Learning Languages: Experiences of Learners with Disabilities, Special Educational Needs, and Their Teachers

In many parts of the world, it is not a person’s native language but an additional one that is used for education, work, or entertainment. This is true in many European countries, where people need to learn English as an additional language if they wish to participate in educational programs or enter the workforce across diverse fields. In other parts of the world, Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, or other languages may serve a similar role.The need to learn a second language (SLA) is well recognized in many educational programs, including those designed for students with special educational needs. However, to date, research on the experiences of persons with diverse additional needs as learners of second languages remains limited. The strongest body of literature concerns the field of surdo-glottodidactics: the methodology of teaching and learning additional languages by deaf and hard of hearing persons (cf. Domagała-Zyśk, Podlewska, Moritz 2021; Domagała-Zyśk, Selackova, Tothova 2026; and others).Goals, methods, and forms of teaching have been well described, and the needs of DHH students have been extensively documented. New developments, such as digital cochlear implantation and the use of AI in interpreting services, point to emerging areas that require further investigation. However, comparable research has not been undertaken or described as extensively for other types of special needs.The goal of this Research Topic is to explore the experiences of persons with diverse learning needs in additional language learning. The research questions may include the following:1. What are the learning experiences of students with diverse needs, including disabilities, as additional language learners?2. Does this experience depend on age, geographical context, or schooling characteristics?3. What is the role of motivational and personal factors in language teaching and learning?4. Do language enjoyment, hope, well-being, and language anxiety play a significant or marginal role in this process?5. What methodological approaches could be recommended for learning an additional language to read, write, listen, speak, discuss, and negotiate?We are primarily interested in research-based papers from diverse geographical contexts. We recognize that learners with disabilities and special needs are often hard-to-reach populations, so submissions may be based on case studies or biographical interviews. The aim of this Research Topic is to encourage more research activity in the field of special, additional, and diverse educational needs and disability, especially in the context of accessible additional language learning. Topic editors: Ewa Domagala-Zysk, Katarzyna Karpińska-Szaj, Jitka Sedlackova Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79333/learning-languages-experiences-of-learners-with-disabilities-special-educational-needs-and-their-teachers