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
Figure 11: Screens from the interactive tool Make sentences
Another interactive tool that can be used with dyslexic children is free application Play &
Learn LANGUAGES (http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/tools/apps/play-learn-languages-free)
where children can use fun flash cards to learn new words and new languages (different
languages are available - English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Hungarian, Polish,
Czech, and others). During installation the user selects target language but also a mother tongue.
Vocabulary is topic-based and kids can see the picture and hear its target language name and its
translation to mother tongue. Application includes Learn, Word quiz, Memory games sets.
Setting level is an important possibility as some words belong to high language proficiency level.
The tool Gamebooks: Read and Learn is aimed for EFL learners and offers graded books to
learners. It offers also the game activities to practise vocabulary and phrases, the tasks to check
comprehension. The text to speech support and visual support help also dyslexic learners to
overcome the problems and enjoy reading. This tool is also available as PC version
(http://gamebooks.secretbuilders.com/home/).
There are various types of software specially designed for dyslexic learners. We can
mention e.g. Kurzweil 3000. It is a robust system that combines the set of useful tools. The
system can read inserted texts, similarly is the texts being written. It has in-built thesaurus, and
what more (what might be an advantage for EFL learners) it has also an in-built translator. The
software can be used for different types of brainstorming – one can use mind-map tool. In a
package, there is also KESI Calculator Application. The software reads what user types and thus
it is a useful tool for dysgraphics, as well as users with dyscalculia or dysgraphia.
Figure 12: Kurzweil 3000 print screen – displaying the synonyms and translator tool
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