Using verbal mediation strategies and group processes to enhance story writing

1991 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 17-33
Author(s):  
Robyn Gillies
Keyword(s):  
Group Process ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Expository Writing ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
Verbal Mediation ◽  
Group Settings ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Story Writing ◽  
Two Measures

This study was conducted to determine whether verbal mediation strategies and group process skills implemented in small cooperative group settings of learning disabled children and low progress children, were effective in improving the children's expository writing performances. Measures of writing behaviour which were monitored included words per story, and two measures of complexity-number of T-units per story and number of words per T-unit. The results indicated that there was a larger increase in the target children's performances over baseline in both the number of words per story and the number of T-units per story. However, there was no significant difference in measures of words per T-unit. The results obtained suggest that the relatively simple procedures which were adopted to facilitate group interaction and commitment to tasks did contribute to the gains made by the children in the cooperative condition.

Using cognitive behaviour training activities and group processes to enhance spelling performance

1990 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 69-77
Author(s):  
Robyn Gillies
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Original Training ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
Behaviour Modification ◽  
Spelling Performance ◽  
Group Settings ◽  
Cognitive Behaviour ◽  
Training Activities

This study was conducted to determine whether cognitive behaviour modification training procedures, implemented in small group settings of learning disabled children and low progress children, was effective in improving their spelling through writing. The study demonstrated two main outcomes. Firstly, it showed that learning disabled children can be taught specific cognitive training strategies to help them regulate their self-instructional behaviours in spelling and these skills can generalise to spelling situations outside the original training program. Secondly, it showed that reciprocal gains occur when learning disabled children work cooperatively with other low progress spellers.

Tactile Functions in Learning-Disabled and Normal Children: Reliability and Validity Considerations

1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moya Kinnealey
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Integration ◽  
Concurrent Validity ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Neuropsychological Battery ◽  
Normal Children ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Test Retest Reliability

This study compared tactile functions of learning-disabled and normal children as measured by the tactile portions of the Southern California Sensory Integration Tests and the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery, Children's revision, to explore the reliability and validity of the two measures and to determine to what extent they are able to discriminate between normal and learning-disabled children. The subjects were sixty 8-year-old children: 30 normal children and 30 children with learning disabilities. The results showed a significant difference between the tactile scores of learning-disabled and normal children. The internal consistency of both tests was .80. A test-retest reliability coefficient of .86 was obtained for both measures. The construct validity for both measures was good. Furthermore, a discriminant analysis correctly classified 90% of the children. Concurrent validity between the two measures was .73. The study also showed that individual tests of the tactile section of the Southern California tests and of the tactile section of the Luria-Nebraska battery (which was artificially divided into subsections for the purposes of this study) are less reliable than the tests given together.

Movement Difficulty and Learning Disabled Children

1987 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Kerr ◽  
Kathy Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Task Difficulty ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
Successful Performance ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Motor Difficulties ◽  
Information Processing Deficits ◽  
Processing Mechanism

Results of recent research have implicated information processing deficits in explaining the poor academic performance of learning disabled children. However, the motor difficulties of these children have not been extensively studied from a processing framework, yet cognitive skills are inherent to the successful performance of motor skills. Sixteen learning disabled and sixteen control subjects ranging in age from 6 to 8 years were tested on a Fitts’ reciprocal tapping task using 16 different target combinations with the ID ranging from 1.50 to 6.64 bits. Analysis of the slope and intercept coefficients showed a significant difference for intercept but not for slope. These data suggest that the problem may not be a major processing deficit, as the learning disabled children were able to handle the increased task difficulty in the same manner as the controls. Instead the problem may exist at the very early input stage of the processing mechanism: getting the information into the system.

Adaptive Behavior of Learning Disabled and Non-Learning Disabled Children

1988 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
William N. Bender ◽  
Lorri B. Golden
Keyword(s):  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Problem Behavior ◽  
Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Maladaptive Behaviors ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
Mainstream Teachers ◽  
Social Coping ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Behavior Scale

Adaptive behavior, problem behavior, and self-perception of behavior of 54 learning disabled children and 54 non-learning disabled children were compared to revealed the differences mainstream teachers perceive between the two groups. Multivariate analysis revealed differences in the first two measures. That is, the groups were different in each subscale of adaptive behavior, including social coping, relationships, pragmatics and production. Analysis of the problem-behavior scale indicated differences between the groups on three of five subscales. In each case, the scores for the LD group were higher indicating less desirable adaptive behavior and more problem behavior in the classroom. Implications of these results are presented as well as recommended use of adaptive-behavior measures for identification and the need to prepare mainstream teachers to deal with maladaptive behaviors in the classroom.

Perception and Interpretation of Ambiguous Sentences by Learning Disabled Twelve-Year-Olds

1981 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth H. Wiig ◽  
Eleanor M. Semel ◽  
Else Abele
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Learning Disabled ◽  
Diagnostic Group ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
Ambiguous Sentence ◽  
Verbal Intelligence ◽  
Disabled Children ◽  
Verbal Scale ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Syntactic Ambiguities

The present research assessed and compared the abilities of 27 learning disabled twelve-year-olds, 27 academically achieving age controls, 10 academically achieving seven- to eight-year-olds, and 10 normally developing five- to six-year-olds to perceive and interpret lexical and syntactic ambiguities in sentences. Eight lexically ambiguous, eight syntactically ambiguous, and four unambiguous control sentences were presented for interpretation of their alternatives in meaning. Each experimental sentence was associated with four pictorial choices. Significant differences in the ability to perceive and interpret the alternative meanings of both lexical and syntactical ambiguities were found between the learning disabled and the academically achieving twelve-year-olds. No significant difference existed in the ability of the learning disabled twelve-year-olds and the seven- to eight-year-old controls to perceive and interpret lexical ambiguities; however, they differed significantly in the ability to interpret the syntactic ambiguities. Comparison of the ability of the learning disabled twelve-year-olds and the five- to six-year-old controls to interpret the syntactic ambiguities indicated no significant differences. Among the learning disabled twelve-year-olds, performances on the ambiguous sentence test correlated positively with performances on tests of delayed sentence recall (NSST-Expressive) and of comprehension of sentences with linguistic concepts and relationships (Semel & Wiig, 1980). Performances did not correlate significantly with measures of verbal intelligence (WISC-R Verbal Scale). The present findings support previous observations of linguistic deficits among learning disabled children and adolescents and suggest that significant limitations may exist in the acquisition of linguistic competence by some children in this diagnostic group.

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