Teaching English to dyslexic learners in Primary Education

Abstract

There is a crucial point in primary education, which is learning how to read and write. This issue becomes more difficult when it comes to a second language. But what happens with those learners who have mental disabilities such as dyslexia? What are the issues that learners are facing? How do teachers address those issues? The BOE (Boletín Oficial del Estado) states that all educational institutions are meant to have all the especial necessities that one learner may need. However, do these institutions accomplish what the law says? I will examine the policies that teachers are required to implement and their practice, since there is a difference between theory and practice. It is of relevance to know how they approach these students, what the methodologies that these teachers use are and what the outcomes of learners are. In England, concretely Newcastle Upon Tyne, there are different schools especially designed for people with dyslexia where students feel more integrated in the classroom, thus creating a comfortable environment since all students have the same kind of issues. This project aims to compare both countries with the purpose of creating a guidance of several learning strategies to avoid future problems.