The Future of Education

Teaching English to pupils of other languages is a major area in education. The same applies for teaching children with learning difficulties. Although both language education and dyslexia research have significantly advanced over the past twenty years, there is a limited number of studies specifically relating to the support of pupils with difficulties that learn a second or a foreign language. The aim of the present study was to explore English language teaching and dyslexia with a central interest on the inclusion of dyslexic pupils that learn English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Dyslexia-friendly practices were introduced in three Greek EFL classrooms with the intention to explore how these affected the performance and motivation of dyslexic learners. Because the context of this study was mainstream education, the impact these practices had on their non-dyslexic classmates was addressed. Apart from the pupils' views, teachers' views were also examined while a personal research diary assisted the researcher in focusing on the process of this intervention. Preliminary findings suggest that EFL (dyslexic and non-dyslexic) learners' motivation and performance improved while teachers gradually felt more confident in supporting dyslexic pupils.