Promover a fluência em leitura: um estudo com alunos do 2º ano de escolaridade

Neste artigo são analisados os resultados de um Programa de Promoção da Fluência em Leitura (PPFL), implementado junto de 74 alunos do 2º ano de escolaridade de um Agrupamento Escolar do norte de Portugal. O PPFL é constituído por 22 sequências didáticas, elaboradas a partir de 22 textos (9 narrativos, 4 informativos e 9 poemas). Cada sequência foi operacionalizada em sessões de 10 a 15 minutos, durante 22 semanas, em ciclos de cinco dias (quinta-feira a quarta-feira). Em cada semana foi trabalhado apenas uma sequência didáctica (i.e. um texto). Foi utilizado um design quase experimental, com grupo experimental e grupo de controlo e com pré e pós-teste. Os sujeitos foram avaliados através de um teste de fluência de leitura – o Teste de Fluência em Leitura (TFL) –, considerando as variáveis velocidade e precisão. Os resultados evidenciam diferenças significativas a favor do grupo experimental, que superou as diferenças iniciais que se registavam no pré-teste. A análise qualitativa do impacto do PPFL aponta para um incremento na motivação para ler, no envolvimento da família e para a mudança de práticas por parte dos professores envolvidos.CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, IE, UMinho (UI 317 da FCT), PortugalFundos Nacionais através da FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) e cofinanciado pelo Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) através do COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) no âmbito do CIEC (Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, da Universidade do Minho) com a referência POCI-01-0145-FEDER-00756

Creating a Brief Rating Scale for the Assessment of Learning Disabilities Using Reliability and True Score Estimates of the Scale's Items Based on the Rasch Model

The purpose of the present studies was to provide the means to create brief versions of instruments that can aid the diagnosis and classification of students with learning disabilities and comorbid disorders (e.g., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). A sample of 1,108 students with and without a diagnosis of learning disabilities took part in Study 1. Using information from modern theory methods (i.e., the Rasch model), a scale was created that included fewer than one third of the original battery items designed to assess reading skills. This best item synthesis was then evaluated for its predictive and criterion validity with a valid external reading battery (Study 2). Using a sample of 232 students with and without learning disabilities, results indicated that the brief version of the scale was equally effective as the original scale in predicting reading achievement. Analysis of the content of the brief scale indicated that the best item synthesis involved items from cognition, motivation, strategy use, and advanced reading skills. It is suggested that multiple psychometric criteria be employed in evaluating the psychometric adequacy of scales used for the assessment and identification of learning disabilities and comorbid disorders

Greek teachers' perceptions of autism and implications for educational practice: A preliminary analysis

The general aim of this study was to examine perceptions about autism in regular education (n = 35) and special education (n = 29) teachers attending the second year of their in-service training. Data were collected through a series of written questions covering four areas of interest (general information, aetiology, behavioural characteristics, treatment). The analysis of findings revealed some confusion in regard to the causes of the syndrome in both groups of teachers. However, special education teachers were more likely to identify correctly the specific characteristics of autism. Regular and special education teachers also identified different instructional priorities in the treatment of autism. The practical implications of these findings for in-service training are discussed

The Relationship Between Reading Comprehension, Decoding, and Fluency in Greek: A Cross-Sectional Study

Experts widely consider decoding and fluency as the basis of reading comprehension, while at the same time consistently documenting problems in these areas as major characteristics of students with learning disabilities. However, scholars have developed most of the relevant research within phonologically deep languages, wherein decoding problems appear to be especially prominent. Furthermore, most of the available data refer to elementary-age students. The goal of this study was to investigate reading comprehension in Greek, a language that is less transparent than English. Specifically, the aims of this cross-sectional study were (a) to provide a qualitative analysis of reading comprehension errors in narrative and expository texts made by students across 9 grades and (b) to predict specific reading comprehension problems from decoding and fluency skills. Participants were 1,070 elementary and secondary students from the 1st through the 9th grades whom researchers assessed using a newly developed detection test of reading difficulties. We discuss the results of frequency and regression analyses in the framework of understanding the role that decoding and fluency play in reading comprehension

The Relationship Between Reading Comprehension, Decoding, and Fluency in Greek: A Cross-Sectional Study

Experts widely consider decoding and fluency as the basis of reading comprehension, while at the same time consistently documenting problems in these areas as major characteristics of students with learning disabilities. However, scholars have developed most of the relevant research within phonologically deep languages, wherein decoding problems appear to be especially prominent. Furthermore, most of the available data refer to elementary-age students. The goal of this study was to investigate reading comprehension in Greek, a language that is less transparent than English. Specifically, the aims of this cross-sectional study were (a) to provide a qualitative analysis of reading comprehension errors in narrative and expository texts made by students across 9 grades and (b) to predict specific reading comprehension problems from decoding and fluency skills. Participants were 1,070 elementary and secondary students from the 1st through the 9th grades whom researchers assessed using a newly developed detection test of reading difficulties. We discuss the results of frequency and regression analyses in the framework of understanding the role that decoding and fluency play in reading comprehension. © 2014 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

Goal orientation and reading comprehension strategy use among students with and without reading difficulties

Our aim in this paper was to provide an analysis of goal orientation parameters with respect to reading comprehension strategy use for students with and without reading difficulties (RD). Non-RD students appeared to be more mastery oriented and less performance avoidant compared to RD ones. Also, non-RD students used, more, deeper, more sophisticated and complex ones compared to those of RD students (who used fewer and more surface strategies). Non-RD children appeared to metacognitively monitor their comprehension process while their RD classmates were either ignorant of the existing comprehension problems or bridged meaning gaps in inappropriate ways. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Ικανότητα χειρισμού προβλημάτων συμπεριφοράς στο σχολείο και ανάγκες εξειδίκευσης εκπαιδευτικών [Management of problem behaviors in schools and needs for specialization of teachers]

This publication reports findings from a study with the following aims: a) to explore teachers' perceptions of behavioural problems in their classrooms, and b) to evaluate any associations between the teaching experience and the gender of teachers with their views on their competence on classroom management. A sample of 259 teachers working in regular schools completed the Teacher Manageability Scale by Safran and his colleagues. Statistical analysis revealed that teachers did not seem to face any difficulty in handling any behaviour problem. However, teachers indicated that social isolation, lack of attention, lack of cooperation and avoidance of communication present the greatest challenges for their handling. On the other hand, teachers seemed to feel competent to handle children's behaviours, such as dependency on teachers' instructions, complaints for grades, and being sensitive to criticism. Besides, teaching experience appeared to be significantly related with teachers' perceptions on the management of four types of behavioural problems. Last, it became evident that the ins service training needs of teachers on classroom management need to be focused on the handling specific behaviours that they consider as challenging in their daily practice at school

Reconstructing special educators' knowledge about families with members in the autistic spectrum through befriending experiences

The role of parents within special education teacher preparation programs has been widely recognized. Traditional approaches for preparing special educators to interact with parents of children with special needs have been mainly classroom based promoting a narrow view of the disability, as a construct isolated from its micro-level social context (i.e., the home). Befriending has been increasingly supported as an emerging approach for the social support of vulnerable families in the community. Drawing upon the limitations of the traditional approaches and the need for reforming special education teacher education towards greater community engagement, in this paper we will share the insights from the development of a three-year befriending project between a university department and two charities of parents with members in the autistic spectrum. Overall, the scheme involved 35 families with persons in the autistic spectrum and 75 befrienders, the majority of which (n=60) were student special teachers. Finally, we will discuss how befriending, viewed as a process for reconstructing special education teachers' knowledge about families with members in the autistic spectrum, can be embedded within curricula in special education teacher training programs

Phonological awareness skills: internal structure and hierarchy

The goal of this study was the examination of the internal structure of phonological awareness skills in the Greek language. A total number of 104 children participated in the study. All of them were first graders. Data collection took place during the first two weeks of the academic year 1997-8, in order to avoid the effects of reading instruction. The data collection instrument included thirteen exercises, of multiple items. A quantitative analysis of the data revealed that there are significant differences in the performance of children on the various levels of phonological awareness, especially in regard to syllable or phoneme awareness