The Acquisition of a Foreign Language among Pupils with The Acquisition of a Foreign Language among Pupils with Specific Learning Disorders
Abstract
This article is focusing on the issue of foreign language acquisition of pupils with special learning disabilities (LD). According to studies from abroad, specific learning disabilities do not manifest only in the reading problem but they affect also the phonological, syntactic and semantic component of the foreign language.
The aim of the research, introduced in this article, was to describe the process of the foreign language levels acquisition and to compare the main difficulties of the pupils with LD and their classmates by using the Prognostic-diagnostic test of foreign language abilities (M. Malíková, 1989).
We tested 26 pupils with LD and 26 classmates from six fourth grade classes from three elementary schools in Prague. Qualitative analysis of subtests revealed significant differences in performances of pupils with LD especially in tasks requiring processing of auditory stimulus.
According to obtained data some of the today recommended teaching techniques with pupils with LD in the foreign language classes are questioned. In the end of the article new intervention possibilities are mentioned.