Dyslexia and EFL examinations – case closed?

Abstract

This article discusses how the Method of Multiple Interactions with the Text may be applied to EFL examination preparation of dyslexic candidates. The method, originally dedicated to teaching literacy and reading comprehension skills to Polish learners (Pawłowska 2002), is particularly effective if combined with multisensory stimulation. The open-cloze task, which tests awareness of collocation and complexities of grammar, poses considerable problems for dyslexic learners. Therefore, the article presents a battery of exercises of Multiple Interactions with the Text which may facilitate the acquisition of grammatical structures and word combinations frequently tested in EFL examinations. The exercises appeal to different senses and give many opportunities to preserve the input material in the learner’s long-term memory, which, in turn, may influence positively their performance in EFL tests.