Challenges in the English as a foreign language teaching-learning process for a student with autism spectrum disorder and their English teachers

Abstract

The present study aims to analyse the inherent challenges in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching-learning process when involving a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their teachers. A quantitative approach was used with a non-experimental, descriptive, and cross-sectional research design. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 26 pre-service teachers enrolled in the Pedagogy of National and Foreign Languages program at the UTC Pujilí Campus which consisted of three dimensions such as: knowledge of ASD specific strategies, teacher perceptions of training of ASD students, practical challenges in an EFL classroom with ASD students. The results indicate that the pre-service teachers perceived a lack of training in ASD-specific didactics, as well as educational inclusion, and the need for personalized curricular and methodological adaptations. The analysis reveals that the main challenges center on managing social interaction, understanding abstract instructions, and handling sensory overload. It is concluded that overcoming these obstacles requires integrating special education into initial teacher training and implementing strategies based on visual support, structure, and predictability.