, 55) also agrees that modern languages should not be included in the curriculum for certain severely disabled learners. The Modern Language Working Group strongly recommended that learners with special needs be excused from learning foreign languages under exceptional circumstances. Some teachers argue that introducing a foreign language to pupils with severe learning disabilities would only lead to linguistic confusion since they possess limited language skills from their first language (Neil, Salters & Wright 1998, 365).

The Great Britain, Department of Education and Science/Welsh Office (1990, 76) on its part also believes that the learning of foreign language has little priority among the educational as well as developmental needs of learners with profound learning disabilities, severe intellectual impairment or even those who have long-term language disorders. McColl (2005, 6) feels that the experiences that special educational needs learners always have during the learning of foreign language are not pleasant. At times they are humiliating, frustrating and worse still, damage self-esteem.

Notwithstanding the encouragement offered through the results of the researches that have been done in second language acquisition as well as surveys showing good practice, there is still the question of; are the achievements worth the efforts?. Considering that most special educational needs learners usually achieve extremely low levels of competence in any given foreign language, it therefore means that most will have difficulty moving to the next level. Besides, there are times when the contents to be taught in the language plus other subjects are much and are to be done within a limited time in the curriculum. It means that every subject area will have to demand for its position in the curriculum. Moreover, teaching foreign language to learners with special needs often require that the teacher develops an individual action plan for almost every learner and this takes more time to follow. Foreign language learning therefore has no value to learners with special educational needs.

Conclusion

The article is based on the idea that each individual is special and has unique needs. Learners with special educational needs also require modern language, however, in teaching them, the teacher has to consider their uniqueness. They need it to form the basis of their future learning of the language as the learning of the language is always a life-long process. Foreign language learning is also meaningful as it helps learners become confident, achieve self-esteem and improve their self image. This enhances the development of positive attitude towards others. It is also important as it helps pupils gain language skills which could be very useful in learning other skills.

This means that the learning of foreign language could help expand the learners knowledge and thinking and hence help improve his or her overall performance in other subjects as well as in reasoning. Providing knowledge and awareness on a foreign language to learners enable them acquire the culture, lifestyle as well as ways of life of the target language group. It creates sensitivity to languages in them and they also become confident in communicating in their own language. The last advantage is that teaching of learners with special educational needs will encourage teachers to focus on individual action plan for every learner and this is likely to improve the overall performance of the class.

Inclusion of modern languages in special needs education as argued by other scholars, also has demerits. Teaching of the language to learners with learning disabilities is likely to affect the examination profiles of these schools and considering that these schools are always competing, slower learners are likely to be encouraged to drop other subjects considered to be hard and non-obligatory in the curriculum. Other scholars also argue that providing foreign language learning to such learners would only make things worse for them. It is likely to create linguistic confusion in them. Besides, provision of second language learning to these pupils require so much time that could compromise the learning of other subjects in the curriculum.

All children have a right to learn foreign languages except in profound cases where it is not possible. This would make special needs learners feel that they are part of the society. The teachers must therefore be aware of the diverse learning styles which are required to teach these learners.

Reference List

Bovair, M., & Bovair, K., 1992, Modern languages for all. London: Kogan Page. P. 18.

Cortland, S., LeLoup,J., W., & Ponterio, R.,1997, Language, education and learning disabilities. Language Learning & Technology Journal, 1 (1): 2-4. New York: Language Learning & Technology.

Hawkins, E., W., 1983, Language study for slower learner. In Richardson, G. (Ed.) Teaching modern languages. Beckenham: Croom Helm. P. 123.

Hipkin, J., Hawkins, E., & Ree, H., 1973, The position of modern language in the secondary school curriculum. Audio-Visual Language Journal, 11 (1): 65-80. New York: Plenary Press.

Linnila, M., L., Marsh, D., Ojala, T., Peuraharju, N., Poor, Z., Stevens, A., Wiesemes, R., & Wolf, D., 2005, Special educational needs in Europe: The teaching & learning of languages. European Commission. pp. 1-3.

McColl, H., 2005. Foreign language learning and inclusion: Who? Why? What?- and How? British Journal of Learning Support, 20 (3): 1-10. London: NASEN.

Neil, P., Salters, J., & Wright, M., 1998, Modern languages and special educational needs: a review of research. Educational Research, 40 (3): 364-374. London: Routledge.

Northern Ireland Curriculum Council, 1991, Proposals for modern languages in the Northern Ireland curriculum. Belfast: NICC. P. 55.

Warnock Report, 1978, Committee of enquiry into the the education of handicapped children and young people. Great Britain Department of Education and Science. London: HMSO.

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