Country Studied: Bulgaria
Types of learning difficulties the Case Study is supporting:
- Social or emotional difficulties
- General or specific learning difficulties
- Neurodevelopmental difficulties
Aims and objectives of Case Study
This case study presents the experimentation of a training pack of material for initial teacher training, with a focus on foreign language teaching in Bulgarian primary schools. These training materials want to empower teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively manage diverse classrooms. This includes fostering an environment where all students, including those with Learning Difficulties (LD), can thrive and reach their full potential. This paper explores the pedagogical and methodological foundations, anticipated outcomes, and design challenges of inservice teacher training materials. Additionally, it argues for the necessity of such training within the Bulgarian educational landscape.
Short description of Case Study
A pilot teacher training program at University of Ruse, BG addressed the lack of confidence in handling diverse classrooms (surveyed in 2008/2009 among 22 student teachers). The survey revealed 97% lacked confidence and 80% felt unprepared for students with difficulties due to no prior training in special needs education. The training package, developed over 18 months, included a Training Handbook, with session aims, materials, and answer keys. Handouts for trainees encourage reflection 3 on teaching practices and building a diverse teaching repertoire. Individual tasks link to both, allowing self-evaluation. A glossary, core readings, and website resources provide further learning opportunities. The learning material focused on giving different inputs, namely: overview on different LDs (cognitive, emotional/behavioral, communicative, sensory/physical); skills to be developed by the foreign language teacher (affective dimension; personalisation of language learning; task difficulty modification and grading; material and tasks adaptation); development of learners’ learning to learn skills; use of ICT in the young learner foreign language lesson.
3 Key learning Principles that were used in this Case Study to support learners with LD
1. Skills-based approach – Used as basis of the training material because it empowers trainers to adapt materials to trainee needs and interests. This flexibility allows for experimentation and fosters active learning, encouraging trainees to take responsibility for their own continuous professional development.
2. Attention for the affective dimension – The training equips trainees to be effective communicators who value diversity and practice self-reflection. Teacher training’s affective dimension connects to language education’s interculturality. Language teachers bridge cultures, fostering not just language skills, but also understanding of diverse cultural practices and perspectives. This recognition of “otherness” equips future teachers with openness, curiosity, and acceptance – key qualities for approaching special needs education.
3. Pairing specific teaching techniques to general instruction – Apart from specific teaching techniques to respond effectively to the needs of students with LD, the training provides instruction on more generic teaching skills, to give the learning path a rounded content. These include: planning lessons and work units, including designing aims and objectives, sequencing activities, choosing materials, and pacing the lesson; classroom management, covering areas like environment setup, interaction patterns, instruction delivery, error correction, assessment, classroom language, and routine establishment.
Strategies used as part of Case Study
- Adapting instruction to various learning styles.
- Individualized Learning Plans.
- Guidance on creating and implementing individualized learning plans.
- Strategies for modifying or creating teaching materials to suit different abilities.
- Creating a positive and supportive classroom environment.
Other:
- Use of ICT for foreign language teaching.
- Development of learners’ learning to learn skills.
Results and impact
While creating the training material, the research group aimed to combine general language teaching methods with special needs education. Trainees would gain theoretical knowledge of various learning needs, develop openness and respect for diversity, and explore strategies for managing mixed-ability classrooms with learners who have difficulties. The training program emphasizes evaluating trainee knowledge and skills in a practical context, ideally through classroom performance with mixed ability classes. However, due to limitations, the program utilizes various assessment techniques like discussions, tutorials, and questionnaires testing theoretical knowledge and portfolio assessment. These methods are chosen for their effectiveness, adaptability, ability to provoke trainee interest, and flexibility for future classroom application.
Why can this Case Study be useful for the project research?
The study can be useful to the project’s development because it can provide crucial insights into effective methods for equipping teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to create a welcoming and supportive learning environment for all students, regardless of their abilities. By examining the training content, delivery methods, and assessment techniques used in the study, the project can identify best practices for preparing teachers to address the specific needs of students with LD in foreign language learning. This could involve strategies for differentiated instruction, scaffolding activities, and utilizing assistive technologies. Ultimately, understanding how to effectively train teachers is key to creating successful foreign language learning experiences for students with LD, fostering their language development and promoting an inclusive learning environment.
Transferability
The transferability of the training pack described in the paper can be ensured by two important pillars. First of all, the training pack emphasizes teaching skills aligned with the European Agency for Special Needs Education’s key principles (2003). This includes cooperative learning for communication and peer support, collaborative problem-solving for shared ownership, mixed-ability grouping for inclusivity, and individual planning for differentiated instruction tailored to all learners’ needs. This allows to give a common theoretical background that can facilitate the experimentation of such programs in other settings as well. The second element is 6 the already mentioned combination of generic teaching skills with specific LD-related strategies, that can apply to teachers’ education at all levels and in different countries.
Resources used as part of Case Study
The study can be found at the following link:
Critical issues
The document presents interesting findings and a valuable perspective on
understanding the training needs of foreign language teachers for primary school students with LD. In this regard, it would have been useful to have even more concrete examples of the materials used for the training and the techniques and strategies proposed to improve not only the teaching practice, but also the teachers’ level of confidence.
Any Additional Information or Resources
