English in secondary schools : including students with autism

Abstract

Malta has a bilingual educational system which presents great challenges to students with autism who have difficulties even in acquiring a first language. Most of these students are educated in mainstream classrooms together with other children their age in order to maximise their chances of inclusion in society. This study attempted to identify the challenges and possibilities faced by students with autism in the learning of English in Maltese secondary schools. The main focus of the research was on language learning and social as well as academic inclusion. The study investigated the progress of three students with autism in three different secondary schools. Research data consisted of observation of these students during the English lesson, complemented by interviews with teachers, facilitators and parents. It was found that the level of achievement in language depended more heavily on the child's level of communicative competence. However, the level of progress was greatly influenced by the attitudes and skills of their teachers and facilitators. Finally, it is recommended that the staff working with these students should be more aware of the latter's needs and of the infinite possibilities in which they can be of help to them within a comprehensive environment.