Predictors of early literacy skills in kindergarteners with dyslexia familial risk

This dissertation research study aimed to determine the predictors of early literacy skills in kindergarteners with dyslexia familial risk. The home literacy environment, preschool attendance, and parental self-efficacy are known predictors of early literacy skills, specifically letter naming knowledge, in typically developing children. Letter naming knowledge is an early literacy skill that is important to future reading achievement and outcomes. Letter naming knowledge is also a powerful pre-literacy predictor of dyslexia. Dyslexia commonly manifest as difficulties in acquiring basic reading skills and is highly heritable. The population for this study was primary caregivers of kindergarteners with a first degree relative with a diagnosis of dyslexia. Participants completed the Home Literacy Checklist, Tool to Measure Parenting Self-Efficacy via an online survey with questions regarding preschool attendance, letter naming knowledge skills, and the presence of a diagnosis of dyslexia among first degree relatives. SPSS Statistics (Version 28) was used to run descriptive statistics. The sample was comprised of 12 primary caregivers. This sample size was not appropriate for the chosen analysis of multiple regression. Using exploratory data analysis, the data was organized and summarized. Due to an inadequate sample size caused by a low response rate, no conclusions could be drawn from this data. The research questions were not answered and there were no findings. COVID-19 restrictions impacted research sites and the level of participation, with participants being less available, school closures, and mandatory quarantines, creating a difficult atmosphere for completion of this research study. As a result, the lack of data during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns led to several revisions of the research plan. The revisions involved eliminating the need for standardized test scores, using primary caregiver report to determine the level of difficulty of letter naming knowledge of the kindergarten student, and using social media to recruit participants. Recommendations for further research were comprised of ways to increase the pool of participants by expanding inclusion criteria, eliminating the use of standardized test scores, considering the length of the survey, and the use of social media along with an incentive. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Affective Concussion Symptoms in Adolescents

Purpose of Study: Affective symptoms, such as depression, nervousness, anxiety, and irritability, are common yet complicating aspects for concussion patients, therefore addressing exasperations of these symptoms is essential for injury management. This is an especially important consideration for patient populations increasingly susceptible to affective disorders, such as those in rural regions and adolescents. Increases in adolescent mental health problems during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic pose an additional challenge for clinicians managing affective concussion symptoms in rural adolescents. The aim of this study is to quantify the mental health effects of the pandemic by comparing affective concussion symptoms in groups of adolescents with concussion and without concussion in the Central Oregon region. Methods Used: The study is a secondary data analysis of ImPACT Concussion Test symptom scores from a cohort of non-concussed (Baseline) and concussed (Post-Injury) adolescents between the ages of 12-18, pre-pandemic (January 1, 2015 - March 20, 2020) and pandemic (March 21, 2020 - April 1, 2022). Subjects were excluded from the study if they received special education, had a diagnosis of learning disabilities, ADD, dyslexia, autism, or received treatment for headaches, migraines, epilepsy, brain surgery, meningitis, substance use or psychiatric conditions. Prevalence of symptoms of 'headache', 'trouble falling asleep', 'irritability', 'nervousness', 'sadness', and 'feeling more emotional' were noted for each group during each time period. Summary of Results: A total of pre-pandemic non-concussed (n =2667), pre-pandemic concussed (n=643), pandemic non-concussed (n = 593) and pandemic concussed (n=87) were included in the final analysis. There was a statistically significant increase in the proportions of 'nervousness' (p=0.0209) and 'sadness' (p=0.0117) in pre-pandemic and pandemic non-concussed groups. Furthermore, there were statistically significant increases in the proportions of 'headache' (p=0.0331), 'irritability' (p=0.0006), 'nervousness' (p=0.0135), 'sadness' (p=0.0357) and 'feeling more emotional' (p=0.0039) between pre-pandemic and pandemic concussed adolescents. Conclusion(s): This study demonstrates a significant increase in affective symptoms in both concussed and non-concussed groups during the COVID-19 pandemic consistent with other studies. However, those with concussion during the COVID-19 pandemic showed greater number of affective symptoms as well as somatic symptoms (headache) compared to concussed pre-pandemic adolescents. The results of this study support the broader body of research examining the mental health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents, and further encourages a biopsychosocial approach to injury management, in which social and emotional components of a patient's life are considered.

Investigating Teachers of English Knowledge and Awareness of Dyslexia: A case study in Primary Iraqi Schools

Dyslexia is a learning disability in which people face difficulty reading though they are intelligent and have motivation for reading. Therefore;it impacts the portion of the brain responsible for processing language. Such a condition compromises the learning efficiency of the affected person, which generally gets unnoticed. Even affected children are unaware of their state. The study investigates the knowledge and awareness of dyslexia among teachers of English in Iraqi primary schools. this study has three objectives: (i) To investigate the amount of awareness and knowledge among the primary school teachers of English in Baghdad City about dyslexia.;(ii) To examine how English teachers' awareness of dyslexia is affected by their age, gender, grade level, length of service, and academic background;and (iii) To determine whether there is a connection between teachers' total knowledge score and their knowledge and confidence level rating. An exploratory approach was adopted to collect and analyze the data. This study was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic when very few schools were open and working in online mode with no physical attendance. A total of 34 EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers from governmental and private primary schools in Baghdad - Iraq, were assigned to the survey through online random sampling. The results pertained to the following characteristics: the participants' demographic data, exploring teachers' knowledge and awareness regarding dyslexia, and teachers' observation of dyslexia. Findings revealed that most teachers have little experience but a considerable grasp of the learning disorder. Inductive training is highly recommended for teachers of English to promote their early knowledge and awareness of dyslexia and to support dyslexic children to overcome their difficulties in learning.

Addressing the unmet social needs of gynecologic oncology patients as identified by a universal screening tool in a safety net hospital

Objectives: To identify the unmet, actionable social needs of gynecologic oncology patients using a self-administered social needs assessment tool and quantify the interventions subsequently provided to our patients. Method(s): This is a study of data collected in an ongoing performance improvement initiative in a gynecologic oncology clinic at a safety net hospital and was determined to be exempt from review by the institutional IRB. Eligible patients completed the social needs screening tool from October 2021 to March 2022. The following social needs domains were assessed: food insecurity, utility insecurity, housing insecurity, transportation insecurity, need for childcare, exposure to violence, lack of companionship, difficulty reading, or difficulty accessing medical care due to fear of losing job. Patients were asked if they desired to speak with a social worker and if any needs were urgent. Data from the screening tool was collected and supplemented by data from the EMR. Univariate descriptive statistics were used to report the patient demographic information, prevalence of social needs, and referral rates for social needs identified. Result(s): There were 475 patients seen in the gynecologic oncology clinic since October 2021. 286 (60%) patients completed the screening tool. 139 (49%) screened positive for at least 1 social need;of those 98 (70%) were Hispanic with a median age of 56 years. 27 (6%) patients were receiving treatment for a gynecologic malignancy, of whom 19 (70%) had at least 1 social need. 25 (92%) patients were insured through Medi-Cal. 12 (44%) patients were being treated for endometrial cancer, followed by ovarian (7, 26%) and cervical (4, 15%). The social needs identified in all patients and in patients actively receiving cancer treatment are summarized in Fig. 1. Patients reporting lack of companionship were referred to mental health or cancer support groups through the American Cancer Society or the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Those needing transportation or utility services were linked with services available through their insurance or LA County, ride share vouchers, low-income energy assistance programs, COVID rent/mortgage relief programs. Patients with food and housing insecurity were assisted in applying for public housing or food stamps;local food banks were provided. Patients were assisted with applying for disability insurance as needed. To date, all actively treated patients reporting lack of companionship, need for transportation, avoiding medical care for fear of losing their job, and utility insecurity were provided resources;80% received resources for food insecurity. Conclusion(s): Universal screening for social needs in gynecologic cancer patients identifies a high rate of unmet needs within a safety net hospital. Cancer care navigators can successfully provide these patients community-based resources tailored to their individual social needs. Our next steps will be to determine if and how these resources impact our patients' experiences and treatment outcomes.[Formula presented]Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc.

Examining the online implementation of the evidence-based sound partners reading intervention on a measure of phonics skills of kindergarten and first grade students with reading difficulties

Students who do not read proficiently by the end of first grade are likely to remain poor readers and suffer academic difficulties across all subjects during their school career (Moats, 2017). Therefore, early identification and intervention of reading difficulties are essential for students' academic success (Partanen & Siegel, 2014;Vadasy & Sanders, 2011). The SARS COVID-19 pandemic prompted unexpected school closures worldwide and limited student access to intensive reading instruction, which created an urgent need to transpose curriculum to an online synchronous format. This research study utilized a multiple baseline across participants design to examine the outcomes of synchronous online tutoring using the evidence-based Sound Partners reading intervention on a measure of nonsense word fluency scores of kindergarten and first-grade students with reading difficulties. Results suggest evidence-based reading curricula can be transposed for virtual instruction while maintaining treatment integrity;there was a positive correlation between the online Sound Partners intervention and students' phonics skills. Study findings highlight factors to consider when adapting evidence-based practices to different formats and the benefits of implementing reading interventions in a virtual setting. The results illustrate the promise of transposing evidence-based practices established in the traditional in-person classroom setting to online delivery formats to support the learning needs of students with reading challenges. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

A Study on Assessment of Impact of Home Confinement and Associated Risk Factors During COVID-19 Lockdown Among Disabled Children in Chennai District, Tamil Nadu-A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: The home confinement imposed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionally affected the lives of children around the globe, particularly children with pre-existing vulnerabilities. The study assessed the impact of home confinement and the associated risk factors among disabled children residing in the Chennai district, during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: The list of special schools in Chennai were collected, and five special schools were randomly chosen by lottery method. Using simple random sampling technique children were selected till the required sample size of 189 was reached. Semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Informed consent was obtained, and data was entered in MS Excel and analyzed by SPSS version 22. Results: Among the study participants around 64% had an impact due to home confinement during the covid lockdown. Statistically significant predictors (p-value <0.05) of home confinement due to Covid-19 were anger & frustration (AOR-6.47, 95% CI – 2.5-12.6), increased crying among children (AOR-4.89 95% CI – 1.78.5) and sleep disturbances (AOR-2.92, 95% CI – 1.8-7.1). Conclusion: Increased care and attention needs to be provided to disabled children as they are more prone to get affected due to lockdown restrictions. © The Authors retain the copyrights of this article, with first publication rights granted to Medsci Publications.

Growing up with dyslexia: Child and parent perspectives on school struggles, self-esteem, and mental health.

Children with dyslexia, compared with typically reading peers, are at increased risk of internalising (e.g., anxiety) and externalising (e.g., aggression) mental health concerns; why this is the case is largely unknown. Our aim was to explore the socio-emotional experience of growing up with dyslexia from both child and parent perspectives. In so doing, we aimed to gain a better understanding of self-esteem and mental health in the context of dyslexia. One-to-one semi-structured interviews with 17 children with reading difficulties (aged 9-14 years; 16 with a diagnosis of dyslexia) and their mothers (interviewed separately) were analysed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis approach with a neurodiversity lens. We developed three themes to address the research aim: (1) Different in a good/bad way; (2) Exhausted and overwhelmed; and (3) It takes a community: Family school connections. Children discussed having "worries" and experiencing school-related stress and embarrassment. Mothers perceived children's internalising and externalising behaviour (meltdowns), school refusal, and homework resistance as emotional responses to children's school struggles due to poor "person-environment fit." Our analysis highlights the particular importance of parent support, friendship, and school-connectedness for the wellbeing of children with dyslexia.

Examining the online implementation of the evidence-based sound partners reading intervention on a measure of phonics skills of kindergarten and first grade students with reading difficulties

Students who do not read proficiently by the end of first grade are likely to remain poor readers and suffer academic difficulties across all subjects during their school career (Moats, 2017). Therefore, early identification and intervention of reading difficulties are essential for students' academic success (Partanen & Siegel, 2014;Vadasy & Sanders, 2011). The SARS COVID-19 pandemic prompted unexpected school closures worldwide and limited student access to intensive reading instruction, which created an urgent need to transpose curriculum to an online synchronous format. This research study utilized a multiple baseline across participants design to examine the outcomes of synchronous online tutoring using the evidence-based Sound Partners reading intervention on a measure of nonsense word fluency scores of kindergarten and first-grade students with reading difficulties. Results suggest evidence-based reading curricula can be transposed for virtual instruction while maintaining treatment integrity;there was a positive correlation between the online Sound Partners intervention and students' phonics skills. Study findings highlight factors to consider when adapting evidence-based practices to different formats and the benefits of implementing reading interventions in a virtual setting. The results illustrate the promise of transposing evidence-based practices established in the traditional in-person classroom setting to online delivery formats to support the learning needs of students with reading challenges. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Empirical Insights on Gender-Based Computer Font Preference of Dyslexic Juvenile Learners: A Case Study in Sarawak, Malaysia

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic necessitates for a continuous deployment of online teaching and learning (T&L) approach in Malaysia, either in full or hybrid mode. Unfortunately, dyslexic juvenile learners are also imposed with this unfavorable arrangement since all schools nationwide, including those accommodating for special needs education, are fully or partially closed. Thus, it is imperative for the online T&L materials to be designed to optimize the retention of dyslexic juvenile learners' focus and interest. We are specifically interested in the choice of computer font (and its properties) for dyslexic juvenile learners. In this research, we conducted a quantitative survey involving N=16 juvenile dyslexic learners registered with Dyslexia Association of Sarawak. The survey recorded their individual preference for font type, properties, and color scheme. Our subjects did not demonstrate any gender-specific preferences, except for the choice between high and low contrast text. © 2022 IEEE.

Let us hear it from our members—Awards abstracts in parallel sessions (listed by award)

B Results b 92% of students felt that their neurology knowledge was inferior to that of other core medical specialties and before the course only 17% would consider neurology as a career (however, 46% felt they were more likely to consider neurology as a career after the course). This course was developed with the principles of social learning theory, by placing students into the same team for the duration of the course. Available from: https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/standards-guidance-and-curricula/standards-and-outcomes/outcomes-for-graduates/outcomes-for-graduates Impact of an in-person small group surgical skills course for pre-clinical medical students i... Louise Kuo, Nadia Liber Salloum, Benjamin Kennard, James Robb and Paula Vickerton I Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London i B Background b Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, phase 1 medical students have seen a marked drop in face-to-face teaching and an increased proportion of online learning SP 1 sp . Evaluating the publication practices of medical students in UK medical schools Emmanuel Onyango, Shivali Fulchand, James Kilgour and Julie Browne I Cardiff University i B Background b Involvement in research and publication as a medical student equips future clinicians with the skills required to improve healthcare through evidence-based medicine. SP 1 sp Early engagement in scholarly activity potentiates future success and involvement in research. SP 2 sp Current literature on the publication practices of medical students is limited and mostly quantitative in nature. B Methods b Ten medical students and doctors have created a website (www.medprojecthub.com), where candidates can search for opportunities and filter for factors such as the type of opportunity (e.g. course or conference), the grade suitability (e.g. junior doctor or senior medical student) and speciality. [Extracted from the article]

A Virtual Reality Serious Game for Children with Dyslexia: DixGame

Children with reading and writing difficulties, such as dyslexia, have been directly affected by the Covid-19 situation because they could not have the teacher’s face-to-face support. Consequently, new devices and technological applications are being used in educational contexts to improve the interest of learning. This paper presents the design of a Virtual Reality Serious Game called DixGame. This game is a pedagogical tool specifically oriented to children between 8 and 12 years old with dyslexia. Two immersive mini-games are included in this game: a Whack-a-mole and a Memory, which try to improve different skills keeping the children focused on tasks. Whack-a-mole aims to work on the attention and visual and reading agility by recognizing correct letters and words. Memory aims to improve memory and attention ability by pairing letter-cards. The mini-game structure permits to incorporate new levels or games and the progressive increment of difficulty allows the autonomous treatment. © 2022, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

A blockchain approach on security of health records for children suffering from dyslexia during pandemic COVID-19

The Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems provide health information about patients. Data security, integrity, and management of EHR are crucial problems. Records can be modified and altered by different stockholders as the different users may be using them in more than one form. We provide a new approach, methodology, and system for calculating dyslexia symptoms in this research with a machine learning algorithm and secure dyslexia data storage using blockchain technology. The major role of our paper is to test a primary-age group student against dyslexia, a student detected in such early years of his life for such a disability then he or she can be easily cured for the disabilities and can spend the rest of his life normally. For this, we will be using various machine learning algorithms. Dyslexic patterns and a large amount of data can be shared for future clinical research, statistical analysis, and quality assurance because the framework is language-independent and built on Blockchain and a decentralized big data repository. This paper presents the design, execution, and test results, demonstrating the dyslexia health management system's high potential for worldwide deployment using blockchain technology. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Voices from Industry Creating Accessible Infographics: Describing Scientific Data in Ways Everyone Can Understand

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust scientific literature into the global spotlight this year, as information about the virus, how to keep safe, and how to get vaccinated has been continually updated at a rapid pace. Much of this information is being conveyed through infographics. This has resulted in an abundance of easy-to-grasp information for sighted people with no learning disabilities, but this positive impact has not been extended to people with visual or learning disabilities. In effect, these infographics often serve to further marginalize individuals with disabilities. Consistent methods for writing descriptions of images should be developed and implemented by first looking at how information moves from working memory to long-term memory, and then examining how cognitive fatigue can inhibit understanding of complex images and scientific information vital to individuals with disabilities. Considering how best to describe scientific images with concise alternative text and in plain language will have clear and immediate benefits for the health and well-being of those with print-related disabilities. © ATIA 2022.

Perceived Level of Usability as an Evaluation Metric in Adaptive E-learning: A Case Study with Dyslexic Children.

The global spread of COVID-19 has shifted the learning process towards e-learning. In this context, a critical challenge for researchers is to understand and evaluate the effectiveness of e-learning, especially when the learning is adapted to the needs of individual users. In this work we argue that the learner's perception of the level of usability of a system is a valuable metric that gives an insight into the learners' engagement and motivation to learn. Little attention has been paid to this metric. In this paper we explore why this is important and valuable. We present a case study which uses the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire to measure the user's perception of usability as an indirect (proxy) measure of engagement. A between-subject experiment was conducted with 41 learners with dyslexia. The intervention group used the adaptive version of the e-learning system that matched the material to the needs of the learner. The control group used a standard version. At the end, learning gain and SUS scores were assessed. The correlation between learning performance and the perceived level of usability was positive and moderate (0.517, p < 0.05) among participants in the intervention group. However, learning performance and perceived level of usability were unrelated in the control group (- 0.364, p > 0.05). From this, and other work, it appears that using a learner's assessment of the usability of a system is an effective way to measure their attitude to their learning. It reflects their perception of its suitability to their needs and this, in turn, is likely to affect their engagement and motivation. As such, this provides an effective instrument to judge whether adaptation based on learner needs has been successful.

Influence of assistive technology applications on dyslexic students: The case of Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Saudi Arabia, the COVID-19 pandemic forced students with dyslexia to complete their learning through online applications, like their peers without dyslexia. This study explores the influence of assistive technology (AT) on improving the visual perception (VP) and phonological processing (PhP) abilities of students with dyslexia. Three learning applications were used (Google Classroom, Zoom, and Quizlet) as AT platforms. A quantitative approach was adopted based on a quasi-experimental design. Single-subject experimental methods were used to examine the influence of AT on improving students' VP, PhP, and frequency of access (FA). Fourteen students with dyslexia who were selected as participants through purposeful sampling were divided into two experimental groups based on gender. The results showed that AT influenced the VP, PhP, and FA in both experimental groups. Girls scored higher than boys in VP, PhP, and FA, and a positive correlation was found between VP and PhP with AT applications among girls and boys. A simple linear regression analysis showed that a significant and positive relationship exists between FA and the VP and PhP abilities of students with dyslexia through AT applications.

Specific Learning Disorders and Special Educational Needs during COVID-19 Pandemic; Pilot Survey Study Performed in Local District Schools in Italy.

Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are a group of heterogeneous health deficits frequently diagnosed in early childhood that cause difficulties in general intellectual functioning. In the last decades in Italy new laws have been developed to give practical guidelines for the best education plans for children with SLD. BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to determine the efficacy of the educational treatment on SLD in Primary and Secondary schools in the Italian city of Barletta. We acquired valuable data to evaluate Special Education Needs during COVID-19. METHODS: Our study was conducted from April to June 2021, during the second "lockdown" period in Italy. A fact-finding survey was conducted to schools with a questionnaire provided to the teachers to acquire data on the SEN applied in the management of distance learning for children. RESULTS: The study involved 15 male and 6 female pupils with SLD in Primary Schools and 18 male and 6 female in Secondary Schools. The schools participating in the study organized distance learning programs with a support teacher with a 1:1 ratio. Data showed that all children with SLD needed a support teacher. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this pilot study suggest that distance learning programs are able to achieve adequate educational goals, despite the difficulties of the lockdown period.

The Effectiveness of Neurofeedback Therapy on Sustained Attention of Dyslexic Students

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of neurofeedback therapy on sustained attention of dyslexic students. The research method was quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest with a control group, and 1-month follow-up. The available sample selection method and the sample number of 30 students with dyslexia were selected and randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received neurofeedback treatment in 8 sessions once a week. The research instruments used in this study were Karami, Nouri, and Moradi's (2005) reading performance questionnaire and sustained attention to continuous performance test (Rosvold, 1956). The results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed that neurofeedback treatment was effective on sustained attention (P <0.05) .Therefore, it can be concluded that neurofeedback therapy can be used to increase sustained attention in dyslexic children.

Book review: “Why can’t you hear me?”

In this book, Andy and Amanda McCulloch tell the story, through a combination of their own memories, diaries and Colette’s own writings and drawings, of the years she was treated for dyslexia, an eating disorder and mental health issues while her autism went unrecognised. What is particularly distressing and clearly expressed in this book is the failure of the facility that claimed to specialise in the care and support of adults on the autistic spectrum to recognise that both Colette and her parents were “experts by experience” and best able to assist the “experts by profession” to best meet her care and support needs. In fairness to Andy and Amanda, they do recognise that professionals and agencies had been labouring under a period of government-imposed austerity that had reduced the resources available to them to provide care and support services.

A Digital Tool to Provide Pre-Screening to Dyslexia in Hong Kong

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a tremendous challenge to global society. During the pandemic, education is affected significantly due to school closures. In Hong Kong, the queue for the screening of dyslexia given by the government is longer than a year. Together with the outbreak of COVID-19, manual pre-screening of dyslexia became less accessible. Although there are various digital learning games for dyslexic students to learn Chinese, there is a lack of digital pre-screening tools for dyslexia in the Chinese context. Therefore, we have developed a digital tool to pre-screen dyslexia in Hong Kong. This study aims to examine which handwriting problems reveal symptoms of dyslexia and which characteristics of students are indicative of dyslexia. © 2021 IEEE.