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 English Language Teaching; Vol. 13, No. 5; 2020
ISSN 1916-4742 E-ISSN 1916-4750
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education

Lazy or Dyslexic: A Multisensory Approach to Face English Language

Learning Difficulties
Yanilis Romero1,2
1
Institución Educativa Antonia Santos, Montería, Córdoba, Colombia
2
Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Atlantico, Colombia
Correspondence: Yanilis Romero, Cra 32 # 35-09 Urbanización Mi Refugio, Montería, Córdoba, Colombia.

Received: March 25, 2020 Accepted: April 18, 2020 Online Published: April 21, 2020
doi: 10.5539/elt.v13n5p34 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v13n5p34

Abstract
An investigation was conducted to help weak academic English learners in a public high school in Colombia, as
they seemed to be facing a learning specific difficulty called dyslexia. A focus group of ten students from ninth and
tenth grade was the beneficiaries of the design, implementation, and assessment of five multisensory activities to
help students decrease their struggles while learning the foreign language (English). For the present action research,
five activities were applied during two academic terms (six months) where students were taught verbs, grammar
rules, question words, and minimal pairs to help them do better while reading. Outcomes showed that low
academic students tend to have a better performance when teachers target multisensory activities to assist them in
their learning process related to grammar within the English sessions. Color-coded activities help low achieving
students to exercise and remember more easily as senses are engaged while learning, reading exercises are better
approached if their workload is split into smaller quantities compare to regular learners.
Keywords: dyslexia, low academic performance, multisensory activities
1. Introduction
In Colombia, the teaching of a foreign language (L2) such as English in most public schools starts when a child
reaches the sixth grade and continues until the eleventh. In other words, a student has six years of school
instruction within which to learn a foreign language. This seems to be a reasonable amount of time to effectively
master the language, but most learners end up with only a basic level of English while others do not even reach the
minimum goal (Ministry of Education, 2016). The process of learning a foreign language needs to be a joyful
experience where students and teachers feel empowered and enthusiastic. However, it is common knowledge
that not all students in a classroom are interested in learning English and there could be a great number of
reasons why: the methodology, the time, the type of activities, and even the kind of teacher. When having
uninterested learners, teacher's thinking might run to perceive “those learners are lazy”, or simply “do not like
the subject”. It is uncommon that some teachers feel invited to analyze why some students seem reluctant to
learn something that other learners consider easy to handle.
In the case of English, educators (mostly in public schools) teach schoolchildren grammar and skills to enable
them to learn English as a language that will eventually be used to communicate ideas. However, when
instructing them, there is little awareness of the possible specific learning differences and the special needs of
students, as the planning of a class is just one for the whole class. That is why not all lessons are effective for the
hundred percent of students as there might be pupils whose performance is affected by a learning disorder. For
instance, dyslexia, which is one specific learning difference that is not easily perceived at school or home.
Dyslexia can be easily disguised with silence and poor performance which might be confused with laziness or
reluctance.
Approximately 21,6% of students between seven and eleven have learning difficulties (Gallo, 2017). This
number might seem to be meaningless but in a school with 2200 students, the amount becomes significant.
Students targeted with dyslexia need extra help while learning and teachers need to provide it. Unfortunately, the
current Colombian government does not provide any special assistance for students with specific learning
differences, and most of them are taught under the same methods. Currently, Colombian public schools lack
specialists who can diagnose dyslexia in students’ mother tongue. Such circumstances worsen the reality for these

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learners dealing with a foreign language. Within educational centers, there is no help for dyslexic children to be
guided through a medical path to overcome the need. The complexity of the situation needs teachers to increase
their awareness to find ways to promote assertive foreign language learning for those students in need.
The purpose of this research was to design, implement and analyse a series of multisensory activities to provide a
focal group of ten low academic performing students with an engaging learning environment to improve their
English academic performance.
2. Literature Review
This study based the definition of dyslexia taken from the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Illnesses (DSM-V) compared to the DSM-IV (American Association of Psychiatry, 1998) conceptualizes it as a
specific disorder of reading learning, which includes slow reading speed, and difficulties in understanding texts.
Another definition underlying this proposal is that dyslexia can be described as a language-based learning
disability, from the severity of reading, writing, and spelling (Elbeheri, 2006). Subsequently, other definitions of
dyslexia are provided though the concept adopted by this study is the one given by the American Association of
Psychiatry in 1998 stated above.
2.1 What is Dyslexia
Dyslexia can have several definitions depending on the group of academics/specialists who argument knowledge
on the subject, indeed the concept of dyslexia varies from being a condition to a completely diagnosed illness
with symptoms.
Some of these concepts include:
The Research Group on Developmental Dyslexia of the World Federation of Neurology in 1996 stated that
dyslexia are: “a disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to read despite conventional instruction, adequate
intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity. It depends on fundamental cognitive disabilities, which are
frequently constitutional in origin” (Ott 1997, pg. 3).
In 1995 Lyon stated dyslexia as “one of several distinct learning disabilities. It is a specific language-based
disorder of constitutional origin characterized by difficulties in single word decoding, usually reflecting
insufficient phonological processing.” (page 4). That is to say that dyslexia are closely related to language
learning, which means that reading and comprehension of written texts can be implicated.
Lyon (2003) offered an updated concept acknowledging that dyslexia has evolved since the last time he
addressed the issue. In 2003 he stated that “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in
origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and
decoding abilities”. (Lyon, 2003, pag:)
Because of the multiple definitions of dyslexia nowadays, this study will adopt the definition as stated by the
International Dyslexia Association (IDA) which argues that “Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability.
Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills,
particularly Reading”. This conceptualization allowed us to play with the proposal of different multisensory
games to better address the target students’ needs. Given that dyslexia are characterized by a reading problem
and that according to Guzmán (2007) in Colombia there are 60% with reading and writing problems, it is
possible to think that said population is afflicted by dyslexia disorder, but what to do? To meet the needs of
students with dyslexia disorder a decade ago, a model called “The Orton-Gillingham (OG)” was designed, which
is a multisensory instructional model characterized by learning that uses the visual, auditory, tactics and
kinesthetic (Ritchey & Goeke, 2006). Currently, this model can be implemented with adaptations and
adjustments to determine its effectiveness once teachers in Córdoba know their proper execution. It should be
noted that this model has been a benchmark for research over the last decades in developed countries. Some of
these investigations revealed the importance of the use of the senses in the teaching of literacy. Investigators
Simpson, Swanson, et al (1992) conducted studies with juvenile offenders, instructing them only 45 minutes
twice a week in their house arrest. Positive results were reported from this study where the focus group obtained
significant gains in reading.
2.2 Dyslexia in English Language Teaching and Learning
Since dyslexia is a condition that affects language processes (learning) it might be complex to address if a person
with dyslexia is forced into an educational system that encompasses students with varying abilities in the same
pattern of teaching and learning.

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Some of the main underpinnings’ scholars have released in terms of foreign language learning for dyslexic
students has to do with the fact that the nature of the disability itself does not quite help learners to deal with written
texts effectively. Another key factor is related to the teaching methods teachers use once they are in the classroom
(Schneider, 2009). The aforementioned factors might have great repercussions in the foreign language learning of
dyslexic students as their foreign language opportunities should be shaped differently due to their condition. Ott
(1997) claimed that dyslexic students might not be good learners of foreign languages since they can “make
stumbling attempts at gaining proficiency with a second language” (pg.187).
In this sense, teachers’ role recovers great importance as learning opportunities for dyslexic students need to be
provided differently.
2.3 Multisensory Model
In 1994, Dooley proposed a new model called Multisensory Integrated Reading and Composition (MIRC) for high
school students, which was based on teaching reading and writing through multisensory strategies. The model was
welcomed with positive impact demonstrating that the students treated with it had significant gains in terms of text
comprehension. Oakland, Black, et all (1998) examined the OG-model based on a remedy program known as
Dyslexia Training Program (DTP) in which a comparative study of instruction was made through the teacher and
others through video. The results of an intervention group and a control group were analyzed showing that the
experimental group obtained better performance in terms of text comprehension and reading production. Existing
models with a multisensory approach have been effective in other contexts. This research proposes the design of
multisensory activities effectively help learners learn new vocabulary, understand some grammar rules and gain
strategies that can be helpful when dealing with reading comprehension texts. Multisensory activities provide a
pedagogical framework that contributes to the development of skills and learning chances.
3. Method
3.1 Research Design
The current investigation is qualitative and emerged from observational processes carried out in different groups of
ninth and tenth graders at Antonia Santos School in Monteria. Students’ lack of motivation and low production and
performance in the English subject were two issues detected to be affecting the students’ academic performance.
Since the main reason that prompted the genesis of this research was the concern of a great number of students
facing difficulties while learning English, a reflective process was carried out to design, analyze and evaluate a set
of strategies related to the teaching and learning of this foreign language. The set of strategies designed consisted
of five different multisensory activities. Bearing in mind the aforementioned, this study fits into the action research
approach because it was based on a classroom intervention carried out by two English teachers to propose a
possible solution to attend a particular issue that was taking place in the classroom. As Nunan and Bailey (2009,
p.227) state: “action research represents a particular stance…in which the practitioner is engaged in critical
reflections, on ideas, the informed application and experimentation of ideas in practice, and the critical evaluation
of the outcomes”. For this particular case, the reflection, the experimentation, and the critical evaluation were
carried out with a focus group of 10 students from Antonia Santos high School. Kemmis and McTaggart (1994)
also expressed that Action Research refers to a cycle of actions that teachers as researchers can take in order to
improve their practice. The ultimate purpose of this research is to propose a possible solution into a context after
going through a cycle of successive arrangements to help learners as well as the teacher to have a positive impact in
students’ English learning process.

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Figure 1. Action Research Nunan & Bailey, 2009

Figure 1 above shows the process taken to spark this investigation. In the problem identification: It was possible to
find students’ poor academic performance and the possible cause (Dyslexia). In the thinking and planning stage,
the researcher took students’ viewpoints to design the multisensory activities based on learners needs and proposed
the activities. In the third cycle the set of multisensory activities were implemented and the apparent outcomes of
the actions are being reported while the final reflections are being considered to eventually proceed and start the
cycle over and keep improving students’ academic performance as well as their learning processes. The action
research method in this piece of work helped the teacher to operationalized a plan and evaluate the effects of the
plan over the teaching and learning process of the target population.
3.2 Context and Participants
This research project was implemented in a public school called Antonia Santos. This school is located in Monteria,
Colombia. It is 52 years old and has gradually developed during the last 20 years. Nowadays Antonia Santos
includes all levels of education: nursery, primary, secondary and high school. The current population of the school
is approximately 2200 students coming from low-income families in the south of the city.
Currently, Antonia Santos complies with the requirements demanded by the Colombian Ministry of Education and
as a result, it has been twice awarded national recognition as an ongoing developing school due to the progress it
has recently shown. Since 2014, the national government has been trying to ensure inclusive education for students
countrywide. However, these efforts have had little or no success with students with specific learning differences
since all of them are taught in the same way and there are no differentiated instructions for those kids who struggle
with different subjects including English as a foreign language. The majority of learners have little access to study
resources, hence, public schools must become a safe place where it is ensured that students can learn, gain and
share knowledge. Antonia Santos was chosen for this study because of the organized processes they have and its
positive attitude to welcome projects to transform teachers’ practicum.
For this study, a focal group of 10 students (two girls and eight boys), whose ages ranged between 14 and 16, were
chosen under the parameter of being considered uninterested to learn English as a foreign language. From the
target population, four of them were students who have formerly failed the previous grade (repeaters). To select the
10 students that would be part of the focus group, a user-friendly written checklist identified students who struggle
while learning, was provided to other teachers.
3.3 Researchers’ Role
The role as a researcher is described by Burns (1999) cited in Valencia (2012, p.28) who summarizes the
researcher’s role as follows: “the researcher investigates questions in a systematized way, collects and analyzes
data including his own observations and reflections, articulating theories, discussing his research with some
colleagues to validate his findings and data interpretations”.

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Throughout this study, the researcher played several roles. Firstly, the researcher was a participant observer who
identified classroom problems by collecting data to formulate a research question. Secondly, the researcher’s role
turned into a planner and a designer of the activities to be used during the intervention, and responsible for guiding
the students to get along with the activities designed. In the following stage, the role of the researcher changed
becoming facilitator and mediator, who provided the necessary input and support for the successful use of the
handouts in the implementation. In the final stage, the researcher compiled all the data collected to draw
conclusions and provide an answer to the research question bearing in mind, not just the data gathered through the
intervention process, but comparing and articulating personal findings with previous studies and the literature
available.
3.4 Data Collection Instruments and Procedures
To gather data for this research project, three classroom observations with a duration of 120 minutes each, three
informal interviews carried in Spanish and five sets of multisensory activities were used to elicit relevant
information. Before and after using the multisensory activities, students from the ninth and tenth graders groups
were randomly selected to be interviewed. The purpose of these informal interviews was to gather useful
information for the future design and implementation of the multisensory sets. Interviews (five) made while the
intervention process had the purpose to assess the impact of the use of multisensory activities and how to improve
the activities to passive effects on future learners. During the intervention stage, five sets of multisensory
card-activities were carefully designed taking into account the observation process and the information obtained
through the informal interviews that took place before the intervention. During a time of six months, the learners
had to use the cards to work on different tasks.
The validity of the vocabulary quizzes used in the intervention process was verified by enclosing the design to
point out the objectives proposed and the purpose of providing the focus group of 10 possible dyslexic students
with an engaging learning environment. Three steps were developed during the research study. The first step
consisted of, a reflective process developed by the researchers acting as participant observers having
opportunities to reflect on the difficulties of the students chosen in regards to their learning process. This
reflection and observation process was complemented by some data gathered through five informal interviews
held with some of the participants.
During the second step, five sets of multisensory activities were designed and applied for the pedagogical
intervention. The analysis that could be drawn from the use of these activities provided useful information that
was used later in the analysis and reports that emerged from this project. In the last step, the researchers had the
opportunity to reflect and continue doing a deeper analysis of the impact on working with multisensory activities
to improve learning English as a foreign language. During this step, five informal interviews took place to listen
to the opinion that the students had after being exposed to this dynamic of learning.
3.5 Design and Validation of Instruments and Procedures
In any study, it is important to revise the tools that are used to gather and evaluate the data. To validate the
instruments, it is necessary to verify whether the tools elicit the information for which they were mainly
designed to. To achieve this, all the instruments used in the research (interviews, checklist referral, and
multisensory activities) were carefully revised to assure reliability and validity. Preliminary data was gathered
through observation and informal interviews with some of the participants, which unfolded learners the
opportunities to express their learning-preferences and their learning difficulties, among other relevant aspects.
Furthermore, in the intervention stage, English learning was tested through some reading comprehension
exercises after the use of some multisensory activities. Finally, informal post interviews were applied to the
participants to allow them to state their opinions and views on the use of multisensory activities and their
possible progress after the implementation of the project.
4. Results
This research project prompted to design and implement a series of multisensory activities, to provide a focus
group of ten dyslexic students with an engaging learning environment to improve their english academic reading
academic outcomes.
A chronogram was followed to carry out the process of the action research method in the cycles of planning
where it was possible to design of multisensory activities, the implementation cycle where the teacher-researcher
used of the activities while observing the deceptive changes and finally the analysis or reflection cycle. In each
stage, some tools were used to gather different types of data. See Table 1 below:

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Table 1. Pedagogical Intervention and Implementation

Stage Time length Activity

-Selection of students: Teachers refer

students to the project. Observation (see
appendix 1) and use of a checklist (see
appendix 2)
2 weeks
-Interview with the students: The purpose of
this interview was to identify what type of
activities were best to address students’
Design of multisensory needs (see appendix 3).
activities
-Analysis of the interviews: Studying
students’ responses and decide the type of
activities to design.
2 weeks - Designing of activities: Vocabulary (time
markers, wh-questions) Phonology/
pronunciation (Minimal pairs).
Grammar/verb Pictionary

English sessions: Implementation of verbs

and wh-words (See appendix 2). Reading
4 weeks exercises to practice the lexis learned.
Evidence: Assessment of reading activities
and comprehension questions

English sessions: Use of minimal pairs to

reinforce sounds, teach homophones and
4 weeks meaning. Color-coded pairs.
Implementation of the 5
sets of multisensory Evidence: Assessment of reading out loud
activities passages, lines or a paragraph

English sessions: Teaching of time markers

and differencing verb tenses.
4 weeks
Evidence: Assessment of reading exercises
with different grammar tenses

Use of real-like images to describe

4 weeks situations. To label them according to a short
text. Organize pictures accordingly.

Analysis data and students’ academic

Analysis of the performance (card reports from school)
effectiveness of 4 weeks
multisensory games Interviews: With students and parents.
Assessing effectiveness

Note: Columns are describing the stage, the time and the activities carried out during the research cycle of the
research.
Each phase described in the table above gives an account of the period invested in each of the action research
cycle presented by the research.

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To nurture the phase of thinking and planning 10 randomly-chosen students from three groups of ninth and two
of tenth respectively were interviewed with interview # 1 (See appendix 1). From which was seen, that 9 out of
ten manifested to like the English class. Regarding the activities, students revealed to like the activities proposed
by the teacher in the foreign language sessions. In terms of academic performance, only half of the sample said
they were doing well in the English class, unknown were the reason why others said their achievement in the
class was regular. Despite this, no one admitted to having problems with the class, the idea of having 50 % of
them saying they felt not good students seemed to be critical. Concerning the activities and aspects of the
language, students wanted to improve, eight of them marked: vocabulary related to wh-words, verbs use and
time markers. Others (2) chose grammar: use of third person and adverbs. The skills of the language,
interviewees stated wanted to hinder were reading and some pronunciation.
As a result, the sets of multisensory cards were designed to closely relate to what the interview unfolded with the
needs of the students. The activities needed to be multisensory, where the use of hands, ears and other senses. To
offer broader lenses to understand the activities and the way they were used, see the description below.
4.1 Activity #1 Wh-words
Description of the activity: ten cards containing wh-words were designed. The front part had the word in English
and the backside had the meaning in Spanish. This activity was implemented during the foreign language class
twice a week. The tutor had the opportunity to offer to the target population an exploratory session of the
material before it was used in class. Then, involved students were paired up to work (ask and answer verbs and
meaning) with the cards. Each of them had a set of their own.
4.2 Activity # 2 Verbs
Thirty was the number of verbs that the research project proposed for the target learners. Verbs were illustrated
to facilitate students’ learning process. The teacher explained the pronunciation as well as the usage, assisted by
motions to promote the use of ears, eyes, mouth. This type of execution allowed the learner to use the senses.
Students had to study verbs three times a week and use the set of cards while English was taught.
4.3 Activity # 3 Time Markers
Twelve time-markers were chosen to help learners distinguish among sentences or phrases written in the present,
past, and future. These time markers were color-coded in black, yellow and red. The color was not exactly
matched with the tense (present/past/future) but related to a category to easily remember this lexis. Interestingly,
when using time markers twice a week, learners could also state verbs in the past and present mostly. The
technique of the activity was to pair students up, in other words, in pairs students got to ask and answer, what
was the meaning, plus the tense of the expression.
4.4 Activity # 4 Minimal Pairs
To strengthen some pronunciation, ten sets of minimal pairs were designed with the purpose to reinforce some
vowel sound similarities and differences when pronouncing words. The activity proposed learners to repeat
sounds. Learn how to distinguish between each set. Each of the two words is given a number: one (1) or two (2).
Learners had to say one (1) or two (2) once they heard the word, the teacher pronounced. This activity required
learners to train their ears to identify the words, show fingers indicating the quantity according to the sound they
thought the teacher said. The frequency of the implementation of this activity was twice a week.
4.5 Activity # 5 Real-like Images
Ten images were printed from local pictures taken by the researcher. The images showed a familiar context
where the colors, faces and landscape was related to students’ reality. The use of the pictures in the proposed
activity was for learners to describe what they saw, or what they thought what people or things in the photo
would do in the future or the past. Every student had the opportunity to describe a different picture in every
encounter (three times a week). The teacher made corrections if the students made mistakes. During the last
week of the implementation of this activity, while one student was describing the pictures, others were writing or
trying to write complete sentences from what they heard in the description.
It is important to highlight that during the pedagogical intervention, the teacher played the role of facilitator,
guide, and manager of the multisensory activities, supporting the students in the different needs they could have
to use effectively and have fun when using the sets of multisensory sets of cards and activities. The teacher’s role
is in correspondence with the action research method proposed in the piece of work.

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5. Discussion
Highlights from the implementation of this research project unfold the idea that low academic students tend to
have a better performance when teachers target multisensory activities to assist them in their learning process
related to grammar within the English sessions. Evidence was exposed when four of the five participants
manifested while being interviewed that learning the verbs and their use aided them to do better in the English
sessions. Fact that evidently showed a progress in their english academic performance. The feeling of achievement
came back to the learners when they could recognize verbs, sounds and the words that facilitate their
understanding of what the tutor was teaching about. A contrary fact of what was taking place at first when the
observations were made.
During the cycle of problem identification, it was perceived that the teacher prepared one single activity, which
involved basic instruction and long texts. During this stage, an uninterested attitude towards the English language
learning was also noticed, despite students’ manifestation of a good taste for the class. The cycle of
implementation shed to light that students in this study were not lazy but possibly mistreated under the idea that the
former teaching process needed no adjustments but students needed a change of attitude.
With regards to color-coded activities, they helped low achieving students to exercise and remember more easily
as senses were engaged while learning. In other words, if learners are engaged within an environment that allows
them to use hearing, speech, touch, sight, it is more likely that learners enjoy what they are learning. As a result,
their attitude and mood would be positive when approaching the lessons as well as the activities proposed. The
aforementioned is stated since all of the learners questioned in the after implementation interview claimed that
multisensory activities and colors were helpful for them to learn and to appreciate what they were doing. The
previously mentioned fact also revealed that multisensory activities effectively helped learners do better in
activities related to reading which contributed to a big portion of students’ assertive attitude when lessons were
developed. Subsequently, students’ academic performance mutated until it became better and motivation raised
after the implementation and use of multisensory activities.
Findings while implementing the research exposed that participants better approached reading exercises as their
workload was split into smaller quantities compare to regular learners. The fact to unbalance their reading
workload for this specific population was discovered as a collateral conclusion when learners stated that they did
not like reading activities because of their length. This modification was introduced obeying to the previously
indicated gap. The outcomes were positive as these learners improved their results when dealing with academic
reading exercises differently proposed by the teacher in the English class.
6. Conclusions
Low academic performance students might need extra help when learning a foreign language as their level of
achievement could be related to a kind of special learning need called dyslexia. As suggested after the
observation phase, the target population chosen had trouble dealing with some learning activities especially the
ones related to reading. Some of the causes could be the amount of lexicon they had gained, up to the ninth or
tenth grade. Despite this, learners did positive progress after having to use the activities proposed by the research.
Evidence of this, showed that activities involving more than one sense had a positive impact on the learning of
vocabulary related to verbs, wh-words and time markers.
Multisensory activities awaken the senses of poor academic students if they are used to address students’ need
and become integral part of the teaching and learning process in the English class. Another possible conclusion
could be drawn from the fact that learning vocabulary hinders students’ attitudes to approach reading activities
resulting in better numerical outcomes while the intervention phase of the present research.
The focus group is not proven dyslexic but it was proved that multisensory activities were beneficial to improve
students’ academic performance while learning a foreign language such as English.
Practical strategies to foster the learning of English seemed to assertively work in scenarios where students
gained awareness of what their needs might be and how to cope with their struggles. Hence, another significant
gain after implementing multisensory activities was that students could identify their metacognitive strategies to
approach learning.

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Schneider, E. (2009). Dyslexia and foreign language learning. The Routledge Companion to
Simpson, S.B., Swanson, J.M., & Kunkel, K. (1992). The impact of an intensive multisensory reading program on
a population of learning disabled delinquents. Annals of Dyslexia, 42, 54-66.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02654938
Valencia, E. (2012). Fostering self-efficacy strategies towards Intensive Reading in ten- year old students in a
blended English Language Learning Environment. Retrieved May 10th-2017 from
http://intellectum.unisabana.edu.co:8080/jspui/handle/10818/3193

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Appendices
Appendix 1

INSTITUCIÓN EDUCATIVA ANTONIA SANTOS

2016: “CON SENTIDO DE PERTENENCIA, LOGRAMOS LA EXCELENCIA”
MONTERÍA-CÓRDOBA
INSTRUMENTO DE APOYO PARA EL DIAGNÓSTICO ACADÉMICO
INSTRUCTIVO: Apreciado docente, atendiendo a lo observado usted coloque una X en cada uno de los
aspectos.
NOMBRE DEL ESTUDIANTE: ____________________________________GRADO: ______ EDAD:______

ALGU NAS CASI

ATENCIÓN NUNCA SIEMPRE
VECES SIEMPRE
1 No termina lo que empieza
2 Parece no escuchar
3 Se distrae fácilmente
Tiene dificultad en concentrarse en el trabajo
4
escolar o en actividades que requieran atención
Tiene dificultad para mantenerse
5
en juegos
IMPULSIVIDAD
1 Actúa sin pensar
2 Cambiar de una actividad a otra rápidamente
Tiene dificultad para organizar su trabajo motivado
3
por un impedimento cognositivo
4 Necesita muchas supervisión
5 Interrumpe las clases
Tiene dificultad para esperar su turno durante
6
juegos y ejercicios en grupo
HIPERACTIVIDAD
1 Corre demasiado y se sube sobre las cosas
Tiene dificultad para quedarse quieto y está en
2
continuo movimiento
3 Tiene dificultad para mantenerse sentado
Siempre se está moviendo como si estuviera
4
impulsado por un motor
COMPORTAMIENTO CON SUS COMPAÑEROS
1 Pelea, golpea, etcétera
2 No es querido por otros niños
3 Suele interrumpir las actividades de sus compañeros
4 Es líder, siempre diciéndoles a los demás que hacer
5 Molesta y pone apodos a los demás
6 Se rehúsa a participar en actividades de grupo
7 Se pone de mal genio fácilmente
Tomado de Annie Acevedo. En cómo funciona el cerebro de los niños.

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Appendix 2
Observation sheet
Class: __________________ Date: _____________________ Grade: ______________
 Check and describe
1. Low academic students’ performance and behavior
Positive_____________ Negative_____________ Neutral: ______________________
Description:

 Check and describe

2. Teachers caring about poor academic students’ performance and behavior in class
100: ___________ 80: _______________ 60: ______________ 40: ________________ 20: ______
Description:

Class activities
Activities are proposed: For everyone: Yes / No Differentiated for some students: Yes / No
Are reading comprehension activities proposed in the class: Yes ____ No ____
Do reading activities have: (Write yes or no)
Images: _______ Photos: ________ Bold words_____ Close questions_____ open questions: ___
Does the teacher check the comprehension questions: Yes ____ No ____
How (Please describe)
Description:

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Appendix 3
Interview #1
This interview applied during the exploratory phase
1. Te gustan las clases de inglés? Si ____ No _____ Porque?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. Te gustan las actividades de lectura que propone la clase de inglés?Si ____ No ____ Por qué?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3. Cómo es tu rendimiento académico en inglés?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4. Qué tipo de actividades crees que te ayudarían a trabajar mejor en la clase de inglés? (escoge tres)
a. Vocabulario de preposiciones
b. Vocabulario básico de intereses familiares
c. Gramática, reglas y auxiliares
d. Verbos y su uso
e. Gramática adverbios/ adjetivos/
f. Verbos modales
g. Vocabulario, marcador de tiempo
h. Vocabulario de wh questions
i. Vocabulario de partes de la casa, partes del cuerpo, objetos del salón
j. Gramática: reglas terceras personas
5. Qué aspectos del inglés quisieras mejorar?
k. Habla (Hacer dos o más oraciones en forma oral)
l. Escucha (Entender lo que el profesor dice)
m. Escritura (producción de párrafos cortos)
n. Pronunciación (algunos sonidos de vocales en inglés)
o. Leer (Textos cortos y comprender)
6. Crees que, si te dieran una ayuda extra, mejorarías tus resultados en inglés?

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Appendix 4
Entrevista #2 (Implementing the project)
1. Has encontrado útil el uso de las actividades de apoyo que te ofrecen extras en la clase de inglés?
Sí _____ No______
Como:
___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. Cuál de todas las tarjetas y de las actividades te ha parecido más útil?
___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. Cuál de todas las tarjetas y de las actividades te ha parecido la menos útil?
___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. Qué consideras has aprendido mejor gracias a las actividades realizadas con las tarjetas?
___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Appendix 5
Entrevista # 3 (After the project)
1. Crees que es útil ofrecerles a los estudiantes con bajo desempeño actividades de apoyo que en la clase de
inglés?
Sí _____ No______
Como:______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. Crees que si te dan un apoyo adicional durante las actividades de lectura especialmente te iría mejor?
Sí _____ No______
Como:______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
3. Qué es lo que más te ha gustado del proyecto?
___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. Qué es lo que menos te ha gustado del proyecto?
___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

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Appendix 6

Appendix 7

Appendix 8

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Appendix 9

Appendix 10

Copyrights
Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

48

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