The whats, whys and hows of supporting dyslexic students. A review of ‘Learning Disabilities in Higher Education and Beyond: An International Perspective’ edited by Susan A. Vogel, Gila Vogel, Varda Sharoni & Orit Dahan, USA: York Press, 2003, 384 pages + xv, ISBN 0912752742

Book review

The relationship between working alliance and treatment outcomes in remedial instruction for older dyslexic children

Research in psychotherapy has demonstrated that a positive working alliance between therapist and client leads to positive treatment outcomes. Though its focus is in the area of psychotherapy, the concept of working alliance holds significant value to the area of education. Current applications of the theory in educational settings have looked at relationships between teacher and students in the broad context of classroom interaction and found significant promise. The present study investigates the application of the theory of working alliance in a sample of older reading disabled children. The study examined the psychometric properties of the Reading Alliance Scale for Children (RASC) and for Teachers (RAST) in relation to student reading ability and motivation. A sample of 254 (66.1 % male, 33.9% female) grade 6-8 students (mean age 12.7 years) were enrolled in a remedial reading program for reading disabled children. The average standard score across multiple reading measures was more than 1 SD below age-level expectations. Students responded to measures of reading achievement and motivation at pretest, after 70 hours (post 70) of remediation and at the end of the program (post 125). All participants completed measures on the working alliance relationship at post 70 and post 125. Results showed that teacher reports were most predictive of outcome compared to student reports of the working alliance relationship. Working alliance was correlated with posttest reading ability and motivation. Male students and Black students obtained the weakest working alliance reports from their teacher. Overall, findings support the view that students' relationships with teachers provide an important component of success in the classroom.

Utilização do software Scratch no ensino das ciências da natureza e da matemática com alunos portadores de dislexia

O estudo que apresentamos tem como objetivos de investigação contribuir para o desenvolvimento global das crianças com Necessidades Educativas Especiais, nomeadamente, portadoras de Dislexia, designadamente em aulas onde são lecionados conteúdos de Ciências da Natureza e de Matemática, e conceber um recurso didático apoiado nas TIC que seja adequado à utilização em sala de aula por alunos com dislexia. Neste sentido, o estudo foi orientado pelas seguintes questões de investigação: A utilização do Scratch é adequada e exequível no trabalho quotidiano de alunos portadores de Dislexia? e Em que medida o Scratch pode contribuir para um melhor envolvimento dos alunos portadores de Dislexia na realização das tarefas propostas? O presente trabalho segue uma metodologia de carácter qualitativo, centrando-se no estudo de caso. Tentou-se dar uma resposta à reduzida utilização do software Scratch no ensino das Ciências da Natureza e Matemática como instrumentos viáveis para uma aprendizagem de sucesso em alunos portadores de Dislexia. Este estudo foi aplicado a três alunos do 4º ano, com este diagnóstico, de um agrupamento de escolas do concelho de Viseu. Para dar resposta às questões de investigação supracitadas foram implementadas e projetadas duas atividades no software Scratch para serem desenvolvidas em duas situações formativas contextualizadas. O subdomínio que se pretendeu trabalhar foi “A importância da água para os seres vivos” articulando com o conteúdo dos volumes. Os dados foram recolhidos através da análise dos Programas Educativos Individuais de cada um dos alunos participantes, das entrevistas às docentes de Educação Especial, de gravações áudio, fotografias, trabalhos dos alunos e os registos da professora investigadora. Os resultados obtidos permitiram caracterizar o modo como os alunos, portadores de dislexia, se envolveram com o Scratch na aquisição de conhecimento. Permitiram ainda demonstrar aos professores que é possível construir atividades nesta ferramenta envolvendo conteúdos curriculares interdisciplinares.

La compétence métaorthographique d'élèves dyslexiques francophones du primaire

L’expertise en orthographe requiert le développement de plusieurs types de connaissances et la possibilité d’y recourir volontairement, que l’on nomme compétence métaorthographique. Comme les élèves dyslexiques (ÉD) éprouvent d’importantes difficultés en orthographe, les objectifs de ce travail sont 1) de dresser un portrait de la compétence métaorthographique de 30 ÉD québécois, 2) de la comparer à celle d’élèves de même âge (n=25) ainsi qu’à celle d’élèves plus jeunes de même compétence écrite (n=24) et 3) d’établir des liens entre cette compétence métaorthographique et la compétence orthographique. Pour ce faire, trois tâches étaient demandées aux participants : 1) repérer et 2) corriger des erreurs orthographiques, puis 3) expliciter les motifs des corrections apportées. Les résultats indiquent que les ÉD obtiennent des résultats inférieurs aux deux groupes contrôles et que la compétence orthographique est liée à la compétence métaorthographique.

Les stratégies de production orthographique d’élèves dyslexiques francophones du primaire

Le développement de la compétence orthographique est particulièrement difficile pour les dyslexiques. Orthographier en français implique la prise en compte de connaissances et de stratégies variées. Cette étude a pour objectifs de décrire l’utilisation des stratégies de production orthographiques de 32 élèves dyslexiques (ED) âgés de 9 à 12 ans ainsi que d’établir les liens entre les stratégies orthographiques et la compétence orthographique. Les élèves devaient orthographier 24 mots sous dictée et commenter, pour chaque mot, les stratégies employées. Les performances des ED ont été comparées à celles de 25 normo scripteurs de même âge chronologique (CA) et à celles de 24 normo scripteurs de même compétence écrite (CE). Les résultats indiquent que les stratégies phonologiques sont les plus utilisées par tous les groupes de participants. Si aucun type de stratégies n’est lié à la compétence orthographique des ED, la stratégie visuo-orthographique nous éclaire sur les résultats des CA et des CE.

Les connaissances morphologiques d’élèves dyslexiques du primaire

En raison de leur déficit phonologique leur causant d’importantes difficultés en lecture, les élèves dyslexiques sont particulièrement à risque d’échec scolaire. Des études récentes ont montré que l’information véhiculée par les unités morphologiques contenue dans les mots en permettrait la reconnaissance, en plus d’en faciliter l’accès au sens. L’objectif de cette étude est d’évaluer les connaissances morphologiques d’élèves dyslexiques francophones de niveau primaire. Nous avons administré trois tâches servant à évaluer les connaissances morphologiques dérivationnelles en lien avec les règles de formation des mots à un groupe d’élèves dyslexiques (n=54) et deux groupes contrôles, soit un groupe d’élèves du même âge chronologique (n=46) et un groupe d’élèves de même niveau de lecture (n=88). Nous avons hiérarchisé ces trois tâches en fonction d’un continuum basé sur les opérations mentales sollicitées. Nos résultats montrent que les trois groupes d’élèves ont tous tiré profit des unités morphologiques pour réussir ces trois tâches et que le niveau de réussite va de pair avec le caractère explicite de ces tâches.

Desempenho de escolares com dislexia do desenvolvimento em tarefas fonológicas e silábicas

OBJETIVO: caracterizar o desempenho em tarefas fonológicas e silábicas de escolares com dislexia do desenvolvimento e comparar estes achados com o desempenho de discentes com bom desempenho escolar. MÉTODOS: participaram do estudo 26 alunos de oito a 12 anos de idade, de ambos os sexos, de 2ª. a 4ª. séries do Ensino Fundamental municipal na cidade de Marilia-SP, divididas em GI: composto por 13 escolares com dislexia atendidos no Centro de Estudos da Educação e Saúde - CEES/UNESP e GII: composto por 13 alunos com bom desempenho acadêmico, pareados segundo sexo, idade e escolaridade com o GI. Como procedimento foi utilizada a Prova de Consciência Fonológica - Instrumento de Avaliação Seqüencial - CONFIAS. Os resultados foram analisados estatisticamente pelo Teste Mann-Whitney (comparação entre os grupos) e Teste dos Postos Sinalizados-Wilcoxon (comparação entre as variáveis). RESULTADOS: os resultados evidenciaram diferença estatisticamente significante, sugerindo melhor desempenho do GII em relação ao GI quanto às tarefas fonêmicas e silábicas. O GI apresentou diferença estatisticamente significativa nas tarefas silábicas e fonêmicas, com melhor desempenho nas primeiras. Entre os escolares do GII não houve grande diferença estatística entre tarefas silábicas, apenas entre tarefas fonêmicas. CONCLUSÃO: o estudo concluiu que escolares com dislexia do desenvolvimento apresentam dificuldades quanto à identificação de rima e produção de palavras com o som dado, apontando para um déficit em acessar os códigos e as representações fonológicas.

Alterações dos processos fonológicos e índice de gravidade entre escolares com dislexia e escolares com bom desempenho acadêmico

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Desempenho de escolares com dislexia e transtorno do déficit de atenção e hiperatividade nos processos de leitura

This study aimed to characterize and to compare the performance of students with an interdisciplinary diagnosis of dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in students with good academic performance on the reading processes. Sixty students from both genders, from 2nd to 4th grades of municipal public schools in Marília - SP participated in this study, they were distributed as follows: GI, 20 students with interdisciplinary diagnosis of dyslexia; GII, 20 students with ADHD and GIII, 20 students with good academic performance, paired according to gender, age and grade level with GI and GII. The students were submitted to the application of the assessment of reading processes (PROLEC) composed by four processes: letters identification, lexical, syntactical and semantic. The results highlighted that the students of GIII showed superior performance comparing with GI and GII. There was difference between GI and GII only in low frequency word reading and non words reading of the lexical process. The inferior performance from GI and GII in the PROLEC tests can be justified by the difficulty on the coding and decoding abilities. In ADHD students this difficulty was due to impaired interaction between the visual, linguistic, attention and auditory processing and in the dyslexic students was due to failure at the phonological mediation process, which depends on the knowledge of rules of grapheme - phoneme conversion to the acquisition of word reading. These changes affect the reading achievement and the comprehension of the read text.

Potencial Cognitivo Auditivo e vectoeletronistagmografia em escolares com dislexia e distúrbios de aprendizagem

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Dyslexia: Success, Failure, and Self-Concept

The purpose of this study is to investigate the experience of college-aged students who have been diagnosed with dyslexia. Research has shown that many people with dyslexia experience a variety of social and emotional struggles throughout their education. Using qualitative research techniques, this study provides a description of the experience common among college students with dyslexia. Specifically, the study examines the experience of dyslexic students as it relates to attributions of successes and failures, locus of control, self-concept, and how personal knowledge about the diagnosis impacts their experience.

Motivating Medical Students To Learn Basic Science Concepts Using Chronic Myeloid Leukemia As An Integration Theme.

To report on the use of chronic myeloid leukemia as a theme of basic clinical integration for first year medical students to motivate and enable in-depth understanding of the basic sciences of the future physician. During the past thirteen years we have reviewed and updated the curriculum of the medical school of the Universidade Estadual de Campinas. The main objective of the new curriculum is to teach the students how to learn to learn. Since then, a case of chronic myeloid leukemia has been introduced to first year medical students and discussed in horizontal integration with all themes taught during a molecular and cell biology course. Cell structure and components, protein, chromosomes, gene organization, proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, signaling and so on are all themes approached during this course. At the end of every topic approached, the students prepare in advance the corresponding topic of clinical cases chosen randomly during the class, which are then presented by them. During the final class, a paper regarding mutations in the abl gene that cause resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors is discussed. After each class, three tests are solved in an interactive evaluation. The course has been successful since its beginning, 13 years ago. Great motivation of those who participated in the course was observed. There were less than 20% absences in the classes. At least three (and as many as nine) students every year were interested in starting research training in the field of hematology. At the end of each class, an interactive evaluation was performed and more than 70% of the answers were correct in each evaluation. Moreover, for the final evaluation, the students summarized, in a written report, the molecular and therapeutic basis of chronic myeloid leukemia, with scores ranging from 0 to 10. Considering all 13 years, a median of 78% of the class scored above 5 (min 74%-max 85%), and a median of 67% scored above 7. Chronic myeloid leukemia is an excellent example of a disease that can be used for clinical basic integration as this disorder involves well known protein, cytogenetic and cell function abnormalities, has well-defined diagnostic strategies and a target oriented therapy.

O esporte paralímpico na formação do profissional em educação física : percepção de professores e acadêmicos = The paralympic sport in physical education professional forming: perceptions of teachers and students

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Mentors, students, and the undergraduate medical course: a virtuous circle

BACKGROUND: Mentoring Programs have been developed in several medical schools, but few studies have investigated the mentors'perspective. PURPOSES: To explore mentors'perceptions regarding their experience. METHODS: Mentors at a medical school were invited to participate in an in-depth interview including questions on satisfaction, difficulties, and perception of changes resulting from the program. RESULTS: Mentors' satisfaction and difficulties are strongly associated with students'involvement in the activity. Mentors believe changes observed in students were more related to life issues; for some mentors, there is no recognition or awareness of the program. However, most of the mentors acknowledged important changes in relation to themselves: as teachers, faculty members, and individuals. CONCLUSION: Attendance is crucial for both the mentoring relationship and strengthening of the program. Students involved in the activity motivate mentors in teaching and curriculum development, thereby creating a virtuous circle and benefiting undergraduate medical education as a whole.

Drug consumption among medical students in São Paulo, Brazil: influences of gender and academic year

OBJECTIVE: To analyze alcohol, tobacco and other drug use among medical students. METHOD: Over a five-year period (1996-2001), we evaluated 457 students at the Universidade de São Paulo School of Medicine, located in São Paulo, Brazil. The students participated by filling out an anonymous questionnaire on drug use (lifetime, previous 12 months and previous 30 days). The influence that gender and academic year have on drug use was also analyzed. RESULTS: During the study period, there was an increase in the use of illicit drugs, especially inhalants and amphetamines, among the medical students evaluated. Drug use (except that of marijuana and inhalants) was comparable between the genders, and academic year was an important influencing factor. DISCUSSION: Increased inhalant use was observed among the medical students, especially among males and students in the early undergraduate years. This is suggestive of a specific behavioral pattern among medical students. Our findings corroborate those of previous studies. CONCLUSION: Inhalant use is on the rise among medical students at the Universidade de São Paulo School of Medicine. Because of the negative health effects of illicit drug use, further studies are needed in order to deepen the understanding of this phenomenon and to facilitate the development of preventive measures.