Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate some uses of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a pedagogical aid for supporting students with difficulties in reaching the curricular goals in the school subject English. Special focus is on students with reading and writing difficulties and on students with a foreign background in the ninth grade of the compulsory school and in upper secondary school. The method of investigation consisted of two parts: (a) interviews with eleven regular English teachers and with four remedial teachers about their experiences of using ICT as a pedagogical aid, and (b) an action study in which ICT-based activities were tested in a group of six students with difficulties in English. The results of the interviews showed that in the remedial classes ICT-based support was rather limited. The exceptions were students with severe reading and writing difficulties and other grave learning disabilities. These students were offered greater access to various technical aids and systematic support. For dyslexic students various ICT tools often proved to be an effective and indispensable support in their learning. In non-remedial English lessons, the use of ICT was somewhat greater. Here teachers used ICT as a pedagogical aid for the benefit of all students. The computer was considered to be a good support for project writing as it provided the students with a huge database, with online dictionaries and with a spell checker. The results of the action research showed that students were positive about communicating in English via ICT and they showed great interest in other activities facilitated by technology, such as training grammar, vocabulary, and reading. In conclusion, these surveys generated results similar to those of other studies, showing that although ICT can be an effective pedagogical aid in supporting students with difficulties learning English, it is not presently being used to its full potential.

<p><strong>Abstract </strong></p><p>The aim of this study is to investigate some uses of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a pedagogical aid for supporting students with difficulties in reaching the curricular goals in the school subject English. Special focus is on students with reading and writing difficulties and on students with a foreign background in the ninth grade of the compulsory school and in upper secondary school. The method of investigation consisted of two parts: (a) interviews with eleven regular English teachers and with four remedial teachers about their experiences of using ICT as a pedagogical aid, and (b) an action study in which ICT-based activities were tested in a group of six students with difficulties in English. The results of the interviews showed that in the remedial classes ICT-based support was rather limited. The exceptions were students with severe reading and writing difficulties and other grave learning disabilities. These students were offered greater access to various technical aids and systematic support. For dyslexic students various ICT tools often proved to be an effective and indispensable support in their learning. In non-remedial English lessons, the use of ICT was somewhat greater. Here teachers used ICT as a pedagogical aid for the benefit of all students. The computer was considered to be a good support for project writing as it provided the students with a huge database, with online dictionaries and with a spell checker. The results of the action research showed that students were positive about communicating in English via ICT and they showed great interest in other activities facilitated by technology, such as training grammar, vocabulary, and reading. In conclusion, these surveys generated results similar to those of other studies, showing that although ICT can be an effective pedagogical aid in supporting students with difficulties learning English, it is not presently being used to its full potential.</p>

No description available.

Exposés à de multiples facteurs de risque avant et pendant le placement, les enfants placés présentent une prévalence élevée de troubles intériorisés. Ces troubles peuvent entraver leur intégration familiale, sociale et scolaire. L’objectif de ce mémoire est de tracer un portrait des enfants placés présentant des troubles intériorisés afin de mieux les repérer pour ainsi mieux les soutenir, ainsi que les adultes qui en prennent soin. L’échantillon est composé de 62 enfants, âgés de 10 à 12 ans, placés en famille d’accueil régulière et impliqués dans le projet S’Occuper des Enfants (SOCEN). Les données analysées proviennent du Cahier d’évaluation et de suivi (CÉS-C2), outil clinique (avec mesures standardisées) dans lequel l’intervenant, le parent d’accueil et l’enfant inscrivent des informations sur différents aspects du développement de l’enfant. Des variables relatives au placement ainsi que d’autres portant sur l’intégration familiale, sociale et scolaire de l’enfant placé sont mises en relation avec les scores de la sous-échelle des symptômes émotionnels du Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire à l’aide de corrélations de Pearson et d’ANOVA. Près de 19% des 62 enfants éprouvent des symptômes émotionnels élevés. Les résultats révèlent la forte présence de troubles extériorisés (troubles hyperactifs, troubles de la conduite) chez les enfants placés présentant des symptômes émotionnels élevés. Ces enfants éprouvent aussi plus de problèmes avec les pairs. Ceux qui ont vécu plus de trois placements présentent davantage de symptômes émotionnels élevés. / Exposed to multiple risk factors prior and during the placement, foster children have a high prevalence of internalizing disorders. These disorders can interfere with their ability to integrate with their foster family and to participate in social and school activities. The aim of this thesis is to draw a picture of children with high emotional symptoms, a proxy of internalizing disorders, in order to better identify and to better support them as well as adults who care for them. The sample consists of 62 children, aged between 10 and 12 years old in family foster care and involved in the project Looking After Children (LAC). The analyzed data come from the Assessment and Action Record (AAR-C2), a clinical tool (with standardized measures) in which the social worker, the foster parent and the child recorded information on various aspects of child development. Variables related to placement of foster children, along with other variables related to their familial, social, and school integration were related to the scores of the emotional symptoms subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire with Pearson correlations and ANOVAs. Nearly 19% of the 62 children experience high emotional symptoms. The results reveal the strong presence of externalizing disorders (hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder) in foster children with high emotional symptoms. These children also experience more problems with peers. Those who lived more than three placements have more severe emotional symptoms.

Tyrimo objektas – fiziškai aktyvių ir fiziškai neaktyvių moksleivių psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raiška rudens ir pavasario laikotarpiais. Problema – trūksta tyrimų, kuriuose būtų analizuojamos problemos, susijusios su moksleivių adaptacija, emocijų ir elgesio sunkumais, neadaptyvaus elgesio paplitimu. Reikia pripažinti, kad daugelis atliktų tyrimų yra epizodiniai, pasižymintys fragmentiškumu. Pasigendama tyrimų, kuriuose būtų išsiaiškintos visos psichologinių sunkumų priežastys (vidinės – susijusios su emocijomis, ir išorinės – susijusios su aplinka, šeima, mokykla). Tyrimai, kuriuose nagrinėjamas sezoniškumo poveikis susirgimų pasireiškimui ir psichoemocinės būklės pokyčiams, dažniausiai apima vyresnio amžiaus žmonių kontingentą, tačiau trūksta tokio pobūdžio tyrimų, kuriuose būtų tiriami jauni žmonės. Tyrimo prielaida – moksleiviai daugiau psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų patiria rudenį nei pavasarį. Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti 16 – 18 metų, fiziškai aktyvių ir fiziškai neaktyvių moksleivių psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raišką rudens ir pavasario laikotarpiais. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti 16 – 18 metų moksleivių fizinį aktyvumą ir psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raišką lyties ir amžiaus aspektu rudens ir pavasario laikotarpiais. 2. Įvertinti sezoniškumo poveikį 16 – 18 metų amžiaus paauglių fiziniam aktyvumui ir patiriamų psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raiškai. 3. Nustatyti 16 – 18 metų moksleivių psichologinio funkcionavimo sunkumų raišką... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Research object was the expression of psychological functioning difficulties for physically active and physically inactive 16-18-year-old adolescents in the periods of autumn and spring. Research problem involved the lack of research analysing problems associated with schoolchildren’s adjustment, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and occurrence of maladaptive behaviour. It must be admitted that many of the studies are episodic and of fragmentary character. There is a lack of research examining the causes of psychological difficulties (internal - related to emotions and external - connected with the environment, family and school). Studies analysing the effects of seasonality on the manifestations of diseases and changes in psycho-emotional conditions often include the contingent of elderly people, but there is a lack of such studies that are subject to young people. Research hypothesis: schoolchildren encounter more psychological functioning difficulties in autumn than in spring. Research aim was to establish the expression of psychological functioning difficulties for physically active and physically inactive 16-18-year-old schoolchildren in the periods of autumn and spring. Research objectives: 1. Assess the effect of seasonality on the physical activity of 16–18 –year–old adolescents and the expression of the encountered psychological functioning difficulties. 2. Establish the physical activity and the expression of psychological functioning difficulties for 16–18... [to full text]

Enligt PISAs undersökning (Skolverket, 20I3) uppvisar svenska elever idag sämre prestationer i läsförståelse och matematik. Många påverkansfaktorer är omdiskuterade men varken lässvårigheter eller matematiksvårigheter har berörts. I relation till detta upprättas en litteraturstudie med syftet att undersöka huruvida lässvårigheter samverkar med matematiksvårigheter och hur det påverkar matematikprestationer. Resultatet av studien visar att lässvårigheter inte alltid påverkar matematiskprestationer. Somliga elever uppvisar svårigheter medan andra inte gör det, dock synliggörs kombinationen läs- och matematiksvårigheter oftare än svårigheterna var för sig. Slutsatser som dragits är att det behövs mer forskning på området för att undersöka hur det kommer sig att en bråkdel av elever i lässvårigheter inte uppvisar svårigheter i matematik, medan andra elever gör det och varför läs- och matematiksvårigheter uppvisas oftare i en kombinerad form. / According to the PISA research (Skolverket, 2013), Swedish students today show weaker presentations in reading comprehension and mathematics. Many factors have been discussed but neither of reading difficulties or mathematic difficulties has been concerned. According to this, a literature review will be established with the purpose to examine how reading difficulties co-operate with mathematic difficulties and how it may impact on mathematic achievements. The result shows that reading difficulties not always have an impact on mathematic achievements. Some students tend to show weaknesses while others do not; however the combined reading- and mathematic difficulties are shown more often compared to the difficulties on their own. Conclusions that have been made are that more research needs to investigate why only a minority of students with reading difficulties show weaknesses in mathematics, while other do not and why the combined reading- and mathematic difficulties are shown more often.

Denna studie har syftat till att undersöka hur arbetet med läs- och skrivsvårigheter ser ut inom utbildningen sfi, svenska för invandrare. Studien beskriver pedagogernas arbete för att identifierar olika typer av läs- och skrivsvårigheter hos elever. Studien beskriver också de hinder som finns i arbetet med eleverna i behov av specialpedagogiskt stöd på både individ- och organisationsnivå. Det framkommer att en stor utmaning för lärarna är att utreda om orsaken till dessa svårigheter beror på läs- och skrivsvårigheter eller är en konsekvens av att lära ett nytt språk som vuxen. Därutöver beskriver studien vad pedagogerna själva ser som möjliga lösningar för att förbättra arbetet med dessa frågor. Kvalitativa intervjuer med fem pedagoger verksamma på sfi genomfördes – fyra lärare med specialpedagogisk kompetens och en andraspråkslärare. Både kommunal verksamhet och utbildningsföretag finns representerade i undersökningen. Analysen av det empiriskt insamlade materialet grundar sig i ett specialpedagogiskt perspektiv. Resultaten visar att det råder osäkerhet hos pedagogerna hur man går tillväga för att utreda läs- och skrivsvårigheter och dyslexi hos elever på sfi. Pedagogerna uppger att de saknar både kunskap och relevant testmaterial för denna grupp av elever. Det saknas en övergripande plan från Skolverket för hur man arbetar med dessa frågor. Studien visar också att möjligheten att få specialpedagogiskt stöd ser olika ut beroende på utbildningsanordnande huvudmans prioriteringar. Det innebär att elever riskerar att inte få det stöd de har rätt till. Detta delvis beroende på att skrivningar gällande särskilt stöd i viss mån är otydliga och lämnar utrymme för tolkning. / The aim of this study is to explore and describe work with immigrants with reading and writing difficulties in sfi, Swedish for immigrants. The study describes teachers work to identify different types of reading and writing difficulties among their pupils. The study also describes obstacles working with these individuals in need of special education on both a personal and organizational level. It becomes clear that a big challenge for the teachers is to define if the cause of their difficulties lies in reading and writing problems or merely is a consequence of learning a new language as an adult. Furthermore it is also described what the educators themselves see as possible solutions to improve the work on these issues.   The study is based on qualitative interviews with five teachers working in sfi – four with special education training and one second language teacher. Both municipal and private schools are represented in the study. Empirical analysis of the collected material is based on a special education perspective.   The results show that there is uncertainty among the teachers on how to assess reading and writing difficulties and dyslexia in individuals in sfi. Teachers report that they lack both knowledge and relevant test materials for this group of pupils. There is no comprehensive plan or guide line from Skolverket on how to deal with this.   The study also shows that the possibility of getting special education support is unequal between schools depending on economic priorities. This means that some pupils may not get the support they are entitled to. In part due to the fact that the curriculum is unclear regarding how special assistance can be done which leaves room for interpretation.

Abstract The aim of the study is to investigate how three pedagogues with different orientations work with reading and writing difficulties in the same school. A qualitative method with interviews and observations of the teachers was applied to investigate the methods used by a special education teacher, a class pedagogue and a special education pedagogue, and the needs for support in the teaching of pupils with reading and writing difficulties. In the design of interview questions and observation protocols and the processing of the collected data, the research method has been deductive, which means that themes based on the aim of the study and previous research were the starting point for the categorization of the data. The results of the study show that the group of pupils with reading and writing difficulties is problematic because the needs for support vary greatly and because, according to the pedagogues, the iPad was the device that contained the alternative tools that were able to give the pupils the best support. It is important to have variation in the teaching, and different apps can offer this. The theoretical premise of the study is the socio-cultural perspective which revealed itself in the way that, no matter what difficulty the pupil has, support from the pedagogues is needed to advance in the learning process, and this should take place in social interaction between pedagogue and pupil.

This Master's Diploma Thesis The personal experience of Specific Learning Difficulties as the way how to understand student's abilities is devoted to educating students with specific learning disabilities. The special emphasis of the work is on the impact of disabilities on psychical, social, educational and professional life of an individual. The aim of the first part of the Research Project was to comprehend how students with specific learning disabilities perceive individual manifestations of their learning difficulties. The data were applied to a scheme and realization of an experimental workshop for primary school teachers with the aim of helping to improve the relationship between teachers and students. The purpose of the second part of research was to hold an experimental workshop offering its participants a subjective experience of specific developmental learning disabilities, their identification with students' learning difficulties and a future introduction of new didactic and psycho-social procedures into their teaching process. The thesis is divided into theoretical and empirical parts. The former is devoted to different psycho-social aspects of specific learning difficulties from the position of a student and an individual, the empirical part includes qualitative research conducted in...

This literature study's purpose was to examine the link between linguistic difficulties and mathematical difficulties. The study has examined, with the help of previous research in this field, what links exist between these difficulties. The study listed a sample of research reports and literature concerning students with general linguistic difficulties but also those students who have Swedish as a second language as well as students with dyslexia. The underlying aim of this study was to serve as an inspiration for teachers. It highlights whether there are links between these difficulties, how you as an educator can see these difficulties and handson advice on adaptations that can be made to help these students. The study's results show a clear link between linguistic difficulties and difficulties in mathematics. The study shows that it may be due to many different causes, but that a link exists in many cases. The study also results in adaptations to help teachers and prospective teachers to see the connection between these difficulties, how they can be discovered and how they can be helped.