Browsing by discipline "Specialpedagogik"

Goals. The objective of this thesis is to study if poor language proficiency can be differentiated from reading disability by underlying cognitive processes. According to previous studies it is challenging for teachers to differentiate reading disability from poor language proficiency, and there are no tests for that in schools. The specific interest in this study is to examine if there are statistically significant relations between working memory, attentional capacity and reading skills among S1- (finnish as a first language) and S2-groups (finnish as a second language), and compare the groups' results for statistical differences. The native language teachers' assessments of S2-students' language skills are also examined. The hypothesis is that there is no statistical difference in attentional capacity between the S1- and S2-groups, but there is a difference in finnish reading skills between the groups. Methods. The participants consisted of 3rd graders from nine classes and four schools (N=159). Attentional capacity was measured by Attention Concentration Test and working memory by a computer-based test. Native language teachers' assessments were collected by a questionnaire. The results of ALLU-test, which measures reading skills, were received from the schools. The data was analysed by crosstabs, correlation and multivariate methods. Results and conclusions. According to the hypothesis, S1-group had statistically significantly higher results in reading skills than S2-group. S2-boys had the poorest results in ACT and working memory. S2-boys' ACT-results correlated positively with reading comprehension and S1-boys ACT-results correlated negatively with reading skills, so ACT-results aren't unambiguously related to reading skills. The varying results may imply the importance of process speed to reading skills. S2-boys seemed to benefit from slower working pace: the slower they were in Attention Concentration Test, the better reading comprehension results they got. S1-boys' high speed on the other hand related to higher results in decoding skills and high accuracy to higher reading comprehension results. In further studies the test measuring working memory should be more challenging for 3rd graders: in this study it wasn't difficult enough to separate pupils' working memory skills. S2-boys' native language correlated with working memory results and S2-girls' native language speaking skills correlated with finnish decoding skills. According to the regression analysis the variables predicting reading comprehension were ACT1, ACT2, native language and decoding skills.

The purpose of this study was to find out what kind of status siblings have in a family in which one child has ADHD. In the background, there was a doubt regarding sibling equality in a family in which one child needs substantially more parental time and attention. In Finland, no similar studies have been made. The study used Brofenbrenner's ecological systems theory. The study involved five families with elementary school age children with ADHD. The families had a total of fifteen children. The parents and the siblings of these families were interviewed. The study was divided into four themes: (1) everyday family life, (2) feelings, (3) family roles and interpersonal skills of the family members, and (4) the importance of siblings in an ADHD child's life. The interviews were analyzed by content analysis. The research problems were: 1) How do parents and siblings perceive sibling status in their family? and 2) What is the significance of siblings in the life of a child with ADHD as assessed by the parents and the siblings themselves? Parents felt that the most significant factors as regards the status of siblings were the way the siblings take responsibly for the family's daily life, the siblings' own understanding of their family, family transparency, taking the siblings into consideration and dealing with their feelings in everyday life. A tight feeling of cohesion was a factor in empowering the family. Parents considered ADHD medication an important element of their family. The meaning of the siblings for an ADHD child's life was very significant. The siblings described their families as positive and lively. They had got used to the qualities and characteristics of the child with the diagnosis. They did not perceive the ADHD child as being a different child in their family. The siblings recognized their parents' fatigue and thought that the parents did not have enough time for them. However, they did not feel that the parents treated them unequally. The siblings reported that they looked after the ADHD child to some degree, but they thought that this was part of family life. The siblings described cooperation as strength of their family. As compared to international studies, converging factors concerning sibling position, sibling relationships and the ideal family functioning came up in the interviews in this study. Siblings' mental problems, which this investigation did not reveal, were an exception. Consistent with previous studies, parents' assumptions about sibling relationships were more positive than the siblings' descriptions. According to the study, an ADHD child's family relationships were a challenge, but with appropriate internal measures the position of siblings in a family can be good.

Aim: So far, most of the cognitive neuroscience studies investigating the development of brain activity in childhood have made comparisons between different age groups and ignored the individual stage of cognitive development. Given the wide variation in the rate of cognitive development, this study argues that chronological age alone cannot explain the developmental changes in brain activity. This study demonstrates how Piaget's theory and information on child's individual stage of development can complement the age-related evaluations of brain oscillatory activity. In addition, the relationship between cognitive development and working memory is investigated. Method: A total of 33 children (17 11-year-olds, 16 14-year-olds) participated in this study. The study consisted of behavioural tests and an EEG experiment. Behavioral tests included two Piagetian tasks (the Volume and Density task, the Pendulum task) and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices task. During EEG experiment, subjects performed a modified version of the Sternberg's memory search paradigm which consisted of an auditorily presented memory set of 4 words and a probe word following these. The EEG data was analyzed using the event-related desynchronization / synchronization (ERD/ERS) method. The Pendulum task was used to assess the cognitive developmental stage of each subject and to form four groups based on age (11- or 14-year-olds) and cognitive developmental stage (concrete or formal operational stage). Group comparisons between these four groups were performed for the EEG data. Results and conclusions: Both age- and cognitive stage-related differences in brain oscillatory activity were found between the four groups. Importantly, age-related changes similar to those reported by previous studies were found also in this study, but these changes were modified by developmental stage. In addition, the results support a strong link between working memory and cognitive development by demonstrating differences in memory task related brain activity and cognitive developmental stages. Based on these findings it is suggested that in the future, comparisons of development of brain activity should not be based only on age but also on the individual cognitive developmental stage.

The purpose of this thesis was to examine with the help of one case factors which make possible the fact that the pupil ended up designing the school massacre and to threaten with it and also what factors prevented him from carrying out his intentions. The idea of the study was created by itself when I was working as a teacher in the centre of events. The case woke me to look for the answers and manuals to the difficult and demanding situation. At the same time, it led to analyse the structures of the school and my own and my values as a teacher also more deeply. Case under examination in this thesis has been teased and suffered from the loneliness during his whole comprehensive school time. The missing of the sense of belonging caused in him anguish, depression and the lack of the motivation. Because the case of the study was examined from two directions, from a teacher's position and from the case examined, I have taken as my one background theory an ecological system theory. I hope that this theory gives a frame to examine the case from wider point of view. The thesis is the case study in which I interviewed the person under examination repeatedly and furthermore, again about five years after he threated with school massacre. In addition to this, the material consists of my observations written by me when teaching him when the events happened. The analysis of the material was carried out with a Grounded Theory approach, reading narratives again and again. I mirrored my own observations to the story of interviewee building the story about them where the experience of the interviewee and my own observation as a teacher who has taught him combine. The study sharpened considerably towards the end, including theory background. The lack of sense of belonging and the loneliness interviewee felt caused him a serious depression and lack of the motivation. The indifference of the adults of the school and fact that the one did not become heard caused anger because of an unjust treatment and lack of confidence towards the adults. All this together leads to hopelessness and rage. For this kind of a young, the big and changing multi-professional expert groups can cause bigger lack of confidence than before towards the school. It would be important to be heard in the school community and feel sense of belonging there to both the teacher and the pupil. The study brought out also the how vulnerable young like this is when moving along from the comprehensive school. The study brought out also the how vulnerable young like this is when moving along from the comprehensive school. The study wakes to think about the new procedures and structures with school bullying and loneliness and for the support of the transitional stage when moving along from the comprehensive school

This study examined the use of audiobooks as a support to high school studies. An inquiry was targeted to the special education teachers working in high schools. They were viewed to have an expertise both in high school studying and in special education. This study examined the familiarity of audiobooks produced by the special library Celia to the special education teachers. It also surveyed the teachers' views about special learners' possibilities to benefit from the use of audiobooks, the use in different subjects and in different study phases. The special education teachers were also asked, why the audiobooks are much more used in primary school than with the high school studies. The use of audiobooks has earlier been studied in Finland in primary school level. According to Kuismanen and Holopainen (2013) 95 % of students felt that the use of audiobooks benefited their studies. The students felt that they learned easier by listening and that they understood better. Students liked the opportunity to read by themselves, without the help of any others. Most of all audiobooks were used in history and in biology. (Kuismanen & Holopainen 2013, 23, 52.) In this study the research material was collected using a web-inquiry. It was answered by 33 special education teachers. The questionnaire included claims and multiple-choice questions. The answerers were also given opportunity to clarify or complete their answers or otherwise comment the subject in question. The research material was analyzed by using descriptive statistical methods. Almost all teachers were familiar with audiobooks produced by Celia. 90 % of those teachers, who were familiar with audiobooks, had recommended the use of the audiobooks to students. Beside visually impaired students, the use of audiobooks was considered beneficial to the students with dyslexia or with special language impairment. Audiobooks were considered useful especially when preparing to exams or to the matriculation examination. It was thought to lighten the burden of studying. When asked why audiobooks are less used in high schools than in primary schools, the special education teachers supposed mostly that the costs of audiobooks were a problem after other book expenses. On the other hand, they also thought that the reason was the ignorance of the audiobooks.

The purpose of my previous research (minor laudatur thesis, year 2005) was to clarify how the comprehensive school and the Steiner school approach the special education pupil as well as to examine what sorts of similarities and differences there are between the Steiner education and special education. Through my thesis I also attempt to examine how the ideologies/intellectual worlds and teachings of the Steiner school and the comprehensive school could be combined and brought closer to one another as well as how the best parts of both schools could be combined in order to take advantage of them in both schools. The research was implemented as a review of literature. At the beginning of my research the ideology and development of inclusion, integration and inclusive upbringing are examined as the basis for the next chapter, in which the concept of man is examined from the viewpoint of special education. I discuss the idea of man on the basis of four central principles. These principles are human dignity, integrity, the right of self-determination and participation in life and society. The fourth chapter provides a detailed introduction to the concept of man from the viewpoint of the Steiner education. First the points of departure and bases of value of the Steiner education are discussed, and then on the basis of these the idea of man and man's different aspects of being in the Steiner education are discussed, as well as the development rhythms and the seven year stages of the child. I examine the differences between these two educations by comparing their ideas of man. The Steiner education is based on Steiner's educational views and the concept of man, upon which these views are based. The concept of man guides the raising and education of the child and is thus also strongly connected to how the special education pupil is approached in the Steiner school. I consider the fourth chapter to be of particular importance for the reader because it is there that I discuss the concept of man of Steiner education as well as the development rhythms of the child, among other things. Without becoming acquainted with the concept of man of Steiner education it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to understand methods used in approaching the special education pupil, such as temperament training and form drawing. The concept of man of special education also creates the basis for how a pupil requiring special support is approached in the comprehensive school. The fifth chapter discusses methods used in approaching a pupil requiring special support in the Steiner school. The sixth chapter discusses methods used in approaching a pupil requiring special support in the comprehensive school. At the end of this research I attempt, on the basis of the comparison between these two educations, to disclose the similarities and differences of them in approaching the special education pupil. I complemented my minor laudatur thesis by taking in account the 3-phased support model.

The aim of the study was looking into the free playtime of children with special needs in a daycare setting. Children were filmed during a free playtime in a one integrated daycare group. Videos were analyzed by transana by using a BOR-form that observes the interactions between children. There were five main themes that cape up: the meaningfulness of actions, ways of communicating, role of the adult, role of the child with special needs in the group and the effect of the playmates. The play and actions of children with special needs seemed to be meaningful most of the times. There were group play as well as playing alone. The children with special need were divided in to two groups: children who spoke and those who didn't. It was easier for speakers to get in to a group play and maintain the play with others. The play was more complex when played with a friend or a child without special needs. Adults reinforced the actions and worked as an interpreter of children with special needs. It was hard for the children who needed constant help from the adult, to have an influential part in a play. The children with special need were more of the followers than the influencers in a play. Over all the actions and behavior of the children without the special needs seemed to have important influence to the actions and behavior of the children with special needs. The role of the adult were to inforce the communication between the children.

Alcohol use during pregnancy might have serious consequences. Alcohol causes variable amount of damages to the growing fetus. The ones that are most damaged can be deeply handicapped, milder exposure might cause different kinds of cognitive problems. The whole spectrum caused by alcohol use during pregnancy is called FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder). The purpose of this study is to describe the process of diagnosing individuals who are exposed to alcohol in uterus, their rehabilitation and upcoming challenges. The aim was also to determine what happens if the diagnosis is not right or if the individual doesn't get diagnosed at all. The research was made as a literature review. Data was collected manually by using several different databases. After screening and processing the material 9 articles and 11 books were included to the research. The method of analysis in use was inductive content analysis. The endeavour was to describe all the changes, conditions, functions and evolution that involve to this phenomenon. The research indicated that making a diagnosis under the FASD-umbrella was challenging. Various methods of diagnosing, certification of alcohol use during pregnancy and individualised symptoms complicated the process. Often a more socially acceptable diagnose ADHD was given instead of FAS. It increased the possibility of secondary symptoms to appear. When diagnosis FAS was given, the course of life often became challenging. Actions by child welfare, rehabilitation and support measures dominated persons life even in adulthood. Early diagnosis and custody appeared to be most relevant factors in improving the quality of life for individuals exposed to alcohol in uterus.

The aim of this study is to identify teachers' opinions and methods in individualisation and special support at vocational adult education and training, and how does the individualisation support the students who have special needs. Target is additionally to identify which methods are needed when teaching students with special needs and what kind of special support the teachers are giving or willing to give. In this study nine teachers were interviewed. Teachers were selected from different sectors of vocational education in all sectors of one VET provider. Data was analysed with case-study approach and Phenomenographic framework. Vocational adult education is based on competence-based qualifications. Each student is provided with individualisation plan to help to reach the required vocational skills. Individualisation plan also includes: learning needs, competencies, possible special needs, needed special support and counselling. Need for special support with adults is recognized and special education and support in adult education is defined in Finnish and international studies. Teachers in VET for adults are giving special support and counselling. Supporting systems are developed by VET providers in their different fields of education. Teachers need more training and discussion about special education. It was found in this study, that teachers used different ways to answer to the students' special needs. Most used methods were: giving more time to learn, individual counselling and support and understanding the different methods of learning. Teachers need still more time and collegial support to help the students to reach their goals. They have the will, but more resources are needed.

Aims. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Lola's World educational game on children's early numeracy skills learning. Previous studies indicate that early numeracy skills are important for later mathematical skills development. Thus, it is fundamental to support these skills already in kindergarten. Core numerical skills before school age include non-symbolic and symbolic number sense, counting skills, basic skills in arithmetic and understanding mathematical relations. Some children show weak performance already in their early numeracy skills. These weaknesses can partly be explained with factors such a cognitive skills or socio-economic background. According to previous research short mathematical computer-assisted interventions have demonstrated positive effects on children's learning. Methods. Thirty-three children between 5 and 6 years, from four kindergartens, took part in this study. Twenty-three children were split randomly in two groups. One group (n = 12) played Lola's World focusing on early numeracy skills and other group (n = 11) was an active control group that played Lola's ABC Party that focused on language skills. Rest of the children (n = 10) served as a passive control group and they did not play any games during the intervention phase. Intervention continued three weeks and children played Lola Panda -games every day for about 15 minutes. Children's numeracy skills were measured using Early numeracy test and their nonverbal reasoning skills were assessed with Raven test. Analysis was done mostly using one-way ANOVA. Results and conclusions. There was a positive development of early numeracy skills during the intervention, but it was not statistically significant in any of the groups. Children's numeracy skills increased most in Lola's ABC Party group and the least changes were measured in Lola's World group. Children whose homelanguage was Finnish had better numeracy skills than children whose homelanguage was other than Finnish. Because there was a strong negative correlation between playing time and numeracy performance it seems that the intervention was not appropriately supporting early numeracy skills development. Perhaps it is also possible that Early numeracy test was not sensitive enough or Lola's World does not improve all skills included in the test.