Teaching spanish to students with dyslexia : challenges encountered by teachers

Abstract

Students identified as having dyslexia face multiple challenges in learning a foreign language, such as difficulties with phonological processing skills, language acquisition and literacy (Tunmer & Greaney, 2010). Despite the growing popularity of Spanish as a foreign language in Malta, no prior research has explored the challenges faced by teachers of Spanish instructing dyslexic students. For this purpose, a review of the literature was carried out to initially investigate the various challenges generally encountered by individuals with dyslexia (British Dyslexia Association (BDA, 2010), International Dyslexia Association (IDA, 2002), Snowling (2013) & Reid (2016). The methodology employed in this dissertation is qualitative. Therefore, eight semi-structured interviews were carried out so as to engage with practitioners to obtain firsthand accounts of the challenges they face, as well as their level of awareness, enabling a comprehensive exploration of the topic and providing valuable insights for educational practice and policy. This study found that teachers of Spanish in Malta and Gozo have limited and varying understandings of dyslexia, partly due to inadequate coverage of special learning needs in their training, creating challenges as they enter the profession without sufficient preparation. Additionally, teachers face significant obstacles in supporting dyslexic students, including a lack of specialized training, limited LSE support in Spanish, reluctance to use multisensory methods among more experienced teachers, and concerns over the fairness and potential stigmatization of EAA accommodations for students with dyslexia. The findings highlight a significant need for comprehensive teacher training and ongoing professional development to address gaps in knowledge about dyslexia among teachers of Spanish in Malta and Gozo. Recommendations include fostering collaboration, improving support for language-specific LSEs, promoting multisensory teaching methods, and integrating assistive technologies to create inclusive classrooms that empower dyslexic students in their learning.