More often than not learners with learning difficulties are treated differently from normal mainstream learners. Often they experience themselves in a less positive manner because of the interactions with various teachers who may not always have enough patience to deal with these learners while trying to cope with large numbers of learners on a daily base. This study was conducted to explore self-configuration experiences of Intermediate Phase learners with learning difficulties within the learner-teacher relationship. Literature indicates that the self is a complex construct to define and can be interpreted in various ways. The researcher aimed to understand how the self is configured in experiences that learners have with their teachers and how these experiences contribute to and affect self-configuration. The theoretical frameworks of the Dialogical Theory of Self and the Gestalt Field Theory were used to gain an understanding of how vital relations and context are in the configuration experiences of the self. A qualitative case study with purposive sampling was conducted. The study was done at a single school where all the learners in the school have learning difficulties. There were nine learners that fell in the Intermediate Phase category and all of them were boys who voluntarily participated in the research. Data were collected by means of a semi-structured interview in which the participants were asked to use incomplete sentences and a visual map that they made to help them express their experiences. A follow-up interview was conducted to check that the meaning that the learner ascribed to his incomplete sentences and visual map was accurate and an opportunity was given to add something should the participant want to. Participants were given this opportunity as some of them had difficulty in expressing themselves adequately during the first session as a result of their learning difficulties in so much as they struggle to find words that express their feelings and what they wanted to communicate. Data were transcribed and analysed by means of thematic analysis. The study indicated that it was aspects such as quality time the teachers spent with the learners and the tone of voice of the teacher that contributed to the self-configuration experiences of the learners. Further research is necessary to determine whether this is the experience in other schools that cater for learners with learning difficulties and how this knowledge may be used to bring greater awareness to teachers to better understand how learners experience their relationship with regards to self-configuration. Quantitative studies can also be conducted to investigate the impact of teacher-learner relationships on self-configuration. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

More often than not learners with learning difficulties are treated differently from normal mainstream learners. Often they experience themselves in a less positive manner because of the interactions with various teachers who may not always have enough patience to deal with these learners while trying to cope with large numbers of learners on a daily base. This study was conducted to explore self-configuration experiences of Intermediate Phase learners with learning difficulties within the learner-teacher relationship. Literature indicates that the self is a complex construct to define and can be interpreted in various ways. The researcher aimed to understand how the self is configured in experiences that learners have with their teachers and how these experiences contribute to and affect self-configuration. The theoretical frameworks of the Dialogical Theory of Self and the Gestalt Field Theory were used to gain an understanding of how vital relations and context are in the configuration experiences of the self. A qualitative case study with purposive sampling was conducted. The study was done at a single school where all the learners in the school have learning difficulties. There were nine learners that fell in the Intermediate Phase category and all of them were boys who voluntarily participated in the research. Data were collected by means of a semi-structured interview in which the participants were asked to use incomplete sentences and a visual map that they made to help them express their experiences. A follow-up interview was conducted to check that the meaning that the learner ascribed to his incomplete sentences and visual map was accurate and an opportunity was given to add something should the participant want to. Participants were given this opportunity as some of them had difficulty in expressing themselves adequately during the first session as a result of their learning difficulties in so much as they struggle to find words that express their feelings and what they wanted to communicate. Data were transcribed and analysed by means of thematic analysis. The study indicated that it was aspects such as quality time the teachers spent with the learners and the tone of voice of the teacher that contributed to the self-configuration experiences of the learners. Further research is necessary to determine whether this is the experience in other schools that cater for learners with learning difficulties and how this knowledge may be used to bring greater awareness to teachers to better understand how learners experience their relationship with regards to self-configuration. Quantitative studies can also be conducted to investigate the impact of teacher-learner relationships on self-configuration. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This thesis focuses on how school textbooks and teachers present models of chemical bonding in upper secondary schools in Sweden. In science, as well as in science education, models play a central role, but research has shown that they often are difficult for students to understand. In science education, models are presented to students mainly through textbooks and teachers, and textbooks influence teachers’ teaching. The aim of this thesis was to investigate how textbooks and teachers present models of chemical bonding with respect to students’ difficulties in understanding. To analyze representations of models, an analytical framework based on research reports of students’ difficulties in understanding related to models in general and chemical bonding in particular was developed. The chapters of chemical bonding in five chemistry textbooks were analyzed. Further, ten Chemistry teachers’ lesson plans about chemical bonding and semi-structured interviews with the teachers concerning their teaching were analyzed. This analysis concerned teachers pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of teaching chemical bonding, with focus on knowledge of students’ difficulties in understanding and teaching strategies that take these difficulties into account. The results show that the teachers could specify examples of students’ learning difficulties, but the teaching strategies to promote the students’ understanding were limited. This indicates a deficient interaction between knowledge of difficulties in understanding and teaching strategies, two essential components of teachers’ PCK. Further, the models of chemical bonding represented in the textbooks and by the teachers might cause students’ difficulties in understanding. This indicates a gap between research of students’ difficulties in understanding and teaching practices as well as textbooks’ development. Further, the teachers’ representations of models were strongly influenced by the textbooks. Implications for textbooks’ authors, pre-service as well as in-service teachers are addressed. / <p>Papper 2 "Upper secondary teachers knowledge..." ingick i lic.uppsatsen som manuskript med titeln: "Swedish upper secondary teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge to teach chemical bonding". Nu publicerad. </p>

Fallstudien beskriver och diskuterar några lektioner med elever som har specifika inlärnings-svårigheter, utifrån skolverkets Allmänna råd, och belyser vilka pedagogiskt svårhanterliga problem och dilemman som kan uppstå när det inte blir som läraren har planerat. Teorin om den proximala utvecklingszonen åskådliggörs. Aktivitetens betydelse för inlärning belyses. Komplexiteten kring lärarskap och ledarskap illustreras. Skolverkets teori om kunskap genom progression, enligt givna årskurser med givet innehåll, stämmer inte alltid med erfarenheterna hos några av verklighetens elever. Samspelet mellan lärare och elever belyses i studien. Be-skrivningar av utvecklingsrelaterade funktionsnedsättningar och psykiskt sårbara barn visar ytterligare hur elevers individuella förutsättningar kan ge konsekvenser för inlärning. / This case study describes and discusses the outcome of some lessons, according to skolver-kets Allmänna råd, given for pupils with specific learning difficulties. It shows pedagogical problems and dilemmas which might occur when things do not turn out as it was planned for. The theory of the zone of proximal development is described in broad outline. The im-portance of action as the foundation to learning is illustrated. The complex role of teaching in the classroom is explained. Skolverket pursue (the theory of) a progression plan, according to the assumption that in a certain grade the pupils learn already defined knowledge based on success from previous learnings, even though it does not always square with the experiences of the pupils state of mind. A brief account of developmental disabilities and psychologically vulnerable children further more pictures how the individual conditions of the pupils can give consequences for the ability to learn.

The focus of this qualitative study is the professional environment where post-school transitions take place. It seeks to identify some possible means for improving outcomes for young people with low educational achievement, dyslexia, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties as they move on from school. The study picks up a recommendation made by Ward and Thomson (1997), following their Scotland-wide survey, that further investigation is needed into post-school transitions of such ‘unrecorded’ young people. Taking ahead this task brings together different areas of knowledge, for example, inclusive education, youth transitions and social theory. To orient the research, initial data were gathered through a questionnaire completed by 14 educational professionals and in structured interviews with 16 youngsters, mostly recently enrolled at college, and their families. Ideas occurring here were then used to inform the main data gathering process. This was conducted in 17 semi-structured audio-recorded interviews, each approximately one hour’s duration, with school teachers, college lecturers and other professionals associated with transition. The methodology utilised a critical friends group to shape the research as it progressed. The thematic analysis of the data produced information about dissimilar models of transition support, varying constructions of young people and difficulties in partnership working. The ensuing discussion considered the roles of trusted signals of youth’s value, of careership based on transformations of identity and aspects of social capital on transitions of young people with additional support needs. The conclusion sets out areas for improvement and asks that greater consideration be given to the constraining factors within the professional environment of the post-school transitions of young people with additional support needs.

本研究旨在調查高一學生英文字彙學習困難，目的在於探尋高一學生所遭遇字彙學習困難的原因、瞭解課堂上老師所用的字彙&#25934;學技巧、找出課堂上老師所使用的字彙練習活動、檢視用於測驗高一學生的字彙測驗類型、並發掘高一學生所使用的字彙學習策略。 本研究調查對象為臺北區七所公立高中的560位高一學生及三位英文任課教師，研究工具包括學生的字彙學習問卷調查及老師的口頭訪問。 研究結果，發現高一學生英文字彙學習困難的兩項主要原因：(1)高一字彙量太多。 (2)高一相關字彙練習活動困難。此外，最常用的字彙&#25934;學技巧乃是以老師為中心的字彙&#25934;學方法；字彙練習活動如造句及同義字、反義字練習最常用於課堂上；最常用的字彙測驗類型亦是傳統無上下文單題式字彙測驗類型；學生並不常運用字彙學習策略來幫助其學習字彙。除上述研究發現外，並對本研究的侷限及未來從事相關研究給予建議。 / This study investigated Senior I (first-year) high school students’ vocabulary learning difficulties. The purpose of the study was to (a) seek for reasons to account for vocabulary learning difficulties encountered by Senior I students, (b) investigate the vocabulary teaching techniques used in class, (c) find out the vocabulary practice activities used in class, (d) examine the vocabulary assessments given to Senior I students in class, and finally (e) explore vocabulary learning strategies used by Senior I students. 560 Senior I students and three teachers from the seven senior high schools in Taipei area participated in the present study. A vocabulary learning questionnaire was administered to the students, and the three teachers joined the oral interviews. Data were collected through the questionnaires for the students and oral interviews for the three teachers. Descriptive statistics were computed for data analysis. Two major reasons that account for vocabulary learning difficulties encountered by the Senior I students were: (1) huge increase of vocabulary size in Senior I and (2) more demanding vocabulary practices in Senior I. Besides, the most popular vocabulary teaching techniques were conventional teacher-centered ways of presenting new vocabulary items. Vocabulary practices such as sentence making are frequently used in senior I class, followed by synonym and antonym practices. Traditional decontextualized vocabulary assessments were frequently used in class. Finally, the students did not utilize vocabulary learning strategies frequently to help their vocabulary learning. Along with these findings, limitations of the study and implications for future research have been suggested.

This work treats the mutual relationships between dyslexia and teaching of French language. It proposes exercices for students with dyslexia which, being adapted to their specific learning difficulties, contribute to their reeducation. The exercices are designed especially for senior pupils and high school students of intermediate level. They may be used for individual instruction or in inclusive classrooms. This work can be used as a tool for teachers working with dyslexics who want to adapt the instruction to their special needs.

This thesis deals with specific learning difficulties (SLD) in the context of teaching geography in upper primary schools and secondary schools, trying to figure out whether pupils and students have (or may have) specific learning difficulties when learning geography, whether such problems exist. If so, how can be these problems avoided or at least mitigated. To meet stated goals, it was necessary to answer fundamental questions about the specific learning disabilities. What SLD are? What type of SLD are known? What causes SLD? And what are the typical symptoms? After that, based on the findings from answers to these questions, qualitative research was realised through in-depth interviews. Respondents of these interviews were eight people with learning disabilities - dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysorthography, dyscalculia, and a combination. All interviews were recorded on a tape recorder, transcribed and analyzed using the methods of clustering and capturing patterns (so- called gestalts) using open and axial coding. The results of analysis of these interviews were summarised and provide some insight into the SLD related to teaching geography. KEYWORDS specific learning difficulties, dyslexia, education, teaching, geography

Recent legislation in South Africa has changed education considerably, particularly in the move towards inclusive education. Previous educational provision in South Africa, as in many countries, assigned many learners with learning difficulties to segregated settings. Such placements tended to be based on the psycho-medical, intelligence-testing model of identifying learning difficulties. Much research has queried the effectiveness of this approach. However, as no alternative model has been researched, it was decided to research the effectiveness of using an ecosystemic approach in conjunction with a collaborative consultancy model as a method for identifying learning needs in high school learners in a South African public secondary school. Various methods of qualitative data collection were used during the intervention, and comparative analysis was employed to analyse the data. The findings of this study suggest that an ecosystemic approach used together with a collaborative consultancy approach to identify and understand learning diversity is a viable process in inclusive education contexts. However, it is acknowledged that a considerable body of research needs to be achieved before this finding can be considered conclusive. In addition, certain constraints to using this approach were acknowledged, and these include the time, expertise and money needed to facilitate the process successfully.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:52:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SELMA REGINA GOMES.pdf: 3201640 bytes, checksum: 524418b11626ef486dd23592613efd9b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-10 / This is a research linked to Line Theories of Education and Pedagogical Processes. Brings to the debate, the situation experienced by children with learning difficulties, which in the context of school inclusion is characterized as having intellectual disabilities, while not presenting a specialized evaluation that indicated the existence of a physical, sensory or mental. Was chosen as the rationale, theoretical contributions of Vygotsky on the construction of human psychological processes typically Bernard Charlot and perspective on the relationship with knowledge. Methodologically picked up the literature review and field research, using research procedures as interview, observation and ethnographic survey of the characteristics of the school, in the physical, administrative and pedagogical. We used also a pedagogic evaluation of learning conditions of the students. These are children, under the name of intellectually disabled, attending classes from second to fifth year of elementary school, in a State Public School in the city of Goiás Iporá-listed by school, by opinion prepared by teachers and the pedagogical coordinator as students possessing learning difficulty, because they can not keep up with the class regarding the assimilation of school content, and that for this reason were referred to specialized educational services. We sought to understand the characteristics of children's behavior, cognitive and affective dimensions, their strategies for dealing with your situation of learning difficulty, how are characterized by teachers as well as the treatment received in the context of school inclusion. The results indicate that the studied children are in a situation of learning difficulty, meaning that there are no capacity to learn, and, from the standpoint of cognitive and affective, are all signs that are capable of performing an intellectual activity, because carry within them the potential constitutive of the human condition necessary for such action. / Trata-se de uma pesquisa vinculada à Linha de Teorias da Educação e Processos Pedagógicos. Traz para o debate, a situação vivenciada pela criança com dificuldade de aprendizagem, que no contexto da inclusão escolar é caracterizada como possuidora de deficiência intelectual, mesmo não apresentando uma avaliação especializada que indicasse a existência de uma deficiência física, sensorial ou mental. Escolheu-se como fundamentação, os aportes teóricos de Vygotsky sobre a construção dos processos psicológicos tipicamente humanos e a perspectiva de Bernard Charlot sobre a relação com o saber. Metodologicamente escolheu-se a revisão de literatura e a pesquisa de campo, utilizando como procedimentos de pesquisa a entrevista, a observação e levantamento do tipo etnográfico das características da escola, nos aspectos físico, administrativo e pedagógico. Utilizou-se, também uma avaliação pedagógica das condições de aprendizagem do alunos. Estes são crianças, com a denominação de deficientes intelectuais, frequentando as turmas de segundo ao quinto ano do Ensino Fundamental, em uma Escola Pública Estadual na cidade de Iporá-Goiás, indicadas pela escola, por meio de parecer elaborado pelos professores e pelo coordenador pedagógico, como alunos possuidores de dificuldade de aprendizagem, pelo fato de não conseguirem acompanhar a turma com relação à assimilação dos conteúdos escolares, e que por este motivo foram encaminhados ao atendimento educacional especializado. Buscou-se compreender as características do comportamento das crianças, nas dimensões cognitiva e afetiva, suas estratégias para lidar com sua situação de dificuldade de aprendizagem, a forma como são caracterizadas pelos professores, bem como o tratamento recebido no contexto da inclusão escolar. Os resultados apontam que as crianças investigadas estão em uma situação de dificuldade de aprendizagem, não significando que não tenham capacidade para aprender, e, do ponto de vista afetivo e cognitivo, têm todos os indícios de que são capazes de realizar uma atividade intelectual, pois trazem em si as potencialidades constitutivas da condição humana necessárias para tal ação.