Special education teachers’ perceptions about their qualification in teaching English to primary and high school students with dyslexia

Osebe z disleksijo imajo pri usvajanju jezika pogosto težave zaradi kognitivnih, čustvenih in okoljsko pogojenih dejavnikov. Te se pojavljajo že v predšolskem obdobju, izrazitejše pa postanejo v času soočanja s šolskimi zahtevami. Kognitivni primanjkljaji in pomanjkljivo razvite metakognitivne strategije povzročajo pojavljanje napak pri branju, črkovanju ter pravopisu. Izraznost težav je odvisna tudi od stopnje transparentnosti jezika (ujemanja med grafemi in fonemi). Ker gre za univerzalno specifično učno težavo, disleksija vpliva tudi na usvajanje tujega jezika. Angleščina velja za manj transparenten oz. globok jezik, kar pomeni pogosto neujemanje med zapisom in izgovarjavo. Tako imajo učenci z disleksijo pri usvajanju angleščine težave na vseh jezikovnih področjih (fonologiji, skladnji, semantiki in pragmatiki). Na podlagi usmeritve v program s prilagojenim izvajanjem in z dodatno strokovno pomočjo imajo učenci z disleksijo v procesu vzgoje in izobraževanja v okviru petstopenjskega modela pomoči v osnovni šoli pravico do dodatne strokovne pomoči, ki jo izvaja specialni in rehabilitacijski pedagog. S pomočjo vprašalnika, oblikovanega za namen magistrskega dela, smo ugotavljali zaznave specialnih in rehabilitacijskih pedagogov o njihovi usposobljenosti za nudenje dodatne strokovne pomoči učencem z disleksijo pri angleščini v osnovnih šolah. Vzorec je zajemal 79 specialnih in rehabilitacijskih pedagogov. Rezultati predstavljajo nov uvid v evalvacijo študijskega programa in programov nadaljnjega usposabljanja specialnih in rehabilitacijskih pedagogov za nudenje dodatne strokovne pomoči učencem z disleksijo pri angleščini. Izsledki naše raziskave dokazujejo, da je pedagoških usposabljanj za specialne in rehabilitacijske pedagoge v slovenskem prostoru premalo. Glede na ugotovitve tujih strokovnjakov je problem aktualen tudi izven slovenskega prostora. Specialnim pedagogom v Sloveniji in v tujih državah predstavlja nudenje dodatne strokovne pomoči učencem z disleksijo pri angleščini izziv, obenem pa izkazujejo željo in potrebo za tovrstna usposabljanja, ki bi povečala njihovo kompetentnost ter s tem izboljšala kakovost dodatne strokovne pomoči učencem z disleksijo pri angleščini.People with dyslexia often have difficulties in acquiring language due to their cognitive, emotional and environmental factors. These can already manifest in preschool period and usually become more intense during primary school, while coping with school requirements and demands. Errors in reading, spelling and orthography are caused by one’s cognitive deficits and insufficiently developed metacognitive skills. The severity of the difficulties also depends on the language transparency level (correspondences between graphemes and phonemes). Considering dyslexia as universal specific learning difficulty, it also effects acquiring foreign language. As English is less transparent language, language with deep orthography, it means the correspondences between writing and pronunciation are less frequent. Consequently, students with dyslexia have difficulties in acquiring English in all language areas (phonology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics). In accordance with attending regular curricular programme with the support of suitable adjustments, students with dyslexia have the right to additional professional assistance, executed by special educational teacher. Based on a questionnaire, made for the purpose of our research, we investigated special educational teacher’s perceptions about their qualification in teaching English to students with dyslexia. Research sample gathered 79 special educational teachers. The results of the research enable the new insight in evaluation of a study programme and programmes of further training for special educational teachers in teaching English to students with dyslexia. The results prove the lack of pedagogical training for special educational teachers in teaching English to students with dyslexia. Considering findings of the experts in foreign countries, our research problem is also current abroad. As teaching English to students with dyslexia is a challenge for special educational teaches, they express desire and need for such training, which would increase their competences and improve the quality of teaching English to students with dyslexia