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.

Vår avsikt med denna uppsats var att undersöka huruvida det finns skillnader i tankar kring och arbete med läs- och skrivsvårigheter, om utbildade lärare även har kunskaper i neurovetenskap utifrån vidare utbildning. För att undersöka detta har vi valt att använda oss av ett frågeformulär bestående av kvalitativa intervjufrågor som metod för insamlig av data. Sex lärare deltar i undersökningen varav hälften av dessa även har en utbildning inom funktionsinriktad musikterapi, vilken har sin grund i neurovetenskap. Forskningsbakgrunden visar på vad forskare anser inom området neurovetenskap kopplat till pedagogik och läs- och skrivsvårigheter. Vi har även redogjort för den funktionsinriktade musikterapin som metod. Resultatet visar att det finns en skillnad mellan lärarna i definitionen av läs- och skrivsvårigheter. Lärare med neurovetenskapliga kunskaper ser till bakomliggande orsaker till barns läs- och skrivsvårigheter. Resultatet visar även på skillnader i hur lärare med olika bakgrund möter barns behov i arbetet med läs- och skrivsvårigheter. Lärare med kunskaper inom neurovetenskap ser barnets utveckling ur ett helhetsperspektiv, vilket ligger till grund för deras arbete med läs- och skrivsvårigheter. Det handlar om att skapa förutsättningar för barnets utveckling snarare än att träna själva svårigheten. För detta ser vi lärarkompetens som viktigaste resurs. Därför bör lärare redan under utbildningen få kunskaper i neurovetenskap och dess betydelse i arbetet med läs- och skrivsvårigheter.

<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>

Hur policyförändringar, som fler nationella prov och tidigare betyg, kan komma till uttryck i verksamheten utforskas i denna studie. Syftet är att undersöka hur några elever i läs- och skrivsvårigheter/dyslexi beskriver sina erfarenheter av att göra nationella läsprov i svenska i årskurs 6. Det empiriska materialet har inhämtats genom halvstrukturerade intervjuer med fyra elever i årskurs 6, som nyligen har genomfört proven. Resultatet, som har analyserats ur ett policy enactment perspektiv, visar att eleverna beskriver proven som mycket viktiga, då de tror att proven har en stor betydelse för deras betyg i svenska. Eleverna har förberetts inför proven i skolan genom undervisning i läsförståelsestrategier, genom att öva på gamla prov och genom att titta på bedömningsexempel. De har också förberett sig själva inför provsituationen på olika sätt. Eleverna har olika erfarenheter av anpassningar vid proven och de som har haft anpassningar ställer sig positiva till det. Eleverna upplevde stress och nervositet i varierande grad, främst innan proven. Skilda specialpedagogiska perspektiv framträder i hur skolor hanterar frågor om förberedelser och anpassningar av de nationella proven. Hur lärare och elever tolkar policy får betydelse för eleverna i samband proven. / How changes in policy, as more national tests and earlier grades, can be expressed in school settings are explored in this study. The aim is to examine how some students in reading and writing difficulties/dyslexia describe their experiences of doing national reading tests in Swedish in Grade 6. The empirical material has been collected through semi-structured interviews with four students in Grade 6, who recently have conducted the tests. The results have been analyzed from a policy enactment perspective and show that students describe the tests as very important, since they believe that the tests have a significant impact on their grades in Swedish. Students have been prepared for the tests in school by teaching of reading comprehension strategies, by practicing on old tests and by looking at assessment examples. Students have also prepared themselves for the test situation in different ways. They have different experiences regarding adjustments during the tests and the students who have had adjustments express positive feelings about them. The students experienced stress and anxiety in varying degrees, mostly before the tests. Separate perspectives of special education emerge in how schools deal with issues as preparation and adjustments of the national tests. How teachers and students interpret policy seems to be an important factor in students’ situations associated to the tests.

The aim of this study is to examine some secondary school pupils´ and teachers´ opinions about good support when having reading and writing difficulties and if there is a difference between their point of view in this issue. The study is based upon semi-structured interviews with both pupils and teachers. The result shows both similarities and differences in what they consider as good support. To read texts aloud to pupils is something that the teachers in the study use as a way of support and it is much appreciated by the pupils too. The possibility to get the teacher´s notes is another thing that both pupils and teachers think are useful and further on to have an opportunity to do oral tests. Sometimes it can even be a crucial reason for the pupil to get higher scores. This does not happen as a daily routine, but the pupils have to ask for both oral tests and teachers´ notes. Several of the informants among the pupils say they would prefer one-to-one tuition or to be taught in small groups. None of the teachers mention this as a good way of supporting pupils with special needs. Instead they want to spend more time with each pupil and also they would like the opportunity of an extra teacher in the classroom. / Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka några högstadieelevers och lärares uppfattningar om bra stöd vid läs- och skrivsvårigheter samt se om det finns en skillnad i deras uppfattning kring denna fråga. Studien är baserad på semi-strukturerade intervjuer med både elever och lärare. Resultatet visar på både likheter och skillnader i deras uppfattningar om bra stöd. Att få text uppläst av en lärare uppskattas mycket av eleverna och är också något som lärarna i studien använder sig av. Likaså ses anteckningar och muntliga prov gemensamt som underlättande och ibland högst avgörande på hur pass väl man som elev kan lyckas. Detta sker inte alltid på rutin, utan eleverna får själva be om den hjälpen. Flera informanter bland eleverna önskar en-till-en undervisning eller undervisning i liten grupp. Ingen av lärarna nämner detta som ett önskemål på hur de vill att stöd ska ges. Istället önskar de sig mera tid med varje elev och en extra lärare på sina lektioner.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka några lärares uppfattningar, strategier och förutsättningar för att arbeta med STL- metoden för elever i läs- och skrivsvårigheter. Frågeställningarna som står i fokus är hur lärarna i studien uppfattar att metoden påverkar lärandet för elever i läs- och skrivsvårigheter, strategier och förutsättningar som krävs för att arbeta med metoden och anpassningar som behövs för att eleverna i läs- och skrivsvårigheter ska få ut det mesta av metoden. Studien bygger på fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med verksamma lärare i STL- metoden, skriva sig till lärande, med olika erfarenheter av läs- och skrivlärande samt olika många år inom yrket. Vid intervjuerna användes en intervjuguide och under samtalets gång ställdes följdfrågor. Intervjuerna transkriberades för att sedan blir analyserade med hermeneutiken utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv. Resultat visar på några faktorer som är viktiga vad det gäller STL som arbetssätt för elever i läs- och skrivsvårigheter som till exempel anpassa uppgifter, anpassa responsarbete, organisera grupp eller pararbete, uppdatera kompensatoriska hjälpmedel och arbeta med klimatet i klassen så att elever i svårigheter känner sig inkluderade, som en i gemenskapen och motiverade till sitt arbete. / The purpose of the study is to investigate some teachers' perceptions, strategies and conditions for working with the WTL (Writing to Learn) method for students in reading and writing difficulties in earlier years. The issues that are in focus is how the teachers in the study perceive that the method affects the learning of students in reading and writing difficulties such as, strategies and conditions required for working with the method and adjustments necessary for students in reading and writing difficulties, how they will get the most out of the method. The study is based on five semi-structured interviews with experienced teachers practising the WTL method, with different experiences of literacy teaching and different many years in the profession. The interviewer used an interview guide and follow-up questions were asked during the interview. The interviews were transcribed and then analyzed with hermeneutic from a sociocultural perspective. Results indicated some factors that are important in terms of the WTL method for students in reading and writing difficulties, such as adapting tasks, customize response work, organizing group or pair work, update compensatory aids and work with the climate in the class so that students in reading and writing difficulties feel themselves included as one in the community and motivated in their work.

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.

Due sono le constatazioni di base che guidano questo elaborato: la complessità che caratterizza le odierne classi richiede agli insegnanti di differenziare la proposta didattica; spetta al docente saper individuare eventuali difficoltà di apprendimento e/o disturbi specifici (DSA) al fine di favorire un percorso scolastico rispettoso delle peculiarità di ciascuno. Cosa succede, però, quando lo studente con DSA è di origine migratoria ed è bilingue? Il disturbo ha reali basi neurobiologiche o è piuttosto correlato alle fatiche di veicolare l’apprendimento attraverso una lingua diversa da quella parlata in ambito familiare? Il dato da cui partire è quello rilevato in letteratura in merito alla scarsità, in ambito nazionale, di test clinici per DSA strutturati e standardizzati su chi parla più di una lingua. Da ciò consegue la necessità di implementare un’azione a monte, al fine di migliorare l’appropriatezza degli invii ai Servizi Sanitari o agli Enti accreditati: un percorso da attuare con il personale docente. A questo scopo l’indagine intende favorire tra gli insegnanti una corretta informazione circa la distinzione tra disturbo specifico dell’apprendimento e difficoltà di letto-scrittura in alunni bilingui figli di migranti. Inoltre, l’insegnante è chiamato ad appropriarsi di una forma mentis capace di cogliere in maniera attenta e rispettosa le peculiarità di ciascun allievo, unico nella sua arricchente diversità: un insegnante flessibile, disposto a sperimentare una didattica di tipo differenziato. / This thesis is based on two fundamental observations: nowadays classes are becoming ever more complex and diverse. Therefore, teachers must diversify the didactic proposal. It’s up to the educator to identify any learning difficulties and / or learning disabilities (LD), in order to favor a scholastic path that respects the peculiarities of each pupil. What happens, however, when the students with LD come from an immigrant family and they are bilingual? Does the disorder really have a neurobiological bases? Or is it rather related to the effort of learning through a language that is not the native language for the children? The starting point is the one found in literature regarding the national scarcity of clinical tests for LD structured and standardized on those who speaks more than one language. For these reasons it is needed an upstream action, in order to make the advice of teachers more specific towards those children with difficulties who have to undertake a diagnostic assessment process. That is why it is important to encourage greater awareness among teachers and correct information about the difference between specific learning disabilities and reading-writing difficulties in bilingual learners with a migrant background. Furthermore, the inclusive teacher must have a mindset aimed at knowing in a careful and respectful way the peculiarities of each student. Every child is unique in its enriching diversity: we need a flexible teacher, motivated to implement the differentiated instruction.

Syftet med denna undersökning är att bidra med förståelse gällande vad elever på högstadiet med verifierade läs- och skrivsvårigheter, samt specialpedagoger och speciallärare, vilka är verksamma i samma årskurser, upplever vara framgångsfaktorer i undervisningspraktiken. Undersökningen utgår från en fenomenologisk teori och metod, vilket innebär att det är elevers, specialpedagogs och speciallärares upplevelser av fenomenet framgångsfaktorer som fokuseras. Fem elever, en specialpedagog och en speciallärare har intervjuats och resultatet har analyserats utifrån en fenomenologisk bearbetnings- och analysmetod. Undersökningens resultat påvisar några teman som de fem eleverna och specialpedagog och speciallärare anser vara betydelsefulla för att nå framgång. Dessa utgörs av betydelsefulla personer i och utanför skolan, motivation och självbestämmande, samt strategier och verktyg. Undervisningens betydelse belyses främst av specialpedagog och speciallärare. Betydelsefulla kunskapsbidrag är elevernas markering att de extra anpassningar och särskilt stöd som är framgångsrikt är ytterst individuellt och att detta måste utvecklas i dialog med den enskilda eleven. / Thepurpose of this survey is to provide understanding of what students in grade7-9 with verified reading and writing difficulties, also known as dyslexia, aswell as special educators and special needs teachers who work in the same gradeexperience success factors in teaching practice. The study is based on aphenomenological theory and method, which means that it is the pupils, specialeducators and special needs teachers experiences of the phenomenon of successfactors that are focused. Five students, a special educator and a special needsteacher have been interviewed and the results have been analyzed on the basisof a phenomenological method. The results of the study show some themes thatthe five students, the special educator and special needs teacher consider tobe important in order to achieve success. These consist of significant people inside and outside school, motivation and self-determination, as well as strategies and tools. The importance of teaching is primarily highlighted byspecial educator and specialist teacher. Significant knowledge contribution is the students' markthat the additional adjustments and special support that are successful areextremely individual and that this must be developed in dialogue with the individual student.

Syftet med den här kvalitativa studien var att studera några specialpedagogers uppfattningar angående mer eller mindre väl fungerande stöd till elever i språk-, skriv- och lässvårigheter i grundskolans senare år. Datamaterialet består av semistrukturerade intervjuer med sju specialpedagoger och har i en första analys tolkats utifrån hermeneutisk metod. Därefter har resultaten i den slutgiltiga analysen förklarats utifrån en teoretisk utgångspunkt som utgörs av två perspektiv på specialpedagogisk verksamhet, enligt Bengt Perssons (2013) modell: det relationella och det kategoriska perspektivet. Resultatet visade på flera faktorer för väl fungerande stöd, där vikten av en tillitsfull relation mellan lärare och elev sticker ut, liksom kunskap om specialpedagogiskt stöd hos lärare samt tidiga insatser såsom pedagogisk kartläggning och digitala verktyg. Samarbete och goda relationer mellan specialpedagog, pedagoger och vårdnadshavare var ytterliga faktorer som bidrog till fungerande stöd medan elevens egen inre vilja och drivkraft; sk grit var en annan intressant framgångsfaktor i uppfattningarna. Faktorer som hittades för mindre väl fungerande stöd var motsatsen; nämligen brist på specialpedagogisk kunskap hos rektorer, lärare men även hos specialpedagoger själva. Värt att uppmärksamma var också avsaknad av studiehandledning på modersmålet samt försummelse att sätta in stöd till elever i avvaktan på utredningsbeslut. Sammanfattningsvis så är de viktigaste resultaten från studien om faktorer för fungerande stöd följande: a) kunskap om specialpedagogiskt stöd hos rektorer och pedagoger, b) goda relationer och samarbete mellan lärare, elever, specialpedagoger och vårdnadshavare, c) tidiga insatser samt d) elevers drivkraft; sk grit och inre vilja att lyckas. Den faktor som utkristalliserades tydligast i studien för mindre väl fungerande stöd var just bristen på specialpedagogisk kunskap hos rektorer och skolans pedagoger, vilket förstärker det omvända resultatet, att specialpedagogisk kunskap hos rektorer och pedagoger är en framgångsfaktor för fungerande stöd. De flesta uppfattningar i resultatet utgick från ett relationellt perspektiv på specialpedagogisk verksamhet. / The aim of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of some special educators concerning more or less well functional support to students in language-, writing- and reading difficulties in secondary education. The data consists of semi structured interviews with seven special educators, which has been analyzed according to hermeneutic analysis method in the primary analysis. In order to explain the results, a theoretical framework was used in the final analysis, which proceeds from two perspectives on special education practices according to Bengt Perssons’ (2013) model: the relational and the categorical perspective. The result indicated several factors for well functional support, where the importance of a trusting relation between teacher and student stands out as well as knowledge about special educational support within teachers but also early interventions, such as pedagogical surveys and the use of digital tools. Good relations and collaboration in between special educators, teachers, students and caregivers were other important factors contributing to functional support while the student´s own will and inner urge to succeed; the so called grit was another interesting finding among the perceptions. Factors found working less well for functional support were the opposite; lack of knowledge concerning special educational support within principals, teachers but also within special educators themselves. Noticeable was lack of study guidance in the mother tongue and negligence to insert support to students in special education needs while awaiting results of inquiry. In summary; the most important results from this study concerning factors for functional support were a) knowledge about special educational support within school staff, b) good relations/collaboration between teachers, students, special educators and caregivers, c) early interventions and d) students’ grit and inner will to succeed. The most important result indicating less well functional support was the lack of knowledge about special educational support within staff, which stretches the opposite result, that knowledge about special educational support within principals and teachers is a success factor for functional support. Most perceptions in the result proceeded from a relational perspective on special education practices.