If You Don't Know Where You're Going, You'll Wind up Somewhere Else: The Case of "Foreign Language Learning Disability"

Autor/in	Sparks, Richard L.
Titel	If You Don't Know Where You're Going, You'll Wind up Somewhere Else: The Case of "Foreign Language Learning Disability"
Quelle	In: Foreign Language Annals, 42 (2009) 1, S.7-26 (20 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0015-718X
DOI	10.1111/j.1944-9720.2009.01005.x
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; Learning Problems; Learning Disabilities; Second Language Learning; Language Skills; Language Aptitude; Evaluation Criteria; Identification; Educational Policy; Required Courses; Language Teachers; Second Language Instruction; Language Tests; Scores; Classification; Low Achievement; Intelligence Quotient; Academic Failure + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lernproblem; Learning handicap; Lernbehinderung; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Language skill; Sprachkompetenz; Sprachbegabung; Spracheignung; Identifikation; Identifizierung; Politics of education; Bildungspolitik; Pflichtkurs; Language teacher; Sprachunterricht; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Language test; Sprachtest; Classification system; Klassifikation; Klassifikationssystem; Unterdurchschnittliche Leistung; Intelligenzquotient
Abstract	Despite the lack of empirical evidence, the term "foreign language learning disability" (FLLD) has become popular in the learning disabilities (LD) and foreign language literature. I contend that there is not a unique "disability" for foreign language learning and suggest instead that foreign language skills run along a continuum of very strong to very weak foreign language learners. To support my positions, I review problems with the definition and diagnostic criteria for LD. Then, I cite problems with the development and use of a logically consistent, easily operationalized, and empirically valid definition and diagnostic criteria for the FLLD concept and explain how proponents of this "disability" misuse the foreign language aptitude concept. Last, I detail implications for identifying students who exhibit foreign language learning problems, address policies that permit students to obtain waivers from or course substitutions for foreign language requirements, and describe issues hidden from foreign language educators because of the LD and FLLD concepts. (Contains 4 notes.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10