The Effects of Dyslexia on Second Language Learning

With a Special Focus on English as a Foreign Language

Seminar Paper , 2015 , 27 Pages , Grade: 1,0

English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics

After a general overview on Dyslexia, defining it as an impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written language, accompanied by difficulties in writing and spelling as well as slow reading and reduced reading comprehension, general facts about the deficit are presented, such as its prevalence and its official definition in the international ICD-10 catalogue.

With regard to the effects of Dyslexia on foreign language learning the topic of orthographies is discussed and various examples for transparent and less transparent orthographies are provided, as several studies have suggested that the transparency of an orthography determines the ease and speed of reading and writing in a language. The orthography of the German and English language are discussed and differences in transparency are pointed out. German, having a rather transparent orthography, i.e. clear-cut grapheme-phoneme correspondences, is easier to adapt to than English, which has a deep orthography with irregular grapheme-phoneme correspondences.

The fact that English is an obligatory subject in most curricula makes it essential to find ways to deal with its inconsistency and to design helpful material for both, normally developing and dyslexic students. Several findings about the effects of Dyslexia on foreign language learning are relevant for the foreingn language classroom. Implications for teaching techniques, material and lesson planning are discussed in this paper.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Dyslexia
2.1. What is Dyslexia?
2.2. Characteristics of Dyslexia
2.3. Types of Dyslexia
2.3.1. Acquired Dyslexia
2.3.2. Developmental Dyslexia
2.4. Prerequisites for the acquisition of literacy and deficits caused by dyslexia

3. The Effects of Dyslexia on Foreign Language Learning .
3.1. Dyslexia in different orthographies
3.1.1. Orthographic transparency
3.1.2. Phonological and orthographic differences between German and English
3.1.3. Dyslexia in different orthographies: studies and hypotheses
3.1.3.1. The phonological deficit hypothesis
3.1.3.2. Differences in reading strategies and differences in the speed of literacy acquisition
3.1.3.3. The developmental model
3.2. Dyslexia and Foreign Language Learning
3.2.1. Types of Errors in the learning process of a Foreign Language
3.2.2. Difficulties of dyslexics in Foreign Language Learning
3.2.3. Suggestions for dyslexia friendly language lessons

4. Conclusion

5. Bibliography

• College: University of Graz (Anglistik)
• Course: Research Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition
• Grade: 1,0
• Author: Hannah Maria Depaoli (Author)
• Publication Year: 2015
• Pages: 27
• Catalog Number: V322469
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668216686
• ISBN (Book): 9783668216693
• Language: English
• Tags: Legasthenie, Dyslexie, Dyslexia, Lese- und Schreibschwäche, Dyslexie in der Fremdsprache, Dyslexie und Fremdsprache, Legasthenie und Fremdsprache, Dyslexiker unterrichten, Englisch für Legastheniker, Teaching Dyslexics, Foreign Language Learning for Dyslexics