Abstract

Research was conducted on students with special educational needs (SEN) taking world language (WL) classes at the secondary level in the state of Utah. Ninety-two WL teachers shared their outlooks and experiences on working with this population of students. Data analyses show that there is not a significant increase in the number of students with SEN enrolled in WL classes. Analyses suggest that WL teachers have an average of two students with SEN per class, learning disability being the most common SEN identified. This study also shares teachers' successful and challenging experiences, finding that time and individual attention are examples of critical aspects for students' success. Additionally, the research shows that not all teachers have the professional or academic support to assist their SEN students. This research contributes valuable information for future studies in this field, such as the study of English Language Learners (ELL) categorized as students with learning disabilities because while their lack of English proficiency flags them as needing help, this need does not necessarily equate to a learning disability.

Degree

MA

College and Department

Humanities; Spanish and Portuguese

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2021-06-09

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd11662

Keywords

special educational needs, special needs, disabilities, world languages, special education

Language

english

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