An academic intervention program for EFL university students with reading disabilities

In the past, students with learning disabilities who wished to attend university were unable to meet the entry requirements. With the progress of research in diagnosis, accommodation, and remediation of reading disabilities, many of these students are now able to attend and complete their academic and professional education. Yet in many cases the final obstacle in their pursuit of an undergraduate degree is their institution's foreign-language requirement. This article presents an intervention program specifically designed to cater to the special needs of university students with learning disabilities and their foreign language requirements. The program focuses on linguistic, cognitive, and metacognitive strategies for reading, along with an awareness of language specific features of English particularly relevant for the reading academic English texts. Success in reading comprehension promotes greater self-efficacy, an improved self-image, and the motivation needed to read foreign-language texts. Helping students feel good about themselves and the positive feedback from academic accomplishments are key components for future positive task performance. By monitoring their own progress throughout the course, students gain a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. These students, after their first experience of success, feel better equipped to meet the future academic challenges.