A pilot study of children with dyslexia and learning foreign languages using 3D letters

Abstract

Children with developmental dyslexia find it challenging to learn a foreign language, as they often also have difficulties reading and writing their native language. In this study, we examined and assessed the intuitive recognition of the structures of Roman alphabetical letter expressions in children with developmental dyslexia to support their English learning. In the assessment, 18 participants who displayed difficulties in reading or writing English were examined in a comparative study of six types of 3D alphabetical letter expressions. The results suggest that the background color and the letter color combined in letter expressions affect the ease of recognizing the stroke orders of alphabets. Additionally, a questionnaire-survey was conducted among children with dyslexia to understand difficulties faced while learning native and foreign languages at school. Ten participants’ parents were asked about their children’s difficulties when learning native and foreign languages at school. Based on the relationship between Japanese and English acquisition, the survey showed that children with difficulties in reading and writing Japanese Kanji in elementary and junior high school also found it difficult to acquire English. Our results suggest that children who have difficulty acquiring Kanji, especially writing, also face difficulty learning English. Identifying children who experience difficulties in learning Kanji may allow them to receive English-learning support at an early age.