to Learners with Special Educational Needs

Pokrivčáková, S. et al. (2015). Teaching Foreign Languages to Learners with Special Educational Needs:
e-textbook for foreign language teachers. Nitra: Constantine the Philosopher University. 128 p.
ISBN 978-80-558-0941-0
Technologies to enhance dyslexic students learners
Special teaching aids are available at the market and the function of few of them is presented
in the next part. Concerning using technologies and dyslexic pupils we can deal with both,
assistive hardware and software and learning, educational software).Using different tools might
be useful in the educational process, both, teaching and learning to enhance the process of
language learning. It is also one of the ways how to accommodate the teaching.
The tools to enhance the learning are being constantly developed. We can mention reading
pens that have scanning capabilities with different possibilities as e.g. to enlarge the font to
make it easier to read, to read the text aloud what is the useful tool for dyslexic learners.
Text-to-speech software is very useful and might be used by both, teachers and students.
Concerning not only English language teaching we may use paid software that reverses the text
to sound. The special software is mentiond later.
One of the very simple but very challenging tool is e.g. website voki.com that can be used by
both, mainstream pupils and also the students with specific learning difficulties. Voki is a free
website application where teachers/students can create characters (different fields: classics,
folk, animals, politics…) and they can either record their voice (i.e. they do not need to
write/type). They can hear their own utterances what means this enables them to spot their
mistakes. They can rerecord themselves as many times as they want and to refine their
utterance. Another alternative is they type the text and select the voice that reads the text
instead of them (text-to-speech). Students can listen to it and if there is a mistake in a written
text, they can hear it and correct it. This is, however, the tool that is not intended for the dyslexic
students, but it might be useful and motivating tool for them as well as for other students.
Figure 8: Print screen - website voki.com
Speech-to text is the software that may save your dyslexic students’ time and stress. Student
“dictates” the text and the software transfers it to the written text. Some of them include even
games to improve vocabulary and thesaurus.
In Slovakia we can mention using Program DysCom SK (sold in Slovakia by November 2012,
still available in Czech Republic – Czech version). The software trains not only reading, but also,
different types of orientation, grammar, the activities to support motivation are also included.
Nowadays many schools are equipped with the iPads and a lot of students have their own
tablets. There are various applications that can be used to support (language) learning. E.g. the
books that have read along children’s books with visual support can be mentioned. There are
plethora materials available for dyslexic users on/for iPad. Different books even though written
for native learners and readers may be used by foreign language learners as well. There is
usually a little text and a lot of visual support. The Spy Sam Reading Series are available free of
charge, Dr. Seuss library offers 50 books for children
(http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/tools/apps/dr-seuss-bookshelf-free), OUP has a tool
Gamebooks: Read and Learn.
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