Recognizing and Overcoming Language Impairment of Young English Learners

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Prepoznavanje i nadilaženje jezičnih teškoća kod mlađih učenika engleskog jezika
• Author: Lucija Maltar
• Mentor: Ivana Cindrić (mentor)
• Committee member: Smiljana Narančić-Kovač (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Ivana Cindrić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Ivana Milković (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2019-07-11, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Speech Therapy; Communication and Language Disorders and Specific Learning Difficulties
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Interdisciplinary Humanistic Studies; Teaching Methods in the Humanistic Sciences

Abstract

This thesis focuses on recognizing and overcoming language impairment of young English learners. Language impairments are common among young learners and may have an effect on their success and further education. The key to dealing with language impairments is in their early discovery. The aim of the research conducted for the purpose of this paper was to raise awareness of language impairments in classrooms, to offer solutions of dealing with language impaired students and to motivate pre-service teachers and in-service teachers to research into this topic in order to enable success for their students. In the first part of this paper, the author analysed literature on language impairments, language impairments in schools, how to diagnose them and which solutions are offered for dealing with them in practice. The second part presents the study conducted for the purpose of this paper. The study included a semi-structured interview with an experienced English language teacher in a Croatian school who has been dealing with language impaired students for twelve years and has shared her personal experience with impairments, as well as offered numerous advices on overcoming them. The findings confirmed that language impaired students must be integrated into system and schooling programme. They need to be approached individually, formatively assessed and offered modified materials based on their language impairment. Each student is an individual, therefore, there is no unique method for dealing with language impairments. However, every student should be enabled to participate in lessons and receive an adequate education they have the right to get.

Abstract (croatian)

Tema ovoga rada je prepoznavanje i nadilaženje jezičnih teškoća kod mlađih učenika engleskoga jezika. Obilježja jezičnih teškoća često se javljaju među mlađim učenicima te mogu utjecati na njihov uspjeh i daljnje obrazovanje. Ako se jezične teškoće otkriju dovoljno rano, moguće ih je nadići i omogućiti učenicima prikladno školovanje. Cilj istraživanja provedenog u svrhu ovoga rada bio je podići svijest o postojanju jezičnih teškoća u učionicama, ponuditi rješenja koja je moguće primjeniti na učenicima s dijagnosticiranim oblikom jezičnih teškoća, te motivirati sadašnje i buduće učitelje na učenje i istraživanje ovoga problema kako bi omogućili svojim učenicima uspjeh. U prvome dijelu rada autorica analizira literaturu vezanu uz temu jezičnih teškoća kako bi dobila uvid u trenutno stanje u školama i općenito u situaciju jezičnih teškoća kod djece, kako ih prepoznati i dijagnosticirati te koja su rješenja ponuđena za rad s djecom s jezičnim teškoćama. U drugome dijelu rada prikazuje se istraživanje provedeno u svrhu ovoga rada. Autorica je provela polu strukturirani intervju s učiteljicom engleskoga jezika u hrvatskoj školi koja 12 godina radi s djecom s jezičnim teškoćama. Ispitanica je dgovarala na pitanja vezana uz praksu podučavanja engleskoga jezika, kao stranog jezika, kod učenika s jezičnim teškoćama te je savjetovala kako integrirati sve učenike u proces poučavanja. Rezultati su potvrdili da se učenike s jezičnim teškoćama treba integrirati u nastavi. Potrebno im je pristupiti individualno, formativno vrednovati njihove uspjehe i prilagoditi materijale i zahtjeve s obzirom na učeničke sposobnosti, uzevši u obzir njihovu nemogućnost. Svaki je učenik individuan. Iz tog razloga ne postoji jedna određena metoda kako pomoći učeniku s teškoćom. Svaki bi učenik trebao dobiti priliku za sudjelovanje u nastavi i primjereno obrazovanje na koje ima pravo.

• Keywords: young English learners; foreign language learning; language impairment; specific language impairment
• Keywords (croatian): mlađi učenici engleskog jezika; učenje stranog jezika; jezične teškoće; posebne jezične teškoće
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:991927
• Study programme: Title: Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study of Primary Teacher Education and Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Programme of Study for Primary Teacher Education with English and German Language; Study programme type: university; Study level: integrated undergraduate and graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja (magistar/magistra primarnog obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2020-09-30 08:11:38