Browsing by discipline "Specialpedagogik"

Objectives. The purpose of this case study was to gather information about quality of life and happiness in people with intellectual disabilities. The study was examined the meaning of different contexts and relationships to the quality of life and happiness of people with intellectual disabilities. The study was also examined how women and their mothers are experiencing well-being. Studies in the past have shown that happiness does not differ significantly from happiness of the majority, but the rate of happiness is slightly higher in people with intellectual disabilities. Self-determination, choices, safety and health are the most important factors in the quality of life in people with intellectual disabilities. Methods. The data were collected from three women with intellectual disabilities and their mothers via semi structured interviews. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with the tables which were created by two main theories of the study: quality of life theory by Schalock etc. (2002) and theory of subjective well-being by Diener and Lucas (1999). Results and conclusions. A map of relationships and a map of contexts were created for each woman. The study also examined experienced well-being. There are significant variation between women's quality of life and happiness. The findings indicate that an individual's way of life has a prominent impact to experienced quality of life and happiness. Meaningful life is a key to a good and happy life.

The objectives: The objectives of this research have been to increase the research data available on the maths learning of the Swedish language immersion pupils and to see if sex/gender, language in instruction and one's idea of oneself as a maths learner affect learning results of language immersion pupils. The research questions were: How did the language immersion pupils do in the maths test in comparison to the pupils studying in Finnish? Did the language immersion girls and boys' results differ in KTLT and the technical reading test, Tarzan? What was the connection like between the a pupils' performance in KTLT and Tarzan? Which group had a stronger correlation between Tarzan and KTLT? The pupils studying in Swedish or in Finnish? How did the language immersion pupils see themselves as maths learners? Did this experience have any connection with the way the pupils performed in the maths when comparing girls and boys' to each other? Which categories did the interview data produce and did the theory resemble any of them? There has been reasonably little research so far on the maths skills of language immersion pupils, but far more on the learning results of pupils studying in high school and especially on the differences between girls' and boys' results during the last ten years. Thus there is a lot of research data one could compare the results of this research. The methods: This research took place in a junior high school in Kirkkonummi and students from four classes on the grades 8 and 9 were tested. On each grade there was one language immersion class and one Finnish speaking class. Together 67 pupils were tested out of whom 25 were from the language immersion classes. All the pupils were tested with KTLT and Tarzan after which an interview was carried out with the 25 language immersion pupils. The data was analysed with statistical research methods and category analysis. The results and conclusions: This research didn't show statistically significant difference on the maths and language skills between pupils studying in the language immersion programme and the Finnish control group. A pupils' sex/gender didn't have a statistical significance on the results though the boys studying in the language immersion programme received better results on KTLT than the girls. The girls studying in the language immersion programme, however, received better grades on maths. The lower results on the testing could be partly explained by the more negative experience of oneself as a math learner by girls. Also earlier research literature have showed a connection between performing in tests and one's experience as a learner. Why girls' grades a better than boys despite this lower performing status, the research data doesn't explain. However, that could be a topic for a further study.

The importance of reading and writing skills in everyday life has increased continuously. Previous research has also shown that reading skills are associated with success in other school subjects. Three-tier model introduced in 2011 focuses on early intervention, identification and support. The main purpose of this study was to gather information about teacher's supporting methods at first school year. How they work with dyslectic students and struggling readers. What is the relevance of three-tier model and how three-tier model affects the support services. Attention is paid to evaluation, strategies, methods, tools and follow-up measures. The aim is to highlight concrete examples. The study was conducted by interviewing four special teachers. Teachers work in primary schools and teaching to read is a big part of their work. Data has been recorded and transcribed. Analysis was based on transcribed data and research questions. The study showed that all respondents evaluate student's basic reading skills soon after the start of school. Support is offered to those who need it the most. There were school-specific differences in evaluation methods, arrangements and group formation. All four teachers accomplished small-group teaching and part-time special education. Three teachers made flexible groupings. None of the respondents carried out individualized instruction. One respondent carried out co-teaching approach. Teachers used well known and research based tools and materials. They also made materials by their selves. Teachers were aware the important aspects of learning to read. They paid attention to phonological awareness, syllable awareness, letter knowledge and working memory. All four teachers made evaluation during the year. However the study reveals that 1-graders are rarely sent to psychological tests or moved to tier 2 even if their reading skills don't proceed.

Social withdrawal is a comprehensive phenomenon previously studied mainly in Japan as 'hikikomori'. It has been connected to social as well as psychological and societal factors. The aim of this study was to examine the appearance of social withdrawal in Finland. Social withdrawal was investigated from the social exclusion perspective. The study aspired to describe the ordinary life of socially withdrawn young and to seek answers to the question of what kind of people they are. The study also endeavored to detect the factors that might be associated with the onset and continuation of the process of social withdrawal. The methods of the study included structural interview and the analysis of a message board used by socially withdrawn people. The interviewees were two men who were withdrawn, and the interviews were implemented via e-mail. The message board data, including 32 conversations, was collected from Hikikomero, a section of internet forum site Ylilauta. The analysis of the data was carried out by using content analysis. The results of the study implement that social withdrawal is a self-feeding phenomenon largely affecting lives of the people who are withdrawn. The study supports the assessment of social withdrawal as a male-dominating phenomenon. From the factors appearing in relation to the onset of the withdrawal, experiences of inability to fulfill the cultural expectations imposed for men and social disappointments were detected. From the background of social withdrawal it was possible to detect experiences of peer victimization and mental illnesses. From the factors appearing in relation to the continuation of social withdrawal the most salient ones were social phobia, depression and the inability to create and maintain relationships. The reaching of the withdrawn trough a message board creates hope to tackle the solitude developing adversely.

The objective of this study was to find factors that could predict educational dropout. Dropout risk was assessed against pupil's cognitive competence, success in school, and personal beliefs regarding self and parents, while taking into account the pupil's background and gender. Based on earlier research, an assumption was made that a pupil's gender, success in school, and parent's education would be related with dropping out. This study is part of a project funded by the Academy of Finland and led by Professor Jarkko Hautamäki. The project aims to use longitudinal study to assess the development of pupils' skills in learning to learn. The target group of this study consisted all Finnish speaking ninth graders of a municipality in Southern Finland. There were in total 1534 pupils, of which 809 were girls and 725 boys. The assessment of learning to learn skills was performed about ninth graders in spring 2004. "Opiopi" test material was used in the assessment, consisting of cognitive tests and questions measuring beliefs. At the same time, pupils' background information was collected together with their self-reported average grade of all school subjects. During spring 2009, the pupils' joint application data from years 2004 and 2005 was collected from the Finnish joint application registers. The data were analyzed using quantitative methods assisted by the SPSS for Windows computer software. Analysis was conducted through statistical indices, differences in grade averages, multilevel model, multivariate analysis of variance, and logistic regression analysis. Based on earlier research, dropouts were defined as pupils that had not been admitted to or had not applied to second degree education under the joint application system. Using this definition, 157 students in the target group were classified as dropouts (10 % of the target group): 88 girls and 69 boys. The study showed that the school does not affect the drop-out risk but the school class explains 7,5 % of variation in dropout risk. Among girls, dropping out is predicted by a poor average grade, a lack of beliefs supporting learning, and an unrealistic primary choice in joint application system compared to one's success in school. Among boys, a poor average grade, unrealistic choices in joint application system, and the belief of parent's low appreciation of education were related to dropout risk.

Objectives. The purpose of this multi-case study was firstly to develop a new kind of intervention and secondly to see if this intervention will possibly enhance pre-school aged children's emerging literacy and mathematical skills. The intervention was carried out during a eight weeks period. The intervention consisted of playing the piano and composing with figurenotes. Figurenotes is a musical notation system invented in Finland. The same musical information can be shown with figurenotes as can be with traditional, western music notation. Previous studies have shown the benefits of musical training enhancing emerging literacy and mathematical skills. I was also curious to know if the musical training had some other benefits on the children's skills. I wanted also to use my experience as a music pedagogue and early childhood special education teacher in this thesis. Methods. This is a multi-case study with consists of the developing and carrying out the new figurenotes intervention and of five cases who took part in the intervention. The cases are all pre-school aged children who have special education needs. The data was collected with two standardized tests, Niilo Mäki Institution's Fonologia- and Nopean sarjallisen nimeämisen- tests, which measure child's phonological awareness and rapid serial naming and two assignments related to phonological awareness and series made of basic figures. In addition a board game was played to observe the children's ability to count. The data consists also of the observations I made during these measurements and during the intervention. This study is qualitative because I wanted to observe and study closely the learning processes of the children before, during and after the figure notes intervention. Results and conclusions. On the basis of this multi-case study there can't be made any conclusions of the cause and effect relations between the measurements and the figure-notes intervention, but it can be seen as a description of these five cases and their learning processes. Also it can be said on the basis of this study that it is very supporting knowledge to make plans regarding future studies on this field and on these subjects of study.

The focus of this study was on kirgergartners' mathematical skills and task avoidance. Previous studies have shown that task avoidance is not a stable child characteristics in kindergarten-aged children, but may begin to stabilize during the first school years. Task avoidance has been shown to be linked to mathematical skills during the first school years. Furthermore, task avoidance behavior in kindergarten-aged children has been shown to be linked to slower acquisition of mathematical skills in the course of school years. his study examines the prevalence and stability of task avoidance in kindergarten-aged children. Moreover, it was studied how children's task avoidance was linked to mathematical skills and their development during the kindergarten year. The study was a longitudinal study (N = 235), where kindergartners' mathematical skills, more precisely, the mastery of relations and number sequences, were evaluated by The Early Numeracy Test for Toddlers three times during one school year. In addition, task avoidance was evaluated by teachers in the first and last measurement points using the following variables: diffidence, difficulties in motivation, difficulties in attention, tension and cooperate difficulties. The data was analyzed by quantitative research methods. The kindergartners were divided into three groups based on the level of their task avoidance behavior: no problems (N = 128), some amount of problems (N = 86), lots of problems (N = 19). The children with most task avoidance behavior had weaker mathematical skills than the others in the beginning of kindergarten. Those belonging to the lots of problems -group improved the most during the kindergarten year, reaching the skill level of those with less task avoidance characteristics. The belonging to a task avoidance group was relatively stable during kindergarten, especially within the lots of problems -group. According to the results, children's task avoidance should be monitored already in kindergarten to ensure the earliest possible support in terms of both task avoidance and mathematical skills. Further studies are needed to form a reliable overview on the developmental relationship between task avoidance and mathematical skills in children below school-age.

In this thesis the effect of dyslexia on studying and on the other personal life was researched on four students. In addition, the thesis examined how does student's requirements and university support match. Following research questions are posed: How dyslexia appears in university student and how does it affect studying? How does the university pays attention to reading and writing disabilities in teaching and does it satisfies students? How dyslexia has affected the student's life? Previous research shows that dyslexia makes studying more challenging and time consuming. The thesis was a qualitative case study which was based on personal experiences of subjects on dyslexia and the effect of dyslexia on studying and personal life. Research material was obtained by the personal subject interview. Four subjects were interviewed using the theme-centered interview method. Material was analyzed using the data driven content analysis method. Results show that dyslexia affects studying making it more challenging and time consuming. Subjects perceived that they were not getting enough support to studying and wished to get it more. In the university it was possible to get course-wise support for example by getting course materials beforehand or getting extra time for exams. The support required initiativity from student to tell lecturer about dyslexia. Subjects differed from each other on how much they believed to need support to studying. Subjects favored such a form of support as replacing an exam by a learning diary, receiving tuition materials beforehand and getting literature in Finnish. Dyslexia affected the personal life such as getting employed in different ways. Subjects differed with each other about how limiting factor they perceived dylexia to be in their life. Dyslexia makes studying more difficult and slower but is not an obstacle to studying.

The goal of the thesis was to examine 1) whether the special education teachers' and other teachers' educational stances show mutual differences in the areas of classification or categorization, and 2) which kind of imaginal characteristics is it possible to build by using teachers' stances. In the theoretical framework classification or categorization was spread into more specific themes which were automatic thinking, medicalization, separate special education, labeling, social disability studies and social constructionist language. The sense of the thesis was explorative, considering that the concepts of classification or categorization haven't been exactly framed in special educational studies. According to previous research it seems that there exist mutual differences when comparing special educators' and other educators' attitudes concerning the educational system overall. The data was collected in the areas of Helsinki and Turku cities by using an E-questionnaire. Along with the background information the questionnaire included 48 educational claims which were estimated by a Likert scale from 0 to 5. There were altogether N=119 answers gathered from class teachers, special education teachers, kindergarten teachers and special kindergarten teachers. Summaries were counted and explored through frequency analysis in the four occupational groups. Mann-Whitney's U-test was proceeded to answer to the first task of the research. The test's purpose was to examine the differences of summary medians formed by special education teachers' and other teachers' answers. Explorative factor analysis was completed to answer to the second task, to find out which kind of characteristics the correlations between the teachers' answers would reveal. According to the Mann-Whitney's U-test there was discovered that the educational attitudes of special education teachers were more categorizational around theme of medicalization, both in the direct claims (p=.049, r=.19) and the opposite claims (p=.005, r=.30). Also it appeared that the special education teachers' educational attitudes were more categorizational (p=.057, r=.18) than the other teachers' attitudes when supporting the separate special education system. Nevertheless the latest mentioned result wasn't found to be statistically significant. The explorative factor analysis revealed four characteristics, 1) the one being aware of language and against labeling, 2) the one being an aware thinker who demands social equality, 3) the one supporting medicalization and seeing speciality being absolute, and 4) the character positioning against medical culture and individualism.

The purpose of this master's thesis was to study the ways in which the development of multilingualism of children from different linguistic backgrounds is acknowledged and promoted in Finnish comprehensive schools. Do the schools have common practices or models through which the development of the students' language skills is actively promoted, or is it dependent merely upon the teachers' interest and devotion? And through which means the teachers themselves aim to promote the language development and learning of students from immigrant backgrounds? The theoretical framework of this thesis consists of the theories on language development and multilingualism, of the national core curriculum on teaching multilingual students, and of previous studies on promoting the language development of students from immigrant backgrounds. In this thesis, the subject was approached by studying the views and experiences of teachers. This study aims to describe the means through which the language development of the students from immigrant backgrounds is being promoted, by school cultures as well as by individual teachers, in the Finnish school context. The data was collected by using a web-based questionnaire, to which 16 teachers working in schools in the Capital Region answered. Since the study was qualitative by nature, open questions were used in the questionnaire. For the analysis of the data, content analysis was used. The results of this study indicate that the schools can be categorised according to their school culture, which is either reactive or proactive in regard to promoting the language development of students. Reactive school culture responds only to the inevitable needs regarding the language development of students. Proactive school culture aims see the language skills of the students as a resource. Most of the respondents worked at schools whose school culture seemed reactive. The means of individual teachers of promoting the language development can be categorised into three groups, which are: acknowledging and appreciating the student's language skills, utilising the student's language skills when studying, and co-operation with guardians. Almost all of the respondents mentioned at least one means of promoting the language development of students from immigrant backgrounds. The results of this study can be utilised, when teachers and schools are planning the means in which to integrate the language skills and backgrounds of students into teaching and school culture.