The release of a report by the Modern Language Association, “Foreign Languages and Higher Education: New Structures for a Changed World,” focused renewed attention on college foreign language instruction at the introductory level. Frequently, the report finds, these beginning courses are taught by part-time and untenured instructors, many of whom remain on the fringes of the department, with little access to ongoing support, pedagogical training, or faculty development. When students with sensory, cognitive or physical disabilities are introduced to this environment, the results can be frustrating for both the student (who may benefit from specific instructional strategies or accommodations) and the instructor (who may be ill-equipped to provide inclusive instruction). Soon after the MLA report was published, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages issued “Diversity and Inclusion in Language Programs,” a position statement highlighting the value of inclusive classrooms that support diverse perspectives and learning needs. That statement specifies that all students, regardless of background, should have ample access to language instruction. Meanwhile, in the wake of these two publications, the number of college students with disabilities continues to increase, as has the number of world language courses taught by graduate teaching assistants and contingent faculty. Disability and World Language Learning begins at the intersection of these two growing concerns: for the diverse learner and for the world language instructor. Devoted to practical classroom strategies based on Universal Design for Instruction, it serves as a timely and valuable resource for all college instructors—adjunct faculty, long-time instructors, and graduate assistants alike—confronting a changing and diversifying world language classroom.

'Worlds Apart?' brings together scholars and teachers from around the world who examine foreign language education from general requirements through advanced literature and film courses to study abroad, showing how to enable the success of students with disabilities every step of the way.

ENDORSEMENTS "This book is a conduit for students, teachers, and teacher educators -- a carefully guided path to making language learning not only possible, but meaningful and fun " --Marjorie Hall Haley, PhD, Board of Directors of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), Director of Foreign Language Teacher Licensure, George Mason University "Professor Konyndyk has developed a foreign-language pedagogy that makes students' deserts bloom. Foreign-language instructors and special educators will find themselves grateful to her for this contribution. --Lynn E. Snyder, PhD, CCC-SLP, Professor Emerita and Former Director of the Center for Language and Learning, University of Colorado at Boulder "Though I was told for such a long time 'No, you can't, ' you constantly were a voice saying 'Yes, you can and you will.' You not only helped show me that the world of language is one that is possible for me, but you also showed me the way that we . . . can have such a positive impact on the lives of others." --a personal note from one of Irene's own at-risk students ABOUT FOREIGN LANGUAGES FOR EVERYONE "This book is about how I learned to teach a second language to those who either have failed before or were not really given a chance to succeed. I wrote it to help others to be smart, productive teachers of foreign languages to students with learning disabilities. The book called me. My life journey prepared and inspired me to write it." --Irene Brouwer Konyndyk, from her preface Foreign Languages for Everyone is based on Professor Irene Brouwer Konyndyk's careful study and classroom experience teaching foreign languages effectively to students with learning disabilities. The goal of serving at-risk students became highly personal for Irene when she realized that her own daughter had a learning disability but could succeed academically with the right combination of multisensory learning experiences. This is a wonderfully practical and inspiring book loaded with practical tips and pedagogical insights for successfully teaching foreign languages to children, young people, high school and college students, and older adults who have difficulty learning a second language. ABOUT IRENE AND HER FREE ONLINE RESOURCES Irene Brouwer Konyndyk has taught languages at all levels -- from elementary through college. She received the Calvin College Innovative Teaching Award for her groundbreaking work developing a successful curriculum for at-risk second-language learners. She leads workshops across North America. Her free website, FOREIGN LANGUAGES FOR EVERYONE, provides: (1) downloadable copies of book-related appendixes, forms, and lesson plans, (2) illustrative video and audio clips, (3) news about important developments at the intersections of special education, learning disabilities, and foreign-language instruction, and (4) a community for second-language instructors to share best practices. TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) This book is ideal for educators and volunteers who teach English as a second language (ESL).

This essential book offers clear guidelines for determining if the Culturally Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students / English Language Learners (ELL) in your general education classroom are experiencing typical language differences, learning disabilities, or both. By combining helpful case-studies with insightful research, the authors provide a framework for differentiating instruction that uses culturally appropriate interventions to build upon student strengths while creating a foundation for further learning and achievement. You will discover how to: Connect your own and your students’ cultural assets to classroom content; Review language acquisition stages and design corresponding instruction; Collaborate with peers and discuss the realities of reaching out for support and problem solving; Choose effective and appropriate instructional strategies based on documentation of data through progress monitoring; Move from a traditional behavioristic perspective to a more culturally responsive perspective; Identify patterns in formal assessments and informal instruction in order to distinguish between language differences and learning disabilities. In addition, the book includes a number of activities and graphs that can be implemented immediately in any classroom. Many of these materials can be downloaded for free from the book’s product page: www.routledge.com/9781138577756.

Based in cutting-edge research in neuroscience, education, and the principles of attachment-based teaching, this important guide for parents offers tools and practices to help children transcend language-based learning difficulties, do better in school, and gain self-confidence and self-esteem. If your child has a language-based learning difficulty—such as dyscalculia, dyslexia, and auditory processing disorder—they may have to work twice as hard to keep up with their peers in school. Your child may also have feelings of frustration, anger, sadness, or shame as a result of their learning differences. As a parent, it hurts to see your child struggle. But the good news is that there are proven-effective strategies you can learn to help your child be their best. This book will show you how. Helping Your Child with Language-Based Learning Disabilities outlines an attachment-based approach to help your child succeed based in the latest research. This research indicates that a secure attachment relationship between you and your child actually optimizes their learning ability by enhancing motivation, regulating anxiety, and triggering neuroplasticity. In this book, you’ll discover why it’s so important to accurately assess your child, find new perspectives on LBLDs based on the most current studies, and discover tips and strategies for navigating school, home life, and your child’s future. Most importantly, you’ll learn how your own special bond with your child can help spark their interest in reading, writing, and math. Every child is unique—and every child learns in his or her own way. With this groundbreaking guide, you’ll be able to help your child thrive, in school and life.

"The first half of this book examines the commercial, social, and political implications of American monolingualism. The second half of the book explores the techniques and tools that a working professional can use to acqure functional skills in a new language."--Back cover.

The lives of students with disabilities need to be told in ways that inform preservice teachers about the work involved to legally and morally meet the needs of these students. Hearing the positive and negative experiences of students with disabilities from elementary through college can inform preservice teachers as well as potentially prevent them from repeating some of the same mistakes. The richness of the personal stories of these students and how their experiences can shape the future for students like them offers teachable moments for professors and preservice teachers to use in classrooms. Advising Preservice Teachers Through Narratives From Students With Disabilities heralds the stories of students with disabilities as they trace their journey from the PK-12 setting into university and adult life and addresses aspects that any new teacher must know in order to meet the needs of today's PK-12 classrooms. Covering topics such as social justice, virtual learning, and faculty convenience, it is ideal for preservice teachers, practicing teachers, administrators, professors, researchers, academicians, and students.