Learning to read is a complex and demanding skill which is vital in order for children to be able to access a broad curriculum of learning within the school environment. Reading requires the integration of many different processes, it is possible that difficulties with one or more of these processes has the possibility to interfere with reading ability. The research aimed to investigate the presence and co-occurrence of difficulties across many factors thought to be involved in the reading process. Data were collected from 126 schoolchildren, aged 8-10 years on performance measures associated with reading; reading ability, visual sensory and oculomotor function, visual perception, attention, memory, phonological awareness and rapid naming. Differences in mean performance between different reading ability groups (ANOVA), and correlations between the variables studied, were used to investigate the presence and magnitude of any relationships. Many of the variables studied were found to be significantly different between reading ability groups and significantly correlated with reading ability to varying degrees. The analysis of multiple single-case studies determined that each child has a unique pattern of strengths and weaknesses and that many children including ‘average/above average’ readers, show below average performance on several measures included in the study, with affected skills rarely existing in isolation. Thus, it is recommended that an individualised multi-factorial approach is taken to the assessment of children struggling to read. This will require communication by a multi-professional team to ensure all possible contributing factors are explored to enable each child to achieve their potential. / College of Optometrist / Some material in this thesis is unavailable for copyright reasons.

Syftet med studien är att fördjupa kunskapen om hur lärare arbetar i sin matematikundervisning för att tillgodose olika varianter av lässvårigheter. En kvalitativ metod med hjälp av intervjuer har använts för att kunna presentera ett resultat. Forskningsfrågorna besvaras med hjälp av några huvudbegrepp från det sociokulturella perspektivet. De begrepp som huvudsakligen har benämnts i denna studie är mediering, proximal utvecklingszon och appropriering. I resultatet framkommer det hur lärare kan upptäcka lässvårigheter i matematik. Flerspråkighet, otillräcklig begreppsförståelse och bristande strategier är några av anledningarna till att eleverna är i lässvårigheter, vilket lärare oftast uppmärksammar vid textuppgifter i matematik. I resultatet redovisas även hur lärare arbetar med elever i lässvårigheter. Det gör de bland annat genom digitala verktyg och konkret material, exempelvis pengar, klossar och pizza. Slutsatsen av studien är att läraren behöver besitta kunskap om hur de kulturella verktygen ska användas för att ge eleverna möjlighet till att utvecklas inom textuppgifter i matematik. / The purpose of the study is to deepen the knowledge of how teachers work in their mathematics teaching to meet different variants of reading difficulties. A qualitative method with the help of interviews has been used to be able to present a result. The research questions are answered with the help of some main concepts from the sociocultural perspective. The concepts that have been mainly mentioned in this study are mediation, Zone of Proximal Development, and appropriation. The result shows how teachers can detect reading difficulties in mathematics. Multilingualism, insufficient conceptual understanding, and lack of strategies are some of the reasons why pupils have reading difficulties, which teachers often pay attention to when writing text assignments in mathematics. The results also report how teachers work with pupils with reading difficulties. They do this through digital tools and concrete materials, such as money, bricks, and, pizza. The conclusion of the study is that the teacher needs to possess knowledge of how the cultural tools should be used to give pupils the opportunity to develop in text assignments in mathematics.

Denna uppsats handlar om vilka matematiksvårigheter elever i årskurs 1–3 visar och hur lärare stödjer elever med matematiksvårigheter i undervisningen. Syftet med denna studie är att fördjupa våra kunskaper om hur lärare inom årskurserna 1–3 arbetar med elever som har matematiksvårigheter. Vi har i denna studie använt en kvalitativ metod med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Intervjuerna gjordes med sju lärare för att få en förståelse för begreppet matematiksvårigheter och vilka undervisningsmetoder de använder. Syftet med denna studie är att tydliggöra hur lärare arbetar med elever som har matematiksvårigheter. Utifrån våra intervjuer fick vi en tydligare förståelse för vilka problematiska områden lärarna anser att elever med matematiksvårigheter har svårt för. I resultatet framkom det att lärarna använder olika undervisningsmetoder med laborativt material för att skapa en rolig och lärorik undervisning. Resultatet visade även att samtliga lärare i studien väljer att anpassa undervisningen utifrån den grupp elever de har och vad för metoder som passar för elever med matematiksvårigheter. Slutligen arbetar alla lärare för att skapa en inkluderande undervisning genom att anpassa alla moment i matematikundervisningen efter elevernas behov och förutsättningar. / This essay is about what mathematical difficulties pupils in grades 1–3 show and how teachers support pupils with mathematical difficulties in teaching. The purpose of this study is to deepen our knowledge of how teachers in grades 1–3 work with pupils who have mathematical difficulties. In this study, we used a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews. The interviews were done with seven teachers to gain an understanding of the concept of mathematical difficulties and what teaching methods they use. Based on our interviews, we gained a clearer understanding of which problematic areas the teachers find difficult for pupils with mathematical difficulties. The results showed that the teachers use different teaching methods with laboratory material to create a fun and educational teaching. The results also showed that all teachers in the study choose to adapt the teaching based on the group of pupils they have and what methods are suitable for pupils with mathematical difficulties. Finally, all teachers work to create an inclusive teaching by adapting all elements of the mathematical subject according to the pupils' needs and qualification.

Dyskalkyli är en matematisk svårighet som innebär att individen har problem med aritmetik och att uppfatta siffror. Svårigheter i matematik uppträder olika hos individer och därav kan det vara svårt för läraren att upptäcka en elev i svårigheter. Forskningen är inte enig om begrepp och definitioner gällande matematiksvårigheter och dyskalkyli. Det är svårt att finna elever i matematiksvårigheter då det inte finns några tydliga kriterier för att diagnostisera dessa elever. Syftet med denna litteraturstudie att ta reda på vad forskningen säger om dyskalkyli och matematiksvårigheter. Därav kommer det undersökas varför elever drabbas av matematiksvårigheter samt hur dyskalkyli och matematiksvårigheter kan utmärka sig hos elever. I slutet av studien redovisas det resultat som framkommit i vår litteraturöversikt. Resultatet visar att svårigheter kan se ut på många olika sätt, därav är det svårt att finna elever i svårigheter. Svårigheterna kan bero på både inre och yttre faktorer, såsom stress eller ett bullrigt klassrum. Elever i svårigheter utmärker sig ofta tidigt och enligt forskning går det redan i förskoleåldern få syn på elever i matematiksvårigheter. Däremot anser forskare att begreppen matematiksvårigheter och dyskalkyli ska användas med försiktighet då det råder skilda åsikter kring hur svårigheterna ska definieras.

Background: Atopic diseases and behavioural difficulties in children have both been on the rise in recent decades. This study seeks to assess associations between atopic diseases and behavioural difficulties, examining the differences considering child age and how behavioural difficulties were reported (via self-report or parent-report). Methods: Data on behavioural difficulties, assessed through the Strengths And Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and on atopic diseases, assessed through the participant’s medical history, were available for 2701 study participants aged 3 to 18 years. Associations between atopic diseases and behavioural difficulties were evaluated using linear regression analyses. We split the study sample into two groups. I: 3-to 10-year-olds/parent-reported SDQ (n=1764), II: 11- to 18-year-olds/parent-reported SDQ (n=937) and self-reported SDQ (n=915). All analyses were adjusted for age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Results: In younger children, atopic dermatitis was strongly associated with higher total difficulties scores, more emotional problems and conduct problems, and more symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention. Parents reported higher total difficulties scores, more emotional problems, and more peer-relationship problems for adolescents with bronchial asthma and other allergies, whereas the adolescents themselves reported more peer relationship problems. Conclusion: In younger children, atopic dermatitis is associated with internalizing and externalizing problems. In adolescents, bronchial asthma and other allergies are associated with a greater level of internalizing problems only. The findings further suggest that parents of adolescents are more likely to perceive associations between atopic diseases and behavioural difficulties than the adolescents themselves.

I denna intervjustudie studeras lärares, specialpedagogers och rektorers uppfattning om skrivundervisning för elever i skrivsvårigheter. Syftet med studien är att bidra med kunskap om undervisning till elever i skrivsvårigheter på mellanstadiet utifrån såväl stöd och utmaningar till eleverna som till de lärare som undervisar dessa elever. Det material som ligger till grund för studien är sex semistrukturerade intervjuer med två lärare, två specialpedagoger och två rektorer. Teorin som ligger till grund för studien är Gibbons modell om olika lärandezoner som hör till det sociokulturella perspektivet och visar hur lärande påverkas av graden av stöttning och kognitiv utmaning. Intervjuerna är analyserade utifrån Gibbons fyra zoner: utvecklingszonen, frustrationszonen, trygghetszonen och uttråkningszonen. Resultatet visar att stöttning för elever i skrivsvårigheter kan ske genom individanpassade strategier, tydliga instruktioner och digitala verktyg. I analysen framgår att elever kan hamna i alla fyra zonerna beroende på tillgång till stöd och utmaning, men alla tre pedagoggrupperna strävar efter att leda eleverna till utvecklingszonen. Resultatet visar också att lärarna och specialpedagogerna uppfattar samarbete dem emellan och kompetens som viktig stöttning i sin yrkesutövning. För att kunna tillgodose både elevers och lärares behov krävs organisatoriska åtgärder som är tillåtande och flexibla, där tid och personal är de enskilt viktigaste faktorerna. I analysen framgår att lärarna, specialpedagogerna och rektorerna sällan eller aldrig hamnar i trygghetszonen eller uttråkningszonen, utan att de enbart pendlar mellan utvecklingszonen och frustrationszonen.

The purpose of this empirical study is to investigate special needs education teachers’ perception and knowledge before the concepts of mathematics difficulties and dyscalculia. We chose to emanate from three main questions. What meaning do the concepts of math difficulties and dyscalculia have for special needs education teachers? What do special needs education teachers think about the actuality regarding dyscalculia? What are the different approaches implemented by special needs education teachers towards mathematics difficulties and dyscalculia? Qualitative interviews were chosen as method because we believe that a survey would be too shallow and statistical. Responses may be too monotonous and short. By selecting interview as an information retrieval method gives us the opportunity to go more in depth with the help of supplementary questions, personal interaction and observation of the interviewee. The special needs education teachers we interviewed mostly agree with one another, however sometimes their perceptions differed which has led to an interesting and nuanced result. The result has given us many different approaches and beliefs facing difficulties in mathematics and dyscalculia, these makes us better equipped for our future students with difficulties in math. A definite conclusion from this study is that all our respondents jointly agreed that use of exploratory practical material and group works were suitable towards students with dyscalculia or math difficulties.

This paper is about a study on how Swedish science teachers with pupils in grades 4-6, ages 10-12, plan and adapt the way they teach in order to integrate pupils who have concentration difficulties. The methods that were used to acquire data for this study were mainly interviews with science teachers for grades 4-6. These interviews consisted of various open questions where the teachers were able to affect the outcomes of the conversations. Apart from the teacher interviews the study also consists of complementary collection of data through observations of science lessons and by interviews with a few of the pupils. The pupil interviews were used as a complement to the teacher interviews, and their focus was to extract some knowledge of the pupils’ own experiences of the science subject and whether or not they get the support they need in those classes.The results of the study indicate that adaptations which occur in theoretical assignments are slightly different from those which occur in practical assignments. Generally speaking there seems to be less need for adaptations in the practical assignments when it comes to students with concentration difficulties. One of the generally most important adaptations is the increase of clear structures and detailed instructions for each assignment. This adaptation is not only beneficial for students who have concentration difficulties, but for them it is crucial as their learning capacity decreases significantly in conditions of unstructured and unclear lessons. Many of the teachers find themselves unable to entirely fulfill their ambitions of adapting their classes for all students due to limited time and/or resources.

Att få en stomi är för många en enorm livsomställning som i många fall leder till sociala, fysiska och psykiska svårigheter. Denna litteraturstudie syftar till att belysa hur individer med stomi uppfattar sin livskvalitet och vilka stomirelaterade problem som försvårar deras vardag. Tio studier har granskats och fem teman har identifierats nämligen påverkan på fysiskt och psykiskt välbefinnande, påverkan på sociala relationer och personlig tro samt påverkan på självständigheten. Ett sänkt fysiskt eller psykiskt välbefinnande, brist på sociala relationer eller negativ inverkan på självständighet eller personlig tro är faktorer som påverkar en individs livskvalitet. En stomioperation leder i många fall till isolering från det sociala livet, en ständig oro och rädsla för att inte passa in till följd av läckage eller ofrivillig gasavgång men även till följd av att den egna kroppsuppfattningen och tron på sig själv har blivit negativt påverkad. Dessa resultat ses hos de personer som upplever störst svårigheter att anpassa sig till sin stomi och medför i sin tur en sämre livskvalitet. / To get an ostomy is a life changing experience that can lead to social, physical and psychological difficulties. The aim of this literature study was to highlight how individuals with ostomies perceive their quality of life and which stoma-related difficulties they face in their daily life. Ten studies have been examined and five main themes were identified, namely impact on physical and psychological well-being, impact on social relationships and personal beliefs and also impact on independence. Decreased physical or psychological well-being, lack of social relationships and negative impact on independence and personal beliefes is factors that have a great impact on an individual’s quality of life. Stoma surgeries do often lead to social isolation, a constant anxiety and fear of being left out due to leakage or unintentional gas, also because of the negative impact on the body image and self-esteem. These results are seen in individuals who experience greater challenges in adjustment to the ostomy which results in a decreased quality of life.

The purpose of the study is to investigate how educational documentations in systematic quality work are used in pre-school practice. What are the possibilities and limitations of the use of pedagogical documentation as an instrument in systematic quality work in pre-school practices? Referring to previous research, theory and empirical data collection, I was able to conduct this study. In the theoretical part, I made use of the constructionist learning perspective. In the empirical part, I used a qualitative research method with interviews and observation in order to gain understanding of the way pre-school teachers use pedagogical documentation in a learning perspective.The study shows that pedagogical documentation used in systematic quality work is associated with opportunities and difficulties. Participants described that pedagogical documentation provides opportunities for children to achieve their potential, and that it focuses on the individual needs of development. In other words, the benefit of using pedagogical documentation of systematic quality work became a tool for the educational quality in the operation. The teachers constantly have the ability to monitor, document and reflect on their work to ensure children's learning and development. This also creates opportunities for children to become active participants in the educational activities. Some of the difficulties are lack of time, children's group size and staff nonattendance. The study's participants also highlight that there is a need for increased staff competence in the use of technical educational tools.