Central auditory processing disorders (CAPD) are deficits in the neural processing of auditory information in the central auditory nervous system. They affect about 2–7% of school-aged children (Musiek, 1990). These disorders are more commonly diagnosed in children, especially in the first years of primary school. Central auditory processing disorders are a type of hearing disorder, but they are not similar to hearing loss. CAPD are difficulties in the perceptual processing of auditory information in the central nervous system as demonstrated by poor performance in one or more auditory skills (ASHA, 2005). CAPD have a negative impact on a child’s development as may cause difficulties in learning, speech, language, social, and related functions. Due to the inappropriate reception of speech sounds, and difficulties in their reproduction and understanding, children may have problems in learning language, e.g. learning and remembering vocabulary and correctly pronouncing words. Additionally, it may further result in incorrect or even lack of communication effect. Finally, undetected and untreated CAPD adversely affects the child’s quality of life. Early diagnosis and therapy of CAPD are crucial and have a positive impact on auditory training on acquiring reading and writing skills as well as learning the second language.

In 2009, the Minister of National Education Regulation of 23 December 2008 on Core Curricula for Pre-school and General Education (Journal of Laws of 2009, No 4, item 17) in particular types of schools was introduced. It was a moment when the attention to special educational needs (SEN) has been paid to in Polish schools. In 2016, the new version of the Act of 14 December 2016. Education Law was published (Journal of Laws of 2017, item. 59). That Act guarantees equal access to every type of schools for students with disabilities, social maladjustment, and those at risk of social maladjustment. Next, current regulations are the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 14 February 2017 (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 356), with adjustments in 2023 (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 312). Special education in Poland is organized for children with deafness/hard of hearing, blindness/visual impairment, motor disabilities, including aphasia, autism (including Asperger’s syndrome), multiple disabilities (at least two of the disabilities listed above), as well as for intellectual disability, social maladjustment and at risk of social maladjustment. Other difficulties, such as central auditory processing disorders, which are not listed in ICD-10 (current classification in Poland) could not be treated as special educational needs (yet). The 11^th version of the ICD classification will be introduced in Poland till 2027. To have some extra classes and other help from the school, a certificate of special educational needs is required. It is issued by psychological and pedagogical counseling centers. At the school, psychological and pedagogical assistance is provided, such as therapeutic classes, didactic-educational classes, corrective-compensatory classes, etc. (Zelazowska-Sobczyk et al., 2024).

This presentation aims to propose pilot teaching solutions to gain students’ attention, help in better recognizing and understanding speech and other auditory information, and, at the same time, help them to be aware of correct pronunciation. The measuring tools for children's progress evaluation will be also discussed. Recommendations from the perspective of inclusive education are also discussed.

Due to the lack of support from the government, children with CAPD and their parents are without any official help. It is interesting, that there are only few studies discussing the issue of learning and teaching English as a second language to CAPD students, including the evaluation of their achievements and progress, among those there are some case studies (Veselovska, 2015; Bieńkowska & Polok, 2019). It might suggest that supporting materials for teaching (and learning) English as a second language among children with CAPD are not available or limited. Due to that, we decided to propose a pilot teaching solution – the Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) toll, created by our team. Our study was divided into two steps. First, to evaluate the learning difficulties, especially language learning difficulties, the questionnaire study was performed. We analysed 60 questionnaires filled in by parents before the listening training called the Stimulation of Polymodal Sensory Perception about development, other abilities, and difficulties in learning languages of their children. Secondly, children were enrolled in an additional training module of English language. Our research group consisted of 25 school-aged children, who learned English, English & German, English & Spanish, or English & Russian. Most children obtained grades D or C, only 21% – B or A. Before starting the English training, children filled in the pretest focused on listening skills, grammar, and vocabulary. Then, they had three series of five days each of listening therapy, with a four-week break between every series. After every training day, they had 15-30 minutes of English training, using MALL technology. During the four-week breaks from the listening therapy, they still received audiovisual materials. After completing the training, students filled in the post-test to evaluate their progress. Based on the questionnaire study and results from the pretests and the posttests, we proposed recommendations for teaching foreign languages, especially English, in children with central auditory processing disorders. Recommendations were based on the perspective of inclusive education. We are aware that a larger study group is necessary to obtain. However, the questionnaire and pilot study helped us to rethink the inclusion and exclusion criteria and redevelop the research methodology.

The questionnaire results show that over 90% of parents reported foreign language difficulties in their CAPD children, especially in English. Children have such difficulties: problems in focusing, foreign language anxiety, difficulties in learning vocabulary, using grammar rules in practice, and understanding auditory information. 93% of respondents see the need to offer additional learning support to children with CAPD in training their listening skills and listening attention. Secondly, the results of the pretests and post-tests show an improvement in English fluency among children with CAPD after listening therapy. In conclusion, foreign language learning difficulties have often been reported in children with central auditory processing disorders. Secondly, support teaching materials, based mostly on MALL technologies, gamifications, and audiovisual materials, and focused on listening skills, are necessary. Finally, the proposed solution for learning English as a foreign language in children with CAPD may be an additional module of many listening therapies.

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