Bullying among students with reading difficulties

Reading difficulties (RDs) constitute the most prevalent type of learning disabilities. They are easily noticed by classmates, may cause frustration, and are often accompanied by emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal problems. Previous research has paid little attention to bullying involvement among poor readers. RDs are found to co-occur with known risk factors of victimization and bullying, such as internalizing and externalizing problems. Moreover, in interview studies students with RDs have reported frequent bullying experiences, and more general learning disabilities have been associated with victimization and bullying. In this thesis, I study bullying involvement among Finnish elementary and middle school students with RDs. I examine whether students with RDs are more at risk for bullying involvement than their peers without such difficulties and how RDs are longitudinally related to bullying involvement among school beginners and adolescents. Study I revealed that over a third of elementary and middle school students with self-reported RDs were involved in bullying as victims, bullies, or bully/victims. After controlling for self-esteem and difficulties in math, RDs were associated with peers viewing the students as victims and bully/victims. Study II examined how word-reading skills and externalizing/internalizing problems in Grades 1 and 2 predict bullying involvement in Grade 3. It showed that RDs alone do not increase the risk of bullying involvement at school but in tandem with externalizing/internalizing problems they do add to the risk of bullying others (bullies and bully/victims). Study III investigated the longitudinal interplay between reading skills (fluency and comprehension), victimization, and bullying across the transition from elementary to middle school, controlling for externalizing and internalizing problems. Poor reading fluency and comprehension were longitudinally associated with bullying perpetration but not with victimization. Put together, the studies in the thesis draw a novel picture of bullying involvement among students with RDs in elementary and middle school, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally in different age groups. In conclusion, self-reported RDs were found to associate most strongly with victimization (being a victim or a bully/victim), whereas poor reading skills measured with reading tests were associated only with bullying perpetration. Reassuringly, the risk RDs posed for bullying involvement was relatively low.Lukemisvaikeudet ja koulukiusaaminen Lukemisvaikeudet ovat yleisimpiä oppimisvaikeuksia. Ne näkyvät helposti koulussa, voivat aiheuttaa turhautumista ja niihin liittyy usein tunne-elämän, käyttäytymisen ja vuorovaikutuksen ongelmia, mutta niiden yhteyttä koulukiusaamiseen on tutkittu hyvin vähän. Tiedetään, että ne esiintyvät usein yhdessä kiusaamisen riskitekijöiden kuten sisään/ulospäin suuntautuvan oireilun kanssa. Lisäksi oppilaat, joilla on lukemisvaikeuksia, ovat haastattelututkimuksissa kertoneet kiusatuksi joutumisen kokemuksista ja yleisemmällä tasolla oppimisvaikeuksien on huomattu olevan yhteydessä kiusatuksi joutumiseen ja toisten kiusaamiseen. Tässä väitöskirjassa tarkastelen lukemisvaikeuksien yhteyttä koulukiusaamiseen suomalaisilla ala- ja yläkoululaisilla. Tutkin, ovatko oppilaat, joilla on lukemisvaikeuksia, muita suuremmassa riskissä joutua kiusatuksi tai kiusata muita, sekä sitä, miten lukemisvaikeudet ovat pitkittäisesti yhteydessä koulukiusaamiseen koulutulokkailla sekä yläkouluun siirtyvillä nuorilla. Osatutkimuksen I mukaan yli kolmannes peruskoululaisista, joilla on lukemisvaikeuksia, joutui kiusatuksi, kiusasi muita, tai sekä että. Lukemisvaikeudet olivat yhteydessä kiusaavan oppilaan sekä kiusaaja/uhrin rooleihin myös, kun itsetunto ja matematiikan vaikeudet huomioitiin. Osatutkimuksessa II tutkittiin, ovatko 1. ja 2. luokilla mitatut sanatason lukemisen taidot sekä sisäänpäin/ulospäin suuntautuva oireilu yhteydessä kiusatuksi joutumiseen tai toisten kiusaamiseen 3. luokalla. Tulosten mukaan heikko lukutaito ei yksin lisää tätä riskiä, mutta yhdessä sisäänpäin/ulospäin suuntautuvan oireilun kanssa se lisää riskiä toisten kiusaamiseen. Osatutkimus III keskittyi lukemisen taitojen sekä kiusatuksi joutumisen ja toisten kiusaamisen yhteyksiin siirryttäessä yläkouluun sekä yläkoulun aikana. Heikot lukemisen sujuvuuden ja luetun ymmärtämisen taidot olivat pitkittäin yhteydessä toisten kiusaamiseen, mutta eivät kiusatuksi joutumiseen. Yhdessä väitöskirjan osatutkimukset piirtävät kuvan koulukiusaamisesta niiden ala- ja yläkouluikäisten oppilaiden keskuudessa, joilla on lukemisvaikeuksia. Päätulos on, että itsearvioitujen lukemisvaikeuksien huomattiin olevan vahvimmin yhteydessä kiusatuksi joutumiseen, kun taas testeillä mitatut heikot lukemisen taidot liittyivät toisten kiusaamiseen. Positiivinen löydös kuitenkin oli, että lukemisvaikeuksien aiheuttama koulukiusaamisen riski todettiin varsin pieneksi

The Association Between Reading and Emotional Development: A Systematic Review

Reading practice is associated with numerous psychological benefits. However, its influence over individual emotional dimensions has generally been underestimated by research. Only recently has it been recognized across different developmental stages but evidence is still scarce. The aim of this systematic review is to shed light over the association between reading and the several (and sometimes hardly distinguishable) socio-emotional constructs that we have identified in literature: interpersonal skills and prosocial behavior; emotional and behavioral symptoms; emotional regulation and expression; empathy and theory of mind; emotional knowledge and comprehension; and emotional responses. A total of 50 studies were analyzed, including all age groups, various settings, research drawings, and different emotional constructs in order to create a comprehensive view of the association between reading and emotions. Results show that overall reading practice has a positive impact on socio-emotional development, whatever its declination, regardless of age, gender or setting of implementation

Reading a story. Different degrees of learning in different learning environments

he learning environment in which material is acquired may produce differences in delayed recall and in the elements that individuals focus on. These differences may appear even during development. In the present study, we compared three different learning environments in 450 normally developing 7-year-old children subdivided into three groups according to the type of learning environment. Specifically, children were asked to learn the same material shown in three different learning environments: reading illustrated books (TB); interacting with the same text displayed on a PC monitor and enriched with interactive activities (PC-IA); reading the same text on a PC monitor but not enriched with interactive narratives (PC-NoIA). Our results demonstrated that TB and PC-NoIA elicited better verbal memory recall. In contrast, PC-IA and PCNoIA produced higher scores for visuo-spatial memory, enhancing memory for spatial relations, positions and colors with respect to TB. Interestingly, only TB seemed to produce a deeper comprehension of the story's moral. Our results indicated that PC-IA offered a different type of learning that favored visual details. In this sense, interactive activities demonstrate certain limitations, probably due to information overabundance, emotional mobilization, emphasis on images and effort exerted in interactive activities. Thus, interactive activities, although entertaining, act as disruptive elements which interfere with verbal memory and deep moral comprehensio

How students with intellectual disabilities evaluate recommendations from internet forums

Social networks enable people with intellectual disabilities (ID) to participate actively in society and to promote their self-determination. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential limitations of people with ID to deal with untrustworthy information sources on the Internet. In an experiment, we assessed how adult students with ID evaluated recommendations in Internet forums authored by either self-reported experts or by users under pseudonyms who supported their claim either with documentary sources or their personal experience. We compared the performances of students with ID to that of students of similar ages but higher educational levels (chronological age-matched control group) and to younger students with similar verbal mental age (verbal mental age-matched control group). Participants were asked to evaluate to what extent a fictitious user should follow particular recommendations given in a forum and to justify their evaluations by writing a message to the fictitious user. Students with ID, as opposed to the two control groups, recommended the forum advice to a higher extent regardless of authorship and evidence used, and they included in their messages to the fictitious user a higher number of opinions and information sources not present in the forum without linking them to the actual discussion. The pattern of results suggested that students with ID have a limited ability to evaluate recommendations in forums and that they do not necessarily present a delay in the development of these abilities, but rather an atypical development. Finally, we discussed the potential implications for teaching digital literacy to students with ID.This research was funded by a grant from the Spanish Secretaría General de Universidades (EDU2014-59422)

Reading about minds: The social-cognitive potential of narratives

It is often argued that narratives improve social cognition, either by appealing to social-cognitive abilities as we engage with the story world and its characters, or by conveying social knowledge. Empirical studies have found support for both a correlational and a causal link between exposure to (literary, fictional) narratives and social cognition. However, a series of failed replications has cast doubt on the robustness of these claims. Here, we review the existing empirical literature and identify open questions and challenges. An important conclusion of the review is that previous research has given too little consideration to the diversity of narratives, readers, and social-cognitive processes involved in the social-cognitive potential of narratives. We therefore establish a research agenda, proposing that future research should focus on (1) the specific text characteristics that drive the social-cognitive potential of narratives, (2) the individual differences between readers with respect to their sensitivity to this potential, and (3) the various aspects of social cognition that are potentially affected by reading narratives. Our recommendations can guide the design of future studies that will help us understand how, for whom, and in what respect exposure to narratives can advantage social cognition

The Impact of Interest on Reading Motivation for A Struggling Mexican American Adolescent Reader

This single subject qualitative case study investigated the impact interest had on reading motivation for a struggling Mexican American adolescent reader from the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas. Moreover, the study’s findings found several factors that impacted the subject’s motivation to read; factors which impacted the subject’s reading motivation were associated with his home and school life environment, his attitudes towards literacy activities, and the teaching and learning engagements which occurred throughout the study

Children’s literature as a method of implementing inclusion in classrooms

Abstract. Although the Salamanca Statement of 1994 states that all children all entitled to inclusive education despite exceptionalities or other obstacles, prejudices towards those with exceptionalities persist in society and in education. Individuals with exceptionalities are often negatively stereotyped and found ‘’unworthy’’, reinforced by stigmatizing language and objectifying labels. Being exposed to these attitudes towards individuals with exceptionalities may cause a decrease in mental health, self-esteem, social skills, and educational successes. Furthermore, individuals with exceptionalities may struggle with normative practices in schools, which are often invalidated. Research suggest that dismantling prejudices and uncomfortable situations would encourage solidarity and therefore help develop an inclusive environment. Dismantling prejudice is a complex and delicate mission, yet this research suggests teaching social and emotional capacities in order to combat these attitudes. Social emotional learning (SEL) promotes positive encounters with oneself and others, a beneficial tool for everyone in a classroom, both those with and without exceptionalities. As a method of teaching of SEL, this research suggests bibliotherapeutic processes. Bibliotherapy can address both typical developmental issues, as well as clinical issues for students who need further support. Books are an accessible method to discuss difficult issues, and be therapeutic for those with exceptionalities, as they can act as a mirror for oneself and provide role models. However, most teachers feel they do not have the knowledge or capabilities to teach inclusive topics and are not aware of methods to do so. Therefore, this research will further analyze the need for inclusive literature and illustrate methods for teachers to use in classrooms in order to implement inclusion

The Influence of Successful Completion of a Spanish Course on Middle School Students’ Reading Comprehension

This quantitative, causal-comparative study investigated the effect of foreign language education on reading comprehension by students’ biological sex. The theoretical framework for this study is Piaget and Barlett’s Schema Theory. Participants in this study consisted of middle school students within a PK-8 school. A convenience sample of 200 students was selected, 100 males and 100 females. All students were given a pretest and posttest using the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI). Independent variables consisted of enrollment in a Spanish course and biological sex while the dependent variable was reading comprehension skills as determined by assessment results on the SRI. An analysis of covariance, ANCOVA, was used in analyzing the data collected in this study. When controlling for pretest scores, there was a significant difference in Lexile scores of students who took a Spanish course and those who did not, a significant difference in the Lexile scores of female students who took Spanish and those who did not, and a significant difference in the Lexile scores of male students who took Spanish and those who did not. However, there was not a significant difference in the Lexile scores based on biological sex of students taking Spanish after controlling for the pretest Lexile scores. For future studies, the following are recommended: using data from schools in different settings, such as in an urban environment, analyzing data from students of different grade levels, such as elementary or high school students, analyzing data from students who completed a foreign language course other than Spanish, and comparing results from students who completed different foreign language courses

Active Reading of Visualizations

We investigate whether the notion of active reading for text might be usefully applied to visualizations. Through a qualitative study we explored whether people apply observable active reading techniques when reading paper-based node-link visualizations. Participants used a range of physical actions while reading, and from these we synthesized an initial set of active reading techniques for visualizations. To learn more about the potential impact such techniques may have on visualization reading, we implemented support for one type of physical action from our observations (making freeform marks) in an interactive node-link visualization. Results from our quantitative study of this implementation show that interactive support for active reading techniques can improve the accuracy of performing low-level visualization tasks. Together, our studies suggest that the active reading space is ripe for research exploration within visualization and can lead to new interactions that make for a more flexible and effective visualization reading experience

Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum

The field of specialization known as the science of learning is not, in fact, one field. Science of learning is a term that serves as an umbrella for many lines of research, theory, and application. A term with an even wider reach is Learning Sciences (Sawyer, 2006). The present book represents a sliver, albeit a substantial one, of the scholarship on the science of learning and its application in educational settings (Science of Instruction, Mayer 2011). Although much, but not all, of what is presented in this book is focused on learning in college and university settings, teachers of all academic levels may find the recommendations made by chapter authors of service. The overarching theme of this book is on the interplay between the science of learning, the science of instruction, and the science of assessment (Mayer, 2011). The science of learning is a systematic and empirical approach to understanding how people learn. More formally, Mayer (2011) defined the science of learning as the “scientific study of how people learn” (p. 3). The science of instruction (Mayer 2011), informed in part by the science of learning, is also on display throughout the book. Mayer defined the science of instruction as the “scientific study of how to help people learn” (p. 3). Finally, the assessment of student learning (e.g., learning, remembering, transferring knowledge) during and after instruction helps us determine the effectiveness of our instructional methods. Mayer defined the science of assessment as the “scientific study of how to determine what people know” (p.3). Most of the research and applications presented in this book are completed within a science of learning framework. Researchers first conducted research to understand how people learn in certain controlled contexts (i.e., in the laboratory) and then they, or others, began to consider how these understandings could be applied in educational settings. Work on the cognitive load theory of learning, which is discussed in depth in several chapters of this book (e.g., Chew; Lee and Kalyuga; Mayer; Renkl), provides an excellent example that documents how science of learning has led to valuable work on the science of instruction. Most of the work described in this book is based on theory and research in cognitive psychology. We might have selected other topics (and, thus, other authors) that have their research base in behavior analysis, computational modeling and computer science, neuroscience, etc. We made the selections we did because the work of our authors ties together nicely and seemed to us to have direct applicability in academic settings