Online Dyslexia Professional Development for Diverse Practitioners: A Multiple-Case Study

The International Dyslexia Association estimates that on average, as many as 15% to 20% of the population may display symptoms of dyslexia, which include inaccurate or laborious reading, and weak spelling and writing. Unfortunately, many individuals with dyslexia have found themselves surrounded by school and community members who do not understand this pervasive and well-documented language-learning disability. Data on experiences of diverse practitioners attempting to gain expertise in dyslexia are one critical path for identifying potential mechanisms for mitigating these challenges. In this article, the authors report on a multiple-case study designed to better understand the experiences and contexts of graduate students enrolled in an online dyslexia assessment and intervention professional development program. Analysis revealed common contextual barriers to practice across unique settings and also common supports acquired as participants built their internal capacity through their online learning experiences.

Strategies in Acquiring of English in Circumventing the Language Learning Disability: A Product and Process of Acquiring Second Language

A substantialincrease in the quantity of Students taking up Englishas the Second Language is so obvious in developing countries like India. The need for effective measures to augment and reinforce the learning of English with respect to such students has become paramount importance. A small group ofsuch students wasselected and their efficiency in the learning process of English in a specified time was carried out on different paraphernalia towardsof such an exercise. Two methods wereadopted in the evaluation of the learning process.. One group of students was taught both in English and in their respective mother tongue. The other group of students was taught only in English and at no point their mother tongue was involved in the exercise. The First group of students was taught to read in their respective mother tongue and gradually movedto English and the enhancement in the cognitive proficiency was evaluated with reference to the reading exercises.Students who have had both the efficiencies in their mother tongue andEnglish wereinvolved as assisting forces. The Second group of students was taught only in English. The various paraphernalia considered for the study remained the same irrespective of the student group. Standard procedures of Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAI) were adopted in following the augmentation process of learning and ability in acquiring English. All the basic and essential modalities were included in the study. Students were encouraged to involve themselves so voluntarily and wholeheartedly and their participation was encouraged. The group of students who used theirmother tongue was found to be in an advantageous position and use of mother tongue proved to be a significant factor in assisting themin the learning process. The group of students taught only in English didn’t exhibit better understanding or perception of English than their counterparts. The shortcomings experienced in language perception in every aspectof the different paraphernalia taken up in the study, in respect of the group of students taught only in English could not be considered as lack of skill in the acquisition of English and the difficulties to cope with the learning process seems to be temporal and keeping up with efficiency of the other group is only transitional The findings of both of these approaches for students acquiring English are highlighted in the present paper.

School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists' Knowledge/Use of Morphological Awareness Instruction: Results of a Survey

Purpose This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of the role that morphological awareness instruction plays in school-based speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) clinical practice. Issues related to their knowledge and use of morphological awareness instruction and their overall level of satisfaction with this type of treatment were examined in the survey. Method Members of the School-Based Issues Special Interest Group 16 responded to an invitation to complete an electronic survey related to morphological awareness instruction. Results The majority of the survey participants did report using morphological awareness instruction within their clinical practice. SLPs were most likely to provide morphological awareness instruction to clients in the elementary grades diagnosed with either a language learning disability or specific language impairment. Specific activities used varied across survey participants, but the majority expressed a high level of satisfaction with this type of intervention. Conclusion Data from the current survey reveal that many SLPs recognize the benefits of morphological awareness instruction. Educational and clinical implications are discussed.

Effect of READ1 on latent profiles of reading disability and comorbid attention and language learning disability subtypes

Recent studies of co-occurring reading disability (RD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and co-occurring RD and language learning disability (LLD), support a core disability plus co-occurrence model focused on language and attention. Genetic factors have been associated with poor reading performance. However, little is known about whether different genetic variants independently contribute to RD co-occurrence subtypes. We aimed to identify subgroups of struggling readers using a latent profile analysis (LPA) in a sample of 1,432 Hispanic American and African American youth. RD classes were then tested for association with variants of READ1, a regulatory element within the candidate RD risk gene,DCDC2. Six groups were identified in the LPA using RD designation as a known-class variable. The three RD classes identified groups of subjects with neurocognitive profiles representing RD+ADHD, specific phonological deficit RD, and RD+LLD. Genetic associations across RD subtypes were investigated against functional groupings of READ1. The RU1-1 group of READ1 alleles was associated with RD cases that were marked by deficits in both processing speed and attention (RD + ADHD). TheDCDC2microdeletion that encompasses READ1 was associated with RD cases showing a phonological deficit RD profile. These findings provide evidence for differential genetic contribution to RD subtypes, and that previously implicated genetic variants for RD may share an underlying genetic architecture across population groups for reading disability.

Facilitating pragmatic skills through role-play in learners with language learning disability

Background: Role-based learning involves the process whereby learners acquire skills, knowledge and understanding through the assumption of roles within real-life settings. Role-play holds potential as an effective learning strategy for children; however, there is limited research on the use of role-play as a therapy method within the field of speech-language pathology. Children with language learning disability (LLD) typically present with difficulties in social communication, which can negatively affect their social and academic achievement.Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of role-play as a therapy approach targeting the pragmatic skills of stylistic variation and requesting for clarification in learners with LLD.Method: The use of combined positivist and interpretivist paradigms allowed for the implementation of an embedded mixed methods design. An experimental pretest-posttest design was implemented. Eight participants, who were learners with a diagnosis of LLD, were purposefully selected. Data collection was conducted over five phases, utilising the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (4th Ed.) Pragmatics Profile, discourse completion tasks, session plans and session records. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and were supplemented by qualitative data from session records.Results: Results revealed improvements in stylistic variation and requesting for clarification post role-play intervention, with minimal changes in the control group. Limitations of the study have been reported for consideration when interpreting results.Conclusion: Role-play as a therapy approach targeting two pragmatic skills, stylistic variation and requesting for clarification, was found to be beneficial for learners with LLD. Recommendations for the implementation of role-play as a therapy approach were made.