Students with Special Needs and Second-Language Study

Although ministry policy states that students may be exempted from second-language study because of special needs, not all students who have been identified as having special needs should be exempted. Second-language study may actually enhance first-language development for some students.

Students representing a wide range of special needs could successfully participate in this course because of its focus on the communicative-experiential approach. Teachers may need to adapt instructional strategies, activities, and evaluation methods for some students. For example, students with sensory impairments may need amplification or additional description to "view" videos.

Decisions to exempt a student from taking a second language should be made only after considering assessment information about the student's cognitive, sensory, or physical disabilities.

When an individual student is exempted due to special needs, the exemption must be documented as part of the Individual Education Plan (IEP). For example, students who are deaf might have difficulty with oral sections of a second-language curriculum. Students who are experiencing difficulty establishing communication might concentrate on developing an alternate communication system such as Bliss symbols or voice-activated technology. Students with language-processing disabilities may have difficulties that preclude second-language study. Such exemptions should include consultation with parents or guardians as part of the IEP process.

The following teaching strategies might be used to assist students with special needs in the Core French language-learning classroom.

• Adapt the Environment
  • Cluster students with particular gifts or needs.
  • Use community resources for extension and research.
  • Make use of preferential seating to enhance research.
  • Create a space with minimum distractions.
  • Change the location of the learning activity to optimize concentration
  • Make use of co-operative grouping or pairing of learners.

• Adapt Presentation or Instruction
• Provide extension activities for students with special gifts and talents.
• Offer choices for self-directed learning.
• Provide advance organizers of key information.
• Demonstrate or model new concepts.
• Adjust the pace of activities as required.
• Change the wording of questions or instructions to match students' level
  of understanding.
• Provide functional, practical opportunities for students to practise skills.

• Adapt Materials and Equipment
• Use techniques to make the organization of activities more explicit (e.g., colour-code the steps used to complete a task).
• Use manipulatives and other support materials.
• Provide large-print charts or activity sheets.
• Use opaque overlays for text pages to reduce the quantity of visible print.
• Highlight key points in written material.
• Provide software that has variable font sizes.
• Use adapted computer hardware and appropriate software.
• Provide alternative resources on the same concepts at an easier comprehension level.
• Provide or arrange for opportunities for independent study (e.g., CD-ROM).

• Adapt Methods of Assistance
• Train and use peer tutors to assist students with special needs.
• Arrange for teacher assistants to work with individuals or small groups.
• Collaborate with support teachers to develop appropriate strategies for individual students with special needs.

• Adapt Methods of Assessment
• Allow students to demonstrate their understanding of concepts in a variety of ways (e.g., murals, displays, models, oral presentations).
• Match assessment tools to student needs (e.g., oral or open-book tests, tasks performed without time limits, teacher-student conferencing).
• Set short-term, achievable goals with frequent feedback.
• Provide opportunities for students to assess their progress and set their own goals.