Learner-generated drawings by students with mathematical learning difficulties in finishing open number sentences

Although MLD students do not have good mathematical performance in completing addition and subtraction operations of integers, MLD students have suggestive ideas in the form of drawings produced in solving open number sentences questions. This study aims to classify the types and identify changes in the drawing produced by MLD students in solving open number sentences questions. This research method is qualitative with a micro generic study approach to understand students' thinking individually and explore drawing changes in solving open number sentences questions between sessions. The research subjects were 2 out of 20 MLD grade 5 elementary school students who produced the most varied drawings in solving open number sentences questions. Data collection techniques used are giving questions and interviews. The results showed that MLD students produced: discrete object drawings by focusing on the cardinality of the quantity of a number; transitions from objects to the number line by focusing on the magnitude of numbers; partitioning the number line using magnitude reasoning; number sentences; and others using verbal reasoning. Changes in the drawings produced by MLD students between sessions indicate the development of students' understanding towards a better direction in interpreting symbolic representations to visual representations. The results of this study contribute to the theory that although MLD students have low mathematical performance. However, MLD students can produce variations and changes in drawings with rich mathematical idea information representing integer operations.

Teaching the Sound Concept: A Review of Science and Physics Education Postgraduate Theses in Turkey

The purpose of this study is to review the postgraduate theses on science/physics education in Turkey to guide the teaching of the sound concept. Although the theses examined within the scope of this study belong to a certain region, the previous literature shows us that the learning difficulties/misconceptions are generally independent of culture. Thirty-three theses in the database of The Council of Higher Education Thesis Center were analyzed inductively in the semi-systematic review process. For this, the stages of content analyses were used: Elimination and coding, placing them in themes, ensuring reliability and validity were followed respectively. Unit of analyses was conclusions of the theses and suggestions of the theses. In conclusion, both conventional and contemporary approaches have a positive effect on achievement or conceptual change on the sound concept. On the other hand, students and teachers/ candidates, in general, cannot relate their knowledge of sound to daily life, their level of knowledge is inadequate, and they have misconceptions/errors and confusions. It is beneficial to consider this situation in education. The most important output of this study is the lists of possible misconceptions or confusion about the concept of sound. Teachers and researchers can use these lists in their lessons or research. Keywords: education, physics, science, sound, thesis

The Level of Reading Comprehension Skills of Students with Learning Disabilities in Jordan

The study aimed to measure the level of reading comprehension skills of students with learning difficulties in the Kasbah of As-Salt, and the study used the descriptive method on a sample of (54) male and female students chosen randomly. The reading comprehension scale was developed and prepared by Al-Mahalla and Al-Ramamneh (2019), and the results indicated that the level of reading comprehension was at an intermediate level and in all its three dimensions (literal, deductive, and creative). And the existence of statistically significant differences in the level of reading comprehension due to the variable of gender in favor of males, and there are also statistically significant differences in the level of overall reading comprehension due to the variable of the educational level of parents and in favor of holders of a bachelor's degree. Received: 23 September 2021 / Accepted: 1 December 2021 / Published: 3 January 2022

The Use of YouTube As A Medium for Teaching English Writing Skill During Covid-19 Pandemic

A popular video sharing site, YouTube, could be used as an alternative teaching medium in online learning activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is useful to help students to keep on learning and get materials well in the difficult circumstance caused by the pandemic. This study aims to describe how Youtube is used as a learning medium in English teaching, especially the writing skill at MTs Ma'aarif NU 01 Kemranjen during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study uses a qualitative approach. Data are collected through the triangulation of interview, observation, and documentation. The data are then analysed by applying Miles and Huberman’s (1994) model of data reduction, data display, and verification. The results of this study reveal that Youtube is seen to be a good learning medium to cope with the learning difficulties in the unprecedented Covid-19 crisis. The asynchronous nature of the Youtube videos enabled students to repeat the video as much as they want to. The implementation of Youtube in online learning was done in three stages: 1) preparation, the teacher makes and uploads the videos; 2) implementation, the teacher shares the link and provides brief explanation on WhatsApp; and 3) evaluation, the teacher gives quizzes to ensure that the materials are well-received. Meanwhile, the obstacles in the implementation are poor Intenet network, insufficient facilities, and unmotivated students. The pedagogical implication from this study is that Youtube is a good fit for online learning, it is highly recommended for teaching during the pandemic.

Layanan Konseling Kelompok dengan Pendekatan Realitas dalam Pengentasan Kesulitan Belajar Siswa

Group counseling services with a realistic approach to alleviating students' learning difficulties at Mts NW Senyiur. This study aims to determine reality group counseling services in helping learning difficulties for students at VIII MTs NW Senyiur. The type of this research is a Pre-Experimental design with One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design. The population of this study was all students of class VIII MTs NW Senyiur totaling 25 students. Data collection techniques using questionnaires and observations, analysis using quantitative data in numbers processed using simple statistics. This study indicates that the initial condition data before being given treatment (pretest) in the form of group counseling services are in the low category with a score of 24.4. After being provided treatment (posttest) group counseling services, the condition is in the high sort with a score of 80, the average score of the scale learning difficulties in the experimental class with the highest score of 17,325. Thus, reality group counseling services affect alleviate learning difficulties for class VIII MTs NW Senyiur students.

Game-Based Learning to Enhance the Reading Ability of Children With Autism or Other Learning Difficulties

The paper presents the design of a highly customizable game for children with autism spectrum disorder facing learning difficulties. The same solution can be used for children with or without other developmental disorders facing learning difficulties. The scope of the research was to create a generic solution to facilitate the learning process of reading in the targeted population. The latest pedagogical approaches (TEACCH, PECS, ABA, Makaton, etc.) are combined with appropriate gamification techniques to produce the desired outcome. The game has been developed with the unity game engine in order to run in any device. The final solution has been pilot tested in a small group of highly-functioning children with autism. The results of the design process and the early findings from the pilot testing are presented in the current paper.

Social Robots for Pedagogical Rehabilitation

The use of robots as educational learning tools is quite extensive worldwide, yet it is rather limited in special education. In particular, the use of robots in the field of special education is under skepticism since robots are frequently believed to be expensive with limited capacity. The latter may change with the advent of social robots, which can be used in special education as affordable tools for delivering sophisticated stimuli to children with learning difficulties also due to preexisting conditions. Pilot studies occasionally demonstrate the effectiveness of social robots in specific domains. This chapter overviews the engagement of social robots in special education including the authors' preliminary work in this field; moreover, it discusses their proposal for potential future extensions involving more autonomous (i.e., intelligent) social robots as well as feedback from human brain signals.

Responding to the Needs of Prisoners with Learning Difficulties in Australia

Offenders who are convicted of a crime in Australia are encouraged to participate in educational and vocational training programs during their time in prison. However, one of the significant challenges encountered by not only prisoners who enroll in educational and vocational training programs, but also for the staff who teach into these programs, are prisoners who experience learning difficulties. Prison teachers and other staff are ordinarily unaware of which offenders experience such difficulties. Given that unidentified learning difficulties are associated with poor educational, employment and psychological outcomes, it is critical that prisoners who experience specific learning difficulties are identified, and that educational and vocational training programs offered in prisons cater for the diverse learning needs of all prisoners. This review highlights issues with the identification of learning difficulties and proposes methods of supporting prisoners who experience learning difficulties and the people tasked with managing them. Such a review offers an important contribution to the literature on educational and vocational training programs in prisons as well as practical implications for prisoners, teachers and administrators.