Helping teachers to include children with special educational needs in the primary language classroom

Abstract

One of the challenges facing primary school language teachers is the adaptation of the language syllabus to suit the needs of all of their learners, including those with special educational needs. Research into inclusion of such learners in the regular classroom has shownthat adequate support for both child and teacher is essential if a child is to be successfully included in any educational program. A recent study undertaken in Brisbane sought to gain a better understanding of how language teachers deal with inclusion and to assess the level of support available to them in this regard.