Assessing the Impact of Explicit Instruction for Polish Dyslexic Students Learning English

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of explicit instruction on English language acquisition among Polish students with dyslexia. Dyslexia, a learning disorder primarily affecting reading and language processing, presents significant challenges when learning English, a language with irregular orthographic patterns. The research aimed to assess whether structured, explicit instruction focusing on phonological awareness, orthographic rules, and vocabulary could improve English proficiency in this population. A quasi-experimental design was used, with 60 Polish dyslexic students aged 12–18 divided into two groups: an experimental group that received explicit instruction and a control group that followed the standard ESL curriculum. The explicit instruction focused on the systematic teaching of phonological patterns, decoding strategies, spelling rules, and reading fluency. Pre- and posttests were administered to measure reading, writing, and comprehension improvements, while student feedback was collected through surveys and interviews. Results showed that the students in the experimental group made significantly greater progress in reading accuracy, spelling, and comprehension compared to the control group. Moreover, students receiving explicit instruction reported higher confidence and motivation in learning English. These findings suggest that explicit instruction effectively teaches English to dyslexic learners, offering crucial insights for ESL curriculum development and teacher training. The study concludes that explicit, structured teaching methods can significantly enhance the language acquisition process for dyslexic learners, highlighting the need for specialized interventions in ESL education for this group.