Provision of accommodated French Language Training for an individual with Dyslexia

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has a requirement for the services of a Contractor to provide accommodated French language training for an employee with learning disabilities associated with dyslexia.

The CRA Directive on Language Training states, “the CRA encourages and promotes learning and development of a second official language among its employees so that they may provide services to the public and other employees in both official languages, in accordance with the provisions of the Official Languages Act, and achieve their career expectations.” Accommodated full-time, one-on-one French language training is required to meet the language requirements of a bilingual position staffed on a non-imperative basis. The required training will assist the learner to achieve the “CBC” level in French as Second Language in accordance with the Public Service Commission standards (http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ppc-cpp/sle-els/cand-info-cand-eng.htm).

The CRA requires that a learning plan be developed and customized to the employee’s needs while keeping with the recommendations set out in the neuropsychology assessment. Among other components of the individualized training plan, the Total Physical Response (TPR) approach will be used. This method emphasizes vocabulary and syntax learning through thematic discussions using the following schemes:

• Verb tense discrimination ability (to learn to pick the right verb tense within speech context)
• Emphasis on comprehension (to acquire vocabulary and French rhythm through repetition)
• Direct structure acquisition (to develop the ability to move from one structure to another such as the interrogative versus the affirmative form)

  In addition, the Simultaneous Multisensory approach will be used. This method facilitates language learning for individuals with learning disabilities particular to dyslexia. It offers highly customized and diagnostically personalized accommodations to all individuals confronted with the challenges of learning a second language and embodies the development of phonemic and phonological learning techniques through the following schemes:

• Auditory and visual discrimination ability (to build and consolidate the sound/concept association)
• Emphasis on diction (to consolidate the French rhythm)
• Imageless direct word learning (to develop awareness of the French synoptic chart)