With increasing globalization comes an increasing demand for bilingualism in the workforce. For those raised in primarily monolingual communities, greater need is placed on primary and secondary education for provision of second (or foreign) language learning. There is no question that early exposure is key for maximizing the opportunity to achieve fluency (if not mastery) of a second language and that the older the learner, the harder it is to reach that goal. Yet, there are also those learning a second language who face numerous obstacles, regardless of age. For example, a deaf individual learning a second language will naturally have very different experiences from those of a hearing individual. Additionally, an individual with dyslexia will be particularly hindered by the markedly opaque orthography of English, arguably the most common second language in the world. Importantly, the language-learning challenges that individuals with special needs face often reflect the paucity of research in and development of appropriate second language pedagogical methodologies. In other words, such individuals are at risk due in no small part to the lack of adequate consideration of their needs. However, they can and should benefit from the knowledge of a second language just as much as anyone else: As Helland puts it, “no one should be left out of education: it is for all” (p. 83).
The nine chapters of this edited volume focus on the language-learning process of some of those individuals for whom language learning is different or more challenging. Populations considered in this volume, from Canada, Hungary, Norway, Poland, the United States, and the United Kingdom, include primarily those with dyslexia and other reading disabilities; also considered are individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing or who have learning disabilities or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Language teachers’ views with regard to inclusive education programs for those at-risk learners are also addressed. Ultimately, the volume succeeds in helping to raise an awareness of the special needs of certain language learners.
