Learning disabilities affect the ability of the child to perform well in the classroom. The case study presented shows a student with dyslexia, a learning disorder characterized by difficulty reading and writing. Several factors, directly and indirectly, affect the success of such a student in their learning environment. The discussion will focus on several fundamentals, including the Christian Worldview, instructional strategies, and the impact of language, culture, and family background on learners with disabilities such as dyslexia. Students with learning disabilities require support and care. Stakeholders must create enabling conditions that compensate the learners and allow for their success.
Christian Worldview
The Christian worldview is a crucial consideration for the professional practice of educators. Educators have an essential role in teaching the student and preparing them to become crucial members of society. The student remains a critical stakeholder in the education process. Therefore, the teacher has a moral responsibility of teaching the student in a manner that best fits their strengths and interests. The educators must also work hard to guarantee the growth and potential of the learner. The case study above demonstrates a child with a learning disorder known as dyslexia. The student experiences immense difficulties, including the inability to focus and difficulty with spelling and expression. The teacher has a critical role in identifying the weaknesses of students and playing to their strengths. Educators must manipulate the learning environment to meet the diverse needs of students with inherent problems. The Bible in Psalm 32:8 says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." Teachers must receive inspiration from this verse while working with less advantaged students. Educators must show empathy and work to strengthen the needs of students with difficulties.
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Educators must continuously demonstrate their devotion to serving students in a way that glorifies God. Christians are expected to treat individuals equally despite the differences they might exhibit. The Bible advises against favoritism or special treatment to some students. Teachers should also act as positive role models for their students and ensure that they grow up to become responsible persons. The book of Proverbs provides another significant implication for educators. The verse says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart it" (Proverbs 22:6). The Christian worldview emphasizes the vital role that teachers have in caring for others. Educators must care for their students and work with them to achieve their objectives. Caring for students also enables teachers to understand their various strengths and weaknesses. Through this, teachers will continually incorporate the students' interests, thereby allowing the learners to achieve their goals with relative ease.
Impact of Language, Culture, and Family Background
In the case study, Rita uses English as her primary language. However, she considers Spanish as her first language. Despite speaking English, Rita experiences difficulty understanding the written version. Language has a vital role in influencing the learning of students. Recent statistics show that the United States has about 10.1% of English language learner (ELL) students (Kanno & Cromley, 2013). Such students use English as their second language. Schools in the US use English as the language for instruction. Minimal understanding of the instructional language adversely affects their learning process. Language is a cultural component without which integration becomes difficult. Students with inadequate English language skills are less likely to interact with others due to communication barriers. Poor language predisposes the learner to self-esteem problems that could adversely affect their performance in the classroom.
Besides language, culture has a significant impact on the learning of a student. Culture is defined as a set of attributes, values, and principles that determine behavior. The student in the case study is from El Salvador. Therefore, she emanates from the Hispanic culture. Most curriculums in the world are informed by cultural aspects such as symbols, shapes, and stories. For instance, a Hispanic student has higher chances of relating to stories from their specific culture. A Chinese student will only appreciate and understand course materials if the symbols are familiar with what he knows. Educators are, therefore, encouraged to develop cultural-sensitive education (Luykx et al., 2007). Standardizing instructions makes it difficult for foreign students from a minority culture to experience learner specific education. Similarly, the assessment and evaluation processes must take into consideration the specific cultural needs of the people. Most importantly, learning institutions must consider the value of cultural diversity. Students feel comfortable and confident in environments where they feel accepted regardless of their cultural differences.
The third aspect of consideration is family background. Family background is a multidimensional aspect that assesses the family's economic, social, and educational credentials. The economic background of a student affects their education in many different ways. Without adequate financial resources, the learner will not attain the best educational resources required for success (Li & Qiu, 2018). Students from well economic backgrounds can afford quality educational materials and attend the best schools leading to better performance. The social background of an individual addresses aspects such as culture, beliefs, and religion. Some cultures and religions emphasize the importance of educational attainment hence promoting the education of the student (Li & Qiu, 2018). The educational attainment of the parents is another crucial aspect of family background. Well-learned parents are more likely to ensure that their students acquire similar education and training. However, the same is not necessarily true for parents with low education.
Instructional Strategies
The student described in the case study primarily has dyslexia. Therefore, the strategies to use should revolve around improving the learner's attention and reading abilities. Educators must employ praise and motivation as the primary method of getting the best out of these students. Students with dyslexia face problems with their confidence and self-esteem. They have significant mental barriers that affect their abilities to perform and achieve. Teachers must pay close attention to the need for re-establishing the much-required self-confidence (Robson, 2014). For instance, students should receive praise for small achievements. The students will regain little bits of confidence and self-esteem to engage more in classroom activities. Secondly, teachers will need to employ assistive technologies to assist in the education of the student. Most dyslexic students experience a wide array of problems, including difficulty concentrating, poor handwriting, and slow note-taking. Dyslexic learners have various forms of technologies at their disposal. For example, the text-to-speech tool enables the computer to read aloud text documents (Dawson et al., 2019). Students can use technologies to support note-taking, reading, learning, spelling, and writing. Thirdly, the educator must encourage the use of the structured literacy approach. In this case, literacy instruction will improve the child's phonology, syllable, syntax, semantics, and sound-symbol association.
Conclusion
Teaching dyslexic students and other persons with learning disabilities requires a holistic approach. The Christian worldview emphasizes the importance of valuing the learners and treating them with equality. Teachers need to show their students love, affection, and care. The assessment also shows that language, culture, and family background are crucial for the influencers of their education. Each tenet has a direct impact on the learner's physical and psychological well-being. Lastly, the assessment demonstrates that educators should support dyslexic learners using various technologies and motivation strategies.
References
Dawson, K., Antonenko, P., Lane, H., & Zhu, J. (2019). Assistive technologies to support students with dyslexia. Teaching Exceptional Children , 51 (3), 226-239.
Kanno, Y., & Cromley, J. G. (2013). English language learners' access to and attainment in postsecondary education. Tesol Quarterly , 47 (1), 89-121.
Li, Z., & Qiu, Z. (2018). How does family background affect children’s educational achievement? Evidence from Contemporary China. The Journal of Chinese Sociology , 5 (1), 13.
Luykx, A., Lee, O., Mahotiere, M., Lester, B., Hart, J., & Deaktor, R. (2007). Cultural and home language influences on children’s responses to science assessments. Teachers College Record , 109 (4), 897-926.
Robson, L. (2014). Additional help, additional problem–issues for supported dyslexic students. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262010750_Additional_help_additional_problem_-_Issues_for_supported_dyslexic_students
