Diagnostic+Strategies

====After reading this article, I came to realize just how "unbelievably stressful and humiliating" learning a foreign language can be for a student who has disabilities. In my teaching experience so far, I have seen this indeed to be the case, as I have a student with Asperger's syndrome in my French 1 class. Asperger's syndrome is a form of autism that is characterized by socialization difficulties due to a tendency to behave in ways that are not socially acceptable as well as repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Diagnostic strategies, in this student and for many others who struggle with a foreign language, can be seen quite early on in a student's foreign language class.====
 * Besides being labeled as SpecEd or having an IEP or 504, a teacher can usually tell if a student will have a difficult time in a foreign language class based on their mastery of the English language and their grades in their English class. Research by Dr. Cummins suggests that if a student is literate in their first language (L1) then they will have a easier time acquiring their second or foreign language (L2). The article also talks about the research done by Dr. Dinklage between learning disabilities and language learning, and he did find that those who struggled in their L1 did have difficulty with their L2. Tutoring- good tutoring- was often a solution to the problem.
 * A child's social skills can also indicate how successful they will be in a foreign language. Research by Dr. Krashen suggests that social interaction with peers is what allows students to become skilled in their L2. His "affective filter" theory suggests that a student's motivation, confidence, and anxiety level all play an important role in how the student will grow in their language study. Simply put: if a student cannot work well with others and does not feel safe and secure in the classroom then learning the language will be extremely difficult. Anxiety plays a large factor in a student's success, especially in Asperger's syndrome and in many other forms of autism and disabilities. Many students "shut down" once they have reached their limit of discomfort which makes language learning increasingly difficult. The article discusses that anxiety comes from social fears as well as a fear of failing. For those with disabilities like OCD, Asperger's, and Savant Syndrome ("Rain Man" syndrome), failure is __not__ an option due to their perfectionist tendencies.
 * Aside from looking at a student's cumulative folder for designation as SpecEd or having an IEP/504 and seeing how they interact with others, a teacher can usually tell from day 1 if a student has disabilities that will create language-learning obstacles. The way in which a student speaks and behaves can be an indication of a disability, but only research into a student's background and asking questions can reveal the truth.