PRACTICAL CASE STUDY: Inclusion, accessibility and universal design for learning in the area of English in a Year 5 Primary classroom in a rural school

PART A — EXTENDED-RESPONSE CASE STUDY

SCHOOL CONTEXT

The case study takes place in a Colexio Rural Agrupado (CRA) located in the comarca of Terra Chá, in the province of Lugo. The sociocultural setting is of a medium-low level, with an economy based mainly on farming and extensive livestock rearing, rural tourism and small local businesses. The school stands out for its strong roots in the community, its outstanding natural surroundings and a solid commitment to sustainability and the 2030 Agenda. It is a Galician-Spanish plurilingual school (Decreto 79/2010), with an English bilingual section, in which Galician is the predominant language of the area and the language of instruction for a large proportion of the pupils.

We are in the third term of the school year. The teaching team has set as a priority objective the development of interdisciplinary projects that connect pupils' learning with the conservation of the local natural environment.

CLASS GROUP

The class group on which the intervention is carried out is Year 5 of Primary Education, organised as a single class in this section of the CRA, with a total of 14 pupils. As the pupil-teacher ratio is low, the classroom climate is very close-knit and affectionate, although there is considerable heterogeneity in terms of learning paces and levels of linguistic competence in the foreign language (English), which range between an initial A1 and a developing A2 according to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

PUPILS

Within the group, three diverse profiles are identified that require differentiated educational attention:

• Hugo (pupil with NEAE arising from Learning Difficulties - Dyslexia): He has a recent diagnosis of developmental dyslexia. He shows significant difficulties in reading decoding, in English spelling (owing to the phonological opacity of the language) and in the processing speed of written texts. His listening comprehension and his motivation towards communicative and hands-on tasks are excellent. He requires an educational response based on ordinary measures of attention to diversity focused on the accessibility of texts, visual scaffolding and flexibility in assessment instruments.
• Antía (pupil with NEAE arising from High Intellectual Abilities): She shows great curiosity, a very fast learning pace, excellent communicative competence in English and considerable leadership skills. She tends to become demotivated if tasks are repetitive or excessively guided. She requires curricular enrichment through extension tasks and roles involving mediation or active creation.
• Brais (pupil with ADHD - inattentive subtype): He has difficulties in sustaining attention, planning complex tasks and organising his space and materials. He benefits enormously from clear routines, instructions broken down into steps, visual support and the use of hands-on and interactive digital resources.

RESOURCES AND TEACHING STAFF

The following human and material resources are available for the development of educational practice:

• Foreign Language (English) specialist: Responsible for the design, implementation and assessment of the teaching programme.
• Therapeutic Pedagogy (PT) teacher: Provides support within the mainstream classroom for 2 hours a week, coinciding with the English sessions, which facilitates shared teaching and co-teaching in order to attend to the diversity of Hugo and Brais.
• Language Assistant: A native speaker, present in the classroom 1 hour a week to enliven activities involving oral interaction and production.
• Material resources: A trolley of digital tablets with an internet connection, an Interactive Whiteboard (PDI), a range of hands-on materials and an organic school garden adjoining the classroom.

EXTENDED-RESPONSE QUESTIONS

1. UDL design and implementation / Ordinary measures: How would you design and sequence a learning situation in this third term (for example, the creation of a digital, interactive "Eco-Guide" to local flora and fauna in English) that incorporates the ordinary measures of attention to diversity for Hugo (dyslexia) and guarantees the active participation and enrichment of all pupils (including Antía and Brais) under the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? Pay particular attention to the specific methodological strategies for teaching English as an L2 in this context.

2. Competence-based assessment: Propose a detailed design of the assessment process for this learning situation in the area of Foreign Language (English), specifying the Galician curricular assessment criteria that are mobilised, the instruments of formative, shared and process-based assessment adapted to the needs of the pupils (Hugo, Antía and Brais) and the levels of achievement required to ensure a fair, barrier-free assessment.

PART B — 30 MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

Question 1. In accordance with the Real Decreto 157/2022, which establishes the minimum requirements for Primary Education, how is basic knowledge defined? a) It consists of the learning objectives expressed in terms of observable, measurable behaviours at the end of each cycle. b) It consists of the compulsory minimum contents that must be memorised sequentially in each of the areas of knowledge. c) It consists of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that make up the contents of an area and the learning of which is necessary for the acquisition of the specific competences. d) It consists of the assessable learning standards that determine pupils' academic performance.

Question 2. Within the framework of the LOMLOE, which of the following options best defines the purpose of Plurilingual Competence? a) To use different languages, spoken or signed, appropriately and effectively for learning and communication. b) To master the grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation of at least two foreign languages in a native and identical manner. c) To translate complex texts in writing between the mother tongue and the languages of instruction of the school. d) To know the philological history and etymological origins of the languages of the European Union.

Question 3. According to the attention to diversity legislation of Galicia (Decreto 229/2011 and Orden de 8 de septiembre de 2021), what mainly characterises ordinary measures of attention to diversity? a) They are extraordinary measures aimed at pupils with NEE which involve significant curricular adaptations and schooling in specific units. b) They are ordinary measures aimed at a class group or at an individual pupil, methodological or organisational in nature, which do not alter the essential elements of the curriculum. c) They are whole-school general measures aimed at raising the awareness of the educational community and at organising communal spaces. d) They are additional specialised support measures delivered exclusively outside the mainstream classroom by professionals from the health sector.

Question 4. The Decreto 79/2010, de plurilingüismo en la enseñanza no universitaria de Galicia, has an impact on the school language sphere by promoting: a) The imposition of a single compulsory language of instruction for all the non-linguistic areas of the Primary curriculum. b) A balanced distribution of the official languages (Galician and Spanish) as languages of instruction in teaching, guaranteeing competence in both and promoting foreign languages. c) The complete removal of the foreign language from the first cycle of Early Childhood Education. d) The obligation for all science subjects to be taught exclusively in English from Year 3 of Primary Education onwards.

Question 5. According to the Real Decreto 157/2022, what are assessment criteria? a) The operational descriptors that indicate the level of digital competence attained by teaching staff. b) The quantitative marking tools used to award a numerical grade for a pupil's record. c) The methodological guidelines for the design of supplementary activities outside the school. d) The reference points that measure the degree of acquisition of the specific competences and the degree of attainment of the objectives of each area.

Question 6. In accordance with the LOMLOE, the assessment of pupils in the stage of Primary Education shall be: a) Global, continuous and formative, and shall take into account pupils' progress across the whole set of learning processes. b) Summative, final and punitive, focused on standardised written examinations at the end of each term. c) Homogeneous and uniform, applying identical scales with no possibility of adaptation or methodological flexibility. d) Selective and classificatory, with the aim of grouping pupils according to their academic performance from the first cycle onwards.

Question 7. In the Decreto 155/2022, which establishes the organisation and curriculum of Primary Education in Galicia, the specific competences of the areas are closely linked to: a) Traditional contents divided strictly into conceptual topics. b) The operational descriptors of the exit profile of pupils on completing basic education. c) The tutorial action plan and the school's internal regulations. d) The entrance tests for compulsory secondary education.

Question 8. In the design of a learning situation, the challenge or final task set out must be characterised by: a) Being a mechanical exercise of direct translation and memorisation of irregular verbs. b) Being a real-life problem or activity, contextualised, meaningful and requiring the integrated mobilisation of basic knowledge. c) Being limited to an individual multiple-choice test on paper under strict time conditions. d) Being unrelated to pupils' interests in order to guarantee the scientific objectivity of the subject matter.

Question 9. According to the LOMLOE, in which year of Primary Education will schools carry out a diagnostic assessment of the competences acquired by their pupils? a) In Year 2 of Primary Education. b) In Year 3 of Primary Education. c) In Year 4 of Primary Education. d) In Year 6 of Primary Education.

Question 10. The exit profile of pupils on completing basic education, according to the RD 157/2022, constitutes: a) The specification of the essential learning and key competences that pupils must have acquired and developed on completing basic education. b) An administrative document that is only completed for pupils who present learning difficulties. c) A list of quantitative grades for the core areas of the final year. d) The digital portfolio of artistic work produced throughout a pupil's schooling.

Question 11. Which of the following options describes the components of the "4 Cs" model in the CLIL approach (Content and Language Integrated Learning)? a) Context, Creativity, Collaboration, Comprehension. b) Content, Communication, Cognition, Culture. c) Curriculum, Classroom, Control, Correction. d) Cohesion, Coherence, Competence, Communication.

Question 12. For a pupil with dyslexia (such as Hugo) who is learning English as an L2, which approach to teaching reading and writing has the strongest scientific backing? a) The global reading method based solely on the visual memorisation of whole words (whole language). b) The multisensory, structured phonics approach (Multisensory Structured Phonics), which explicitly links phonemes, graphemes and gestures. c) The repetitive, individual copying of lists of decontextualised vocabulary. d) Prolonged silent reading of complex texts with no kind of scaffolding or audio support.

Question 13. The Total Physical Response (TPR) method, developed by James Asher, is didactically grounded in: a) The association of listening comprehension with physical action and bodily movement before verbal production is required. b) The exclusive learning of English grammar through the translation of physical education texts. c) The use of moderate corporal punishment to correct pronunciation errors in the classroom. d) The priority development of reading and writing through handwriting and fine motor worksheets.

Question 14. In foreign language teaching, what is meant by "scaffolding" in oral production tasks? a) The immediate, systematic correction of any grammatical error made by the pupil. b) The provision of temporary supports (such as sentence starters, visual aids and key vocabulary) in order to guide the pupil's production. c) The carrying out of individual oral examinations with no prior preparation and in a high-pressure environment. d) The exclusive use of the teacher's mother tongue to explain the most complex syntactic structures.

Question 15. Which of the following instruments is the most appropriate for carrying out a formative, shared assessment of the speaking skill in an English project in Year 5 of Primary Education? a) An objective written test involving filling in gaps with the correct verb form. b) An illustrated self-assessment and peer-assessment rubric, with clear descriptors of achievement known to the pupils in advance. c) A checklist that records only the number of pronunciation errors made. d) A final oral examination involving the direct translation of isolated sentences in front of the teacher.

Question 16. According to Stephen Krashen's "Comprehensible Input" hypothesis (i + 1), the English teacher must provide pupils with: a) Texts and discourse well below their current level in order to avoid any hint of frustration. b) Linguistic input containing elements that are one step beyond their current level of competence, supported by context and visual elements. c) Exclusively native audio materials at natural speed and with no methodological adaptations from the very first day of class. d) Lists of abstract grammatical rules explained theoretically in the pupils' mother tongue.

Question 17. The Communicative Approach (Communicative Language Teaching) in English teaching mainly promotes: a) The precise memorisation of the formal structures of the language and their choral repetition. b) The use of the language in real contexts in order to carry out meaningful interaction, prioritising fluency and effective communication. c) The literal translation of classic Anglo-Saxon literary works into Spanish or Galician. d) The learning of English phonetics through the transcription of symbols from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

Question 18. In the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) methodology, what is the correct sequence of phases in a session or teaching unit? a) Examination - Theoretical explanation - Repetitive exercises. b) Pre-task - Task cycle - Language focus (post-task). c) Reading of a text - Written translation - Memorisation of vocabulary. d) Warm-up - Individual test - Final written grade.

Question 19. The role of the Language Assistant in the Primary Education classroom should focus mainly on: a) Completely replacing the English specialist, taking on the tutorial role for the group and the grading of pupils. b) Carrying out administrative tasks such as marking written examinations and preparing photocopies in the department. c) Enhancing pupils' oral communicative competence, modelling natural pronunciation and bringing pupils closer to sociocultural aspects of their country of origin. d) Delivering lectures on historical grammar in the sessions where the specialist is not present.

Question 20. In foreign language reading comprehension, the "scanning" strategy consists of: a) Reading a text quickly in order to obtain an overview or general idea of its overall content. b) Translating the complete text line by line, noting down the meaning of every word in a bilingual dictionary. c) Searching quickly and selectively for a specific piece of information (such as a number, a name or a date) in the text. d) Reciting the text aloud, paying attention exclusively to intonation and phonetic rhythm.

Question 21. According to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, pupils in Years 5 and 6 of Primary Education (approximately 10 to 12 years old) are generally in the transition between: a) The sensorimotor stage and the preoperational stage. b) The concrete operational stage and the formal operational stage. c) The intuitive stage and the symbolic stage. d) The stage of heteronomous morality and that of social anomie.

Question 22. Lev Vygotsky defines the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) as: a) The physical space for free play in which pupils interact without the presence or supervision of an adult. b) The distance between the level of actual development (what one can do alone) and the level of potential development (what one can do with the help of a guide or a more capable peer). c) The genetically determined limit of intelligence that prevents a pupil from learning a foreign language. d) The period of childhood in which egocentric speech disappears completely.

Question 23. According to Jerome Bruner, the concept of the "Spiral Curriculum" implies that: a) Fundamental topics and concepts must be taught repeatedly over time, progressively increasing their level of complexity and depth. b) The curriculum must be strictly circular, repeating exactly the same contents year after year with no variation. c) Pupils must study contents in a disorderly, random manner according to their mood on any given day. d) Arts subjects must be the pivot around which the remaining subjects revolve in a subordinate manner.

Question 24. Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences suggests that the English teacher should: a) Classify pupils by means of a single Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test in order to group them into homogeneous levels of performance. b) Focus L2 teaching exclusively on linguistic-verbal intelligence through traditional written tasks. c) Offer a variety of pathways for learning and expression (musical, spatial, bodily-kinaesthetic, interpersonal, etc.) so that all pupils can access the curriculum. d) Avoid the use of songs, drawings or movement activities on the grounds that they are a waste of academic time.

Question 25. According to David Ausubel's theory of Meaningful Learning, for this type of learning to take place it is essential that: a) The pupil receives the information in a purely rote, repetitive manner without understanding its usefulness. b) The new information is related in a substantive, non-arbitrary way to the prior knowledge that the pupil already possesses. c) The teacher applies a strict system of rewards and punishments of a behaviourist nature. d) Activities are always carried out individually and in complete silence in the classroom.

Question 26. In the integration of digital technologies in the area of English, the SAMR model (developed by Ruben Puentedura) proposes four levels of technological integration, which are: a) Selection, Adaptation, Mediation and Realisation. b) Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition. c) Software, Application, Multimedia and Networks. d) Simplicity, Accessibility, Motivation and Rigour.

Question 27. In order to work on ODS 15 (Life on land) in the area of English in a rural CRA, the teaching strategy most consistent with a competence-based approach is: a) To require pupils to copy and translate a Wikipedia text on global deforestation. b) To design an action-research project in which pupils create bilingual posters to protect the biodiversity of their own natural surroundings. c) To memorise a list of 50 words in English about types of exotic trees from the Amazon rainforest. d) To watch a two-hour documentary in English with no subtitles and no scaffolding activities before or afterwards.

Question 28. Which of the following actions effectively promotes coeducation and gender equality in the foreign language classroom? a) Using traditional textbooks in which women appear represented solely in domestic caring roles. b) Organising debates in which leadership and spokesperson roles are assigned equitably, and giving visibility to the contributions of women scientists and writers from English-speaking countries. c) Physically separating boys and girls in the classroom in order to avoid conflicts during role-plays. d) Assuming that the use of the English language is intrinsically neutral and requires no critical reflection on stereotypes.

Question 29. In accordance with the Ley Orgánica 3/2018 (LOPDGDD) de protección de datos personales y garantía de los derechos digitales, in order to publish a video of pupils performing a play in English on the school website: a) It is sufficient to have the direct verbal authorisation of the participating pupils on the day of the recording. b) It is essential to have obtained beforehand the express, written and informed consent of the parents or legal guardians of children under 14 years of age. c) It may be published freely, as it is a compulsory school activity included in the teaching programme. d) It is enough to pixelate only the face of any pupil who presents learning difficulties or specific needs.

Question 30. From the perspective of Neuroeducation applied to the Primary classroom, authors such as Francisco Mora stress that: a) The brain only learns that which moves it emotionally and which meaningfully arouses its curiosity and attention. b) The sustained attention of a 10-year-old child can be maintained optimally during theoretical explanations lasting more than 60 minutes at a time. c) The learning of a second language must be based on stress and assessment pressure in order to accelerate brain plasticity. d) Physical movement and positive emotions interfere negatively with the consolidation of long-term memory.