SAMMANFATTNING: Läs- och skrivsvårigheter/dyslexi - En studie om hur elever inom de gymnasiala yrkesförberedande programmen med läs- och skrivsvårigheter/dyslexi upplever sin studiesituation. Uppsatsen är ett resultat av vår undersökning gällande vad begreppet dyslexi innebär, tidigare och nuvarande forskning inom området, hur gymnasieelever med läs- och skrivsvårigheter/dyslexi upplever sin studiesituation samt hur lärarna anpassar sin undervisning för elever med dessa svårigheter. Vi har även undersökt om elever och lärare har kännedom om de kompensatoriska hjälpmedel som finns till deras förfogande på ett gymnasialt yrkesförberedande program i en gymnasieskola i Sverige.

Author: Elisabeth Wahlberg   Title: “…I’ll just get mum to help me” About Young Adults’ Strategies for Coping with Reading and Writing Difficulties in Daily Life     This study investigated how seven young adults, who during senior high school underwent a syllable based intervention due to reading and writing difficulties, developed their literacy skills, and what strategies they used to try to overcome reading and writing problems, whether at work, during studies or in their leisure time. The period from when the participants had left school ranged between three and eight years. Qualitative as well as quantitative data was compiled for the study. Qualitative data consisted of  semistructured interviews and quantitative data of tests performed before the intervention and on two occasions after, in order to compare results over time. The study was a longitudinal case study with a phenomenological lifeworld approach and looked to increase awareness of the realities of living with reading and writing difficulties. It analysed how the participants dealt with their problems and what strategies they employed, in order to overcome them. Study results showed that even as participants improved their literacy skills compared to pre-intervention, reading and writing remained an issue. All participants were forced to adjust to the fact that they were affected in their daily lives, whether in choice of career or further education, or more everyday tasks involving reading and writing and also the inclination to read for pleasure. They avoided to expose their shortcomings if at all possible. Still, the participants all strived to tackle their reading and writing problems by applying elements from the syllable based intervention in conjunction with inventing individual strategies.

This work concerns children with reading- and writing difficulties/dyslexia. My purpose is to investigate the practical experience of teachers as well as their everyday work with these children. My questions are: How do teachers work with children aged 4-9 who have reading- and writing difficulties/dyslexia? Which various teaching aids exist for children who have reading- and writing difficulties/dyslexia? Which subjects are affected by reading- and writing difficulties/dyslexia? To answer the above questions I have used the qualitative method. I have performed interviews and observations. Previous research has shown that reading- and writing difficulties/dyslexia is one of our most common disabilities. It is present in all classes. There is also a discussion if reading- and writing difficulties and dyslexia are the same thing or not. Early support is important for children with reading- and writing difficulties/dyslexia. My conclusion is that the educating system does many things to help children with reading- and writing difficulties/dyslexia by the use of supporting methods, teaching aids, special educators, attitude, motivation and cooperation with parents. Examples of teaching aids are computer software and speech synthesis. Finally I have seen that reading- and writing difficulties/dyslexia actually do affect all subjects.

Purpose: my aim was to explore ways that teachers can support students with dyslexia and what/ which tools some teachers / special education teachers use to facilitate students. Method: I used a quantitative method by interviewing some regular teachers and special education teachers Results: In my study, I learned how some teachers can support students by reading loud to them; a main task for the teachers could be to create the love of reading for the students. That task was reinforced by students' self-image.

The aim of this work is to examine how a number of class teachers reason about and find their work while teaching students who have reading and writing difficulties / dyslexia. The empirical study was intended to answer the question based on three questions. The work is based on a qualitative method as empirical material gathered in semi-structured interviews. Six classroom teachers, one male and five female teachers were interviewed. The interviewees were from six different schools in Stockholm Municipality and were between 27-61 years old. Most of the classroom teachers feel that there are approximately 4-5 students with reading and writing difficulties / dyslexia in each class. Half of the teachers feel that students with dyslexia may be different as they are quiet, unsecure and shy. While the other half experience these students as ordinary children. All those involved are of the opinion that they work, including in the classrooms by adjusting the lessons to each student's needs. Half of the classroom teachers perceive special pedagogy teachers well, while the other half experience it as problematic. Classroom teachers also think that they have the skills needed to respond to students with reading and writing difficulties / dyslexia and think that training courses are important to keep the knowledge alive. Several of the teachers emphasize that students with reading and writing difficulties / dyslexia get the help necessary while the other half think it can be better. The classroom teachers stress that in teaching, they use different methods which they cannot name. / Syftet med arbetet var att undersöka hur ett antal klasslärare resonerar kring och upplever sitt arbete med elever med läs- och skrivsvårigheter/dyslexi i sin undervisning. Den empiriska undersökningen avsåg att besvara syftet utifrån tre frågeställningar.  Arbetet baserades på en kvalitativ metod där empiriska materialet samlades på semistrukturerade intervjuer. Sex klasslärare, en manlig och fem kvinnliga lärare intervjuades. De intervjuade var från sex olika skolor i Stockholmskommun och var i åldrarna 27 till 61 år.  De flesta klasslärarna upplever att det förekommer ungefär 4-5 elever med läs- och skrivsvårigheter/dyslexi i varje klass.  Hälften av lärarna upplever att elever med läs- och skrivsvårigheter kan vara olika då de är tysta, osäkra och tillbakadragna, medan den andra hälften upplever dessa elever som vanliga barn. Alla de medverkade resonerar att de arbetar inkluderande i klassrummet genom att de anpassar lektionerna efter varje individs förutsättningar. Häften av klasslärarna upplever specialläraren som positiv medan den andra hälften upplever problematik. Klasslärarna tycker också att de har kompetensen som behövs för att bemöta elever med läs- och skrivsvårigheter/dyslexi och de resonerar kring fortbildningens betydelse för att hålla kunskapen levande. Flera av lärarna betonar att elever med läs- och skrivsvårigheter/dyslexi får den hjälpen som de behöver medan den andra hälften tycker att det kan bli bättre. I undervisningen betonar klasslärarna att de använder olika metoder som de inte kan namnge.

The aim of this study is to investigate a number of class teachers' thoughts on the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in early literacy learning. The study has been conducted as a qualitative study, interviewing five teachers with the help of an interview guide. Three central questions were posed. What perception do the teachers have about the use of ICT in their tuition? What perception do the teachers have about the pupils' literacy learning in teaching with ICT tools? What perception do the teachets have about teaching and learning by means of ICT when it comes to pupils with reading and writing difficulties/dyslexia? The overall theoretical basis of the study is Vygotskij's sociocultural theory. In conclusion, the result of the study is as follows.Most class teachers feel that the training they have undergone in ICT education was adequate, but they also call for skill development.Most teachers believe that the use of ICT tools provide opportunities to adapt their teaching to pupils' knowledge level. The teachers' opinion is that ICT in teaching is useful for pupils' progress in early literacy learning.Most teachers also believe that ICT tools in teaching can be of some help for pupils with reading and writing difficulties/dyslexia.One obstacle in helping these pupils is lack of time.Therefore, the majority of the teachers hand these pupils over to special education outside the classroom.

To be able to read is fundamental in our society to cope with both everyday life and education. Simultaneously, it is many times our ability to perform that determines our value. (Taube, 1998, pp. 80-81) How do difficulties in a child’s early education of learning how to read and write, affect their self-image? The aim of this study is to investigate how teachers and special educators perceive reading and writing difficulties and self-esteem as phenomena and how they affect each other. Questions answered are What do teachers perceive as reading and writing difficulties? What thoughts do teachers have about the relationship between self-esteem and reading and writing difficulties? How do teachers believe a student’s self-esteem can be built up when the student is experiencing reading and writing difficulties? This is a qualitative study based on five semi-structured interviews with teachers and special education teachers in different elementary schools. Through the phenomenological approach, to describe how people perceive the chosen phenomena, and the socio-cultural perspective, where learning is seen as a social phenomenon, the interviews were analysed on the basis of three trials, reading and writing difficulties, self-esteem and self-image, as well as the role of the teachers and their support. The study concludes that individual based education, a good classroom climate and encouragement are perceived as important aspects for students with reading and writing difficulties and / or low self-esteem. / Att kunna läsa är grundläggande i vårt samhälle för att klara av både vardag och studier. Samtidigt är det många gånger vår förmåga att prestera som avgör vårt värde. (Taube, 1998, s.80-81) Vad händer då med elevens självbild när läs- och skrivinlärningen kantas av misslyckanden? Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur lärare och specialpedagoger uppfattar läs- och skrivsvårigheter och självförtroende som fenomen och hur dem inverkar på varandra. Frågor som besvaras är Vad uppfattar lärare som läs- och skrivsvårigheter? Vilka tankar har lärare kring relationen mellan självförtroende och läs- och skrivsvårigheter? Hur anser lärare att elevens självförtroende kan stärkas när eleven stöter på läs- och skrivsvårigheter? Detta är en kvalitativ studie baserad på fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med lärare och specialpedagoger i grundskolans lägre stadium. Genom den fenomenografiska ansatsen, för att beskriva hur människor uppfattar valda fenomen, och det sociokulturella perspektivet, där lärande ses som en social företeelse, analyserades intervjuerna utifrån tre treman, läs- och skrivsvårigheter, självförtroende och självbild samt lärarrollen och stöttning. Studien pekar på att individanpassad undervisning, ett gott klassrumsklimat och uppmuntran uppfattas som viktiga aspekter för elever med läs- och skrivsvårigheter och/eller lågt självförtroende.

The aim of this essay is to examine how students in 6-9 grade with reading and writing difficulties are treated and supported by teachers and staff at Ideskolan, a community school north of Stockholm. I have chosen to answer the following question: - How does Ideskolan cope with and support students with reading and writing difficulties This has in turn generated the following questions: - How is special education organized at Ideskolan? - Is a diagnose always needed in order to deploy extra support? The method I have employed is observation while participating, together with informal talks and interviews. I have visited Ideskolan twice, one week at the time. The material that the visits have generated is the foundation of the essay, supported by previous research in the field. The essay clarifies what right to special support students have according to law, regulations, curriculum and teaching plans and what they look like in reality at Ideskolan. This paper questions why schools focus on the individual student in these matters instead on the schools organisation and way of working. It might not automatically be the students’ difficulties with reading and writing that limits their continued learning, but rather the schools attitude towards students with special needs. Some ways of working might minimize the difficulties while some can increase them. If so, perhaps a change is in order? The essay also discusses the role of the special teacher – should she be supporting the students or her colleagues, or both. It also discusses if the teacher training should evolve to better suite the need to handle students with reading and writing difficulties. Even though Ideskolan recognizes the fact that two – three students in each class suffers with reading and writing difficulties the support to these students are inadequate. The school can excuse it self by saying that there is no “right way to go”, for each student with reading and writing difficulties are unique and there for require different support.

Som pedagog behöver man ha kunskap om olika läs- och skrivinlärningsmetoder för att kunna stötta eleverna så bra som möjligt i deras läs- och skrivutveckling. Alla elever är olika och har olika erfarenheter och behov när de börjar skolan. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur Wittingmetoden fungerar vid nyinlärning samt varför den är bra för att förebygga läs- och skrivsvårigheter hos barn. Studien undersöker även hur samarbetet kan se ut mellan lärare utifrån Wittingmetoden och andra metoder, samt varför lärare tror att Wittingmetoden är relativt okänd. För att få en uppfattning om metodens funktion har det även gjorts en jämförelse med några andra väl beprövade metoder. Studien genomfördes genom kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra lärare från olika delar av Sverige. Gemensamt för lärarna var att de arbetar helt eller delvis utifrån Wittingmetoden. Resultaten av intervjuerna visar att metoden fungerar väl för nyinlärning, samt att den även var effektiv för att förebygga läs- och skrivsvårigheter. Detta på grund av att metoden uppfattas som effektiv, inget lämnas åt slumpen, allt är genomtänkt och kreativt, strukturen är tydlig och eleverna arbetar i sin egen takt. Två av lärarna tyckte att metoden var den enda att arbeta utifrån medan de två andra lärarna även använde sig av andra metoder. / The purpose of the study is to investigate how the Witting method works in new learning and whether it is good for preventing reading and writing difficulties. The survey also shows why the method is relatively unknown among teachers. In order to gain an idea of ​​the method's function, a comparison has also been made with some other well-proven methods used in Sweden. The survey was conducted through qualitative interviews with four teachers from different parts of Sweden. Common to all four teachers was that they work fully or partly from the Witting method. The results of the interviews show that all four teachers agreed that the method works well for new learning and that it was also effective in preventing reading and writing difficulties. This because the method is perceived to be effective, nothing is left by chance, everything is thoughtful and creative, the structure is clear and the students work at their own pace. Two of the teachers thought the method was the only one to work from the outside while the other two teachers also used other methods.

The main purpose of this study was to increase knowledge on the views of students with reading and writing difficulties when it comes to their perception of their difficulties, school experiences and future aspirations. The second aim was to increase knowledge about some differences and similarities between Malta and Sweden in the subject field. The research questions concerned students’ descriptions of their diagnostic processes, perception of their difficulties, strengths and coping strategies, school experience and future aspirations. A qualitative interview study was conducted with five Swedish and six Maltese upper secondary school students. The Ecological systems theory and Didactic theory together with previous research were used to analyse the results. To summarise the results, almost all of the students diagnosed with dyslexia showed a positive attitude towards having the report. The Maltese students described the absolute necessity of a diagnosis to receive support. No student in the study described having received support and structured phonological training as recommended by previous research. The students described a wide range of difficulties, strengths and coping strategies mainly in line with previous research. The importance of concentration when learning and taking tests was accentuated. Listening to a skilled teacher was emphasised as one of the best ways of learning, and the importance of willpower was highlighted. The students showed the importance of communicating with teachers, finding own methods, and make the most of one’s strengths to close the gaps in the areas in which one experiences difficulties. For all the Maltese students, private lessons have been a source of support, while none of the Swedish mentioned any private training. For the majority, both parents and a hobby played an important role when it comes to support and well-being. All students described school as difficult, but students’ experiences of school ranged from humiliating to somehow supportive. Some of the Maltese students described that they were afraid of being judged for using dyslexia as an excuse, while some of the Swedish students described they felt the right to support and adjustments. All students but one described that they had lowered their future aspirations due to their difficulties. All students seem to rely on their own strategies for school success. In the light of the theoretical framework – the Ecological systems theory, Didactic theory and previous research – the results could imply both a need for improving teachers’ literacy and didactic skills within the existing systems as well as a need for curriculum development and change of examinations systems.