Main Challenges Neurodivergent Learners Face in Foreign Language Learning

Autism Spectrum Condition:

• Social communication difficulties: Struggling with pragmatic aspects of language like turn-taking, idioms, and cultural nuances.

• Sensory sensitivity: Noise, group activities, or unpredictable classroom dynamics can be overwhelming.

• Literal interpretation: Difficulty understanding metaphor, humor, or indirect language often present in foreign language learning.

• Anxiety with speaking tasks, especially oral assessments or group work.

ADHD:

• Attention and focus: Difficulty concentrating during grammar-heavy lessons, and struggling with multi-step tasks like sentence building.

• Impulsivity: Interrupting or jumping ahead in conversations.

• Working memory: Trouble retaining new vocabulary, tones (in tonal languages like Mandarin), and grammar rules.

• Organisational challenges: Keeping track of learning materials, assignments, and study schedules.

Dyslexia:

• Phonological processing difficulties: Hard to link sounds to symbols, especially challenging with characters and tones in Mandarin.

• Visual processing difficulties: Difficulty distinguishing similar-looking characters, strokes, or word order.

• Working memory issues: Difficulty holding sounds and meanings together, which affects reading and listening.

• Slow reading and writing speed, making timed tasks difficult.

Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder):

• Handwriting and motor issues: Struggling to write complex characters (stroke order, accuracy).

• Organizational difficulties: Planning and structuring speaking and writing tasks.

• Sequencing difficulties: Affects sentence construction and following grammar rules.

Dyscalculia (less discussed in language learning but relevant):

• Memory and sequencing difficulties: Struggling to learn numbers, dates, or anything involving sequential steps.

• Potential overlap with difficulties in learning grammatical structures that require sequence.

What Has Been Addressed So Far?

• Some research and training on supporting dyslexic learners in learning foreign languages (mostly alphabetic languages like French and Spanish).

• Growing awareness of adapting classroom strategies: e.g., multi-sensory learning, scaffolding, using technology, chunking information, and explicit grammar instruction.

• Practical guides for inclusive classrooms are often general, not language-specific or tailored to Mandarin.

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approaches are suggested but rarely implemented systematically in language teacher training.

• Some specialized tools and resources for dyslexia (e.g., color overlays, reading software), but fewer for ADHD, autism, or dyspraxia.

• Focus on reading and writing difficulties—less on speaking, listening, or social-pragmatic language issues.

• Little available on supporting tonal language learning (e.g., Mandarin, Cantonese) for neurodivergent learners.

• Limited research on Mandarin learning specifically for neurodivergent students, though a few small studies highlight tonal learning as a challenge for dyslexic learners.

The Gaps We Aim to Address:

• Lack of specific research on Mandarin learning for neurodivergent learners.

• No widely available toolkit for Mandarin teachers to support neurodivergent students — practical, ready-to-use, evidence-based.

• Little training for Mandarin teachers on differentiated teaching for neurodivergent learners, despite rising SEND/ASN diversity in classrooms.

• Lack of strategies for supporting working memory, sequencing, and phonological challenges in tone-based language learning.

• Gaps in inclusive assessment design—oral assessments, reading tests, and character writing often exclude or disadvantage neurodivergent learners.

• There is a need for teacher training modules that include case studies, real-life classroom strategies, and inclusive task design.

• Lack of research-informed guidance on reducing sensory overload and anxiety in language classrooms for autistic learners.

• Need for collaborative communities of practice to support teachers navigating these challenges.

Note: This blog was co-written by ChatGPT, my digital brainstorming partner, and me. I used it to help organise ideas, clarify structure, and find concise ways to express what I wanted to say.