DOCUMENT RESUME ED 259 557 FL 015 115 TITLE The Foreign Language Learner with Special Needs. A Special Issue. INSTITUTION New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers. PUB DATE Jan 85 NOTE 26p. PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT Language Association Bulletin; v36 n3 Jan 1985 EDRS PRICE MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS Classroom Environment; *Classroom Techniques; Course Organization; interprofessional Relationship; Language Teachers; *Learning Disabilities; Professional Associations; Reading InstrUction; *Second Language Instruction; *Second Language Learning; Self Evaluation (Individuals); *Special Education; Student Needs ABSTRACT An issue of the journal devoted to teaching foreign languages to students with special educational needs, resulting from a New York State Board of Regents plan to requireforeign languages of all students, contains these articles: "A New Challenge: The Foreign Language, Learner with Special Educational Needs" (Harriet Barnett, John B.. Webb); "Editor's Comments" (John B. Webb); "Teaching the Slower Student" (Lenora McCabe); "Foreign Languages for the Learning Disabled: A Reading Teacher's Perspective" (Harriet Barnett); "Foreign Languages for Special Education Students: A Special Education Teacher Speaks," (Jeff Miller); "Teaching All Students: An Inventory of Teachers, Classroom Strategies for Self-Analysis" (Anthony Papalia); and "Concluding Remarks" (Nancy McMahon, John Underwood). Listings of the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers' officers and committee chairpersons for 1985 are also included. (MSE) ********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *****************************,***************************************** ts "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS U.5. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Points of view 01 opinions stated in this doru MATERIAL INMICROFICHE ONLY NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION ment do not necessarily roprosont official Nlc HAS BEEN GRANTED BY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION position or poky CENTER IERICI This document has 1)(1011 reproduced as 806),r4 Atictto received from the puhol) or oronaation SPECIALISSUE originating a TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." Language AssociationBu in New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers Liu\ VOL. XXXVI January 1985 No. 3 Crs LIN AlNew Challenge: The Foreign Language Learner (J With Special Educational Needs Harriet Barnett and John B. Webb Foreign language always has held a place in the The upsur'e in interest and demand for language curriculum of our State's schools. The study of a lan- study forced teachers to seek appropriate methodol- guage other than English traditionally was seen as a ogies and to turn to technology in their attempt to means for developing cultural and intellectual sophis- achieve their goals. Language labs, cassettes, video tication among students and an exercise which would recordings, computers, shortwave radios, and a host expand their minds. Indeed, to be in a language class of other kinds of equipment have been used to moti was a signal to others that a student held a place that vate students and improve their performance levels. was a cut above the average. Foreign language was, in Various techniques have been used to encourage short, a discipline for the intellectually superior and students to speak and use the language. socially elite who were to go on to advanced educa- While society's needs for people possessing lan- tion and enter the respected professions. guage competence and the accompanying methodolo- To be a student of foreign languages was a mark of gies and teaching tools were changing, so was the distinction, and even the teachers themselves boasted student body. It soon became apparent that, if those that they worked with only the very best students. In societal needs were to be satisfied, language programs fact, this aiways has been a motivating factor for would have to include a larger percentage of the stu- potential teachers of foreign languages. dent body. Today,thisalmost purelyacademic view of A discipline once reserved for the above-average language study has changed. The world wars, the need students had to alter its approach so as to not only ;) conduct business across international boundaries, achieve communicative competence but to achieve it e eff Irts to attain and preserve a climate of peace- among the average as well as above-average students. tul co -ation among nations, and the arrival of Teachers also have accustomed themselves to working r.rmigrants on our shores have given rise with both groups of students. to a demar:c1 for communicative and cultural compe- Enhanced awareness of the need for communica- tence among a larger segment of our nation's popula- tive and cultural competence has given rise to man- tion. The demands of the latter half of the 20th dates which call for ALL students to achieve a certain century have created a need for these comptencies level of proficiency in a foreign language. Further- which transcends the academic realm. Pursuit of our more, a close look at the culturally and linguistically disciplineis now motivated by pragmatism rather plural nature of our society and the globally interde- than pure intellectualism. To meet the new demands, pendent posture which all nations are being forced to schools turned to methods that would not just assume, clearly indicates that every sector and every expand the mind and elevate the tastes, but would socioeconomic stratum of our society will require produce students capable of understanding and speak- these competencies in order to function successfully. ing the languages they were studying and of function- This means that the foreign language programs and ingwithintheirrespective linguistic and cultural the teachers offoreignlanguagesinour State's environments both here at home and abroad. schools must now be prepared to accomodate yet a Harriet Barnett, teacher of Spanisn and Fren,.h, Dobbs third segment of the student body those youngsters Ferry Union Free School District, Dobbs Fel -y N.Y. traditionally referred to as belowaverage. John B. Webb, Chairperson of Foreign Languages arid Herein lies the newest and perhaps the greatest ESL, Pomona Junior High School, East Ramapo Cen challenge. The teachers of foreign languages will now tral School District, Spring Valley, N.Y. be working with students: (continued on page 3) 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Language Association Bulletin A Publication of the New Ynfit State Association of Foreign Language Teachers Founded 1917 VOL. XXXVI January 1985 No. 3 Contents SPECIAL ISSUE: THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Flair iet Barnett and John B. Webb 1 A New Challenge: The Foreign Language Learner with Special Educational Needs John B. Webb 4 Editor's Comments Lenora McCabe 5 Teaching the Slower Student Harriet Barnett 7 Foreign Languages for the Learning Disabled: A Reading Teacher's Perspective Jeff Miller 9 Foreign Languages for Special Education Students: A Special Education Teacher Speaks Patil W. Wood 10 From the President 11 NYSAFLT Directory 1985 Anthony Papalia 19 Teaching All Students: An Inventory of Teacher's Classroom Strategies for Self-Analysis Nancy McMahon and John Underwood 25 Concluding Remarks Officers: Pres'de Editor: t: Paul Wood, St. Bonaventure University, John B. Webb, Pomona Junior High School S . naventure, Now York (1985) First Vice President: Shirley Sherburne, North Syracuse Editorial Board: Junior High School, North Syracuse, New York(1985) Harriet Barnett, Dobbs Ferry Middle School Second Vice President: Anthony beNapoli, Wantagh Sonja Karsen, Skidmore College High School, Wantagh, New York (1985) Kay Lyons, Half Hollow Hills High School Secretary: Nancy McMahon, Cazenovia High School, Edith Manne, Nazareth College Wantagh, New York (1986) Gioconda Marun, Fordham University Treasurer. Alice Werynski, Amherst Central Junior High Anna Nolfi Coordinator of Reviews School, Cazenovia, New York (1986) Anthony Papalia, SUNY at Buffalo Past President: Russell Webber, Penfield High School, Patricia Sweet, James Farley Middle School Penfield, New York (1985) Ranee Waldinger, City College CUNY Nancy Wallace, Orchard Park Central Schools Directors: Brenda Benzin, Benjamin Franklin Middle School Newsletter Editor: Philip A. Fulvi, Pace University Maryalice Seagrave, Buffalo Joseph Gersitz, Brighton Central Schools Adrienne Greenbaum, Cold Spring Herlor High School Advertising/Business Manager: Concetta Giuliano, Martin VanBuren High, School Robert J. Ludwig, 1102 Ardsley Road Andrew Harts, Peekskill Schenectady, New York 12308 Gisela Kapuscinski, SUNY at Stony Brook Edith Manne, Nazareth College Subscription to the Language Association Bulletin is in- Elaine Albero Mon, Dobbs Ferry High School cluded in membership in the NYSAFLT. Annual subscription Madeleine Ortoleva, Skidmore College rate for libraries is $20.00. Frances Raucci, Highid High School Articles submitted for publication must be typewritten Carol Reed, High C. VVilliams High School double-spaced and mailed to John El, Webb, editor, 36 West Richard Sinicki, Binghamton High School 11th Street, New York, New York 10011. Anne Sorrentino, Rome Free Academy Allrights reserved. No part of this journal may be re Leonard Symansky, ColumbiaGreene Community College produced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any Irmgard Taylor, SUCNY at Cortland form or