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CASE STUDY FOR FELLOWSHIP MEMBERSHIP AT MIRANDANET
by Dr Daithí Ó Murchú
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This initial study has been extended to include children with SPLD of Higher IQ utilising the lessons learned with "Tom" as described below.
At present I am co-ordinating over 100 students in "Tom's" situation in 26 Counties of the Republic of Ireland and with schools in France, Netherlands, Sweden and USA. (I am also testing the results with Puerto Rican children).
My intention is to then extend the study and its results to a World-wide audience on MirandaNet.
The availability of literature and extensive searches show that virtually no research has or is being undertaken or published world-wide in this specific area of primary school children with SPLD, above average IQ, integrating technology and in a bi-lingual/multi-lingual setting.
The results of the triangulated qualitative and quantitative study are being compiled as we speak.
The Numerical and Literary Six-Year Old, 125 IQ Dyslexic Explores IT and Opens Up New Avenues of Thought and Areas of Practical Experience for In-Service Education in a Bi-Lingual Environment
Daithí Ó Murchú
Principal, Gaelscoil Ó Doghair, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, Ireland
Research Fellow in ICT and Education, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
Department of Education MIC, University of Limerick, Ireland
Abstract:
Because of their learning difficulties, dyslexic children are often looked upon as being the lowest common denominator on the academic scale, or even regarded as problem students. Using traditional methodologies and new technologies, this project allowed students with specific learning difficulties to utilise, examine, explore, plan and design new thematic programmes which permitted them to go beyond the apparent barriers of the 'chalk and talk' classroom to experience the joy of learning and explore avenues of thought. The results of their work are now benefiting all students, and teachers, at all levels as the lowest common denominator has become the highest productive factor. One such child is Tom. His case study epitomises the path this journey has taken and together with his story, the programmes which eventually resulted from all our experiences.
Introduction
In 1999, as co-ordinator of a locally-based national Schools Integrated Project
in Technology (SIP) concerning the development of oral and aural language
skills at the primary (elementary) level in Ireland, it became apparent to
the author that traditional methods of utilising and reinforcing language
acquisition skills were failing to meet the needs of specific groups of children,
especially in a bilingual (Gaelic/English) school environment. In a variety
of schools, there were obviously highly motivated and intelligent students
who seemed incapable of absorbing the information being presented to them,
albeit by excellent teachers employing a variety of non-technological methodologies,
and teaching styles.
Investigating the source of the barriers to learning with the students themselves, their parents, and their teachers, the author discovered that a significant number of them had been previously diagnosed by developmental and educational psychologists as being numerical and/or literary dyslexics with above average IQ. It was only on discovering this, that the possibility of exploring, understanding and incorporating more effective learning strategies in language/second language acquisition presented themselves. An old Irish saying tells us that God never closes one door without opening another. In the case of these dyslexic children, all we had to do was allow them to give us the keys to enter and perceive their realm of thought and learning to begin more effective communication.
Our project, SIP 056, was entitled "The Development of Oral and Aural Language Skills at Infant and Remedial Levels in Primary Schools, in both Irish and English, through the Medium of Full Multimedia Programmes and ICT, within the Guidelines of the Revised Irish Primary School Curriculum". (The term "Remedial Levels" refers to Learning Support.) The project undertook the task of addressing these challenges and present both teachers and students, with a potential blueprint for the development of language usage. It was conceived that it might also open up avenues of practical applications for in-service education. Allied with this was the co-ordinator's belief that technology-enhanced language learning could be more fully utilised to increase the possibilities of this project.
Tom's Story
Tom came to our Gaelscoil (All-Gaelic, Bi-Lingual Primary School), at the
age of five years, having already attended another elementary school. In consultation
with his parents, he was referred for assessment, because of concerns over
reading and language difficulties. Tom's cognitive functioning was assessed
using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children lll UK, which yielded the
following profile:
Cognitive Ability
| Verbal Intelligence Quotient | 126 Centile 96 |
| Performance Intelligence Quotient | 116 Centile 86 |
| Full Scale Intelligence Quotient | 125 Centile 95 |
Table 1: Tom's overall Cognitive Scores for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children lll
Strengths in Tom's cognitive profile related to exceptionally high performance in Comprehension, Vocabulary and Similarities Subtests. This suggested exceptionally high ability in verbal fluency, word knowledge, word usage, social comprehension, and logical thinking and reasoning. An exceptionally high performance was also recorded for the Picture Arrangement Subtest, which suggested particular strength in visual perception and the ability to plan ahead. In contrast, difficulties were experienced in the Arithmetic and Object Assembly Subtests, which were a measure of numerical accuracy, reasoning and mental arithmetic. Low scores suggested inadequate memory and poorly consolidated reasoning skills.
Literacy Skills
Assessment using the Wechsler Objective Reading Dimension Test, yielded the
following profile:
| Test | Predicted Score | Difference | Significance | Frequency |
| Basic Reading | 115 | 34 | P=0.01 | <1% |
| Spelling | 113 | 29 | P=0.01 | <1% |
| Reading Comprehension | 117 | 45 | P=0.01 | <1% |
Table 2: Tom's overall Literacy Skills Scores for the Wechsler Objective Reading Dimension Test
The above profile suggested that Tom's degree of under-achievement was statistically significant and that he had a specific and severe disability in relation to reading, spelling and reading comprehension. The subtests also indicated difficulties in identifying and distinguishing rhyming pairs in word strings and delays in processing numbers. It was further discovered that Tom's learning style preference was towards a Kinaesthetic and Accommodative Learning Style (Harthill and Busch, 1998). This led us to examine and explore areas of practical experience in understanding the various learning styles in second language classrooms both as in-service and on-line processes to more fully accommodate all students in language assimilation.
In summary, Tom presented with a significant and severe learning disability (i.e. dyslexia/specific literary difficulties) in relation to basic reading, spelling, reading comprehension, number reasoning, and number operations. The nature of his difficulties related to visual memory and sound processing.
When his participation in the programme was proposed and explained to him, his immediate response was; "Don't ask me to do this, Máistir (the students' Gaelic term for Principal). I know I'm no good at remembering words and doing things like that. The others are better." Tom's words would seem to typify the dyslexic's attitude to school and learning which McDermott argues is a natural by-product of the "schooling system (which) is inherently competitive…. the inevitability of failure is built into the system…By the normal line of reasoning, the child is the unit of analysis and the (learning) disability is a mishap that scars a child's road to competence", (1993: 237).
The Study
The original idea for this project, SIP056, came as a natural development
from the experiences of the principal of a Gaelscoil, an all-gaelic primary
school, in the areas of language usage and development, and information communication
technology. It has long been recognised that the Irish language in particular
has failed to catch the imagination of students and teachers. One could go
as far as saying that most students dislike having to study Irish because
the methodology behind its teaching has failed to keep pace with modern language
learning strategies. This also could be true of the methodology behind the
development of language usage in English and in bilingual and multilingual
settings (Nunan, 1988, 1989).
Within the guidelines of the Revised Irish Curriculum, particularly in the areas of the development of the Irish and English languages, it is proposed that teachers would embrace a new perspective in,
"Promoting positive attitudes and developing an appreciation of the value of language -- creating, fostering and maintaining the child's interest in expression and communication -- developing confidence and competence in listening, speaking, reading and writing -- enhancing emotional, imaginative and aesthetic development through oral reading and writing experiences".
(Curaclam na Bunscoile, NCCA, 1999. English Language. Pp. 10-12; Curaclam na Bunscoile, Gaeilge, Teanga. Pp. 14-15).
Our project interpreted these curricular guidelines in a very simple way -- making language learning fun. We believed that through the identification of key words in the Irish and English languages, integrated into a thematic visual arts programme -- drama -- we could encourage children to develop confidence and competence in language usage. Not alone that, but by encouraging them to use ICT (digital cameras, scanners, video cameras and multimedia programmes), we would place at their disposal a multitude of potential learning experiences, which would systematically lead them along the path of language acquisition and familiarisation. We also believed that if we succeeded with what may be considered to be the lowest common denominator in our schools, (kids like Tom), from a language development perspective, then the project would naturally extend to all other students.
There have been some memorable milestones in our project to date, one of which was the identification and compilation of the key words used in Gaelic and English in the development of language skills. We examined, from a learning support perspective, the Dolch lists of words and in consultation with Tom, our staffs and other educational bodies, we supplemented these lists to include more modern words. We then divided all of these lists and words into both class and age group categories. From a Gaelic perspective, we looked at the work carried out in the early 1960s in the identification of the key words in the spoken language and, following a similar pattern of research, we compiled a comprehensive and yet not exhaustive wordlist. The project schools and others then tested these lists, to verify their appropriateness to age and class grouping, and their feedback allowed us to consolidate them. These lists are available for downloading at www.gaelscoil.com/site2002
Following that, we decided to design a full and inclusive, whole school programme in drama and phonetics, using the wordlists. The programmes in Gaelic and English, encompassed the various levels already recognised, allowing us to introduce language learning, in a fun and novel way, through the medium of eight themes which Tom and the other students had identified. These themes were:
Junior Infants - (4-5 years) - Our homes and families / Ár dtithe
agus ár dteaghlaigh
Senior Infants - (5-6 years) - People in our community / Daoine in ár
bPobal
First Class - (6-7 years) - Nature all around us/ An Nádúr,
thart timpeall orainn
Second Class - (7-8 years) - Our school / Ár scoil
Third Class - (8-9 years) - Lots to do/ Rudaí le déanamh
Fourth Class - (9-10 years) - Customs and traditions / Custaim agus Traidisiún
Fifth Class - (10-11 years) - Local history/ Stair in ár dtimpeall
Sixth Class - (11-12 years) - Local industry and commerce / Domhan áitiúil
tionscail agus gnólachtaí.
Using these themes, the wordlists, and the drama and phonetic schemes, we implemented the programme of language development and usage, in the hope that the children would use their experiences to transfer their thoughts and their ideas into computer-generated, multimedia programmes in the quest for creative technology-enhanced language learning.
Microsoft PowerPoint was chosen as the medium. In essence, we the teachers, in partnership with the students and parents, sent Tom and his fellow students out into the environment to research these various themes: to take digital images, to build story lines around them, to present them in the drama class and develop the whole concept, so that their experiences could be integrated with the curricular aims and objectives of the Revised Curriculum in both Gaelic and English.
In the infant classes, the teachers introduced the word lists in a phased manner using the drama programme as the medium of expression. In the learning support classes, already having experienced the words in their drama schedule, the children were introduced to the various word and phonetic lists in a more formal and focused manner. The themes mentioned above were always utilised to help the children to focus on the possibilities of word usage. This was a very challenging task as the ability and age range of the students in question varied greatly, but in small group situations, the teachers were able to elicit responses from them without the students being under too much pressure. This proved to be very effective, and the teachers noticed that the responses of the students who were attending learning support were very positive in class.
The development of the programme has not been without its problems, as the old saying goes, "Is fada an bhóthar gan casadh -- It is a long road, which has no turns". The fact that many of the teachers had not experienced any formal training in the use of ICT and multimedia presentations meant that a detailed, logical and sequential programme had to be designed by the author to ensure that they were equipped with the necessary skills to develop and implement the project. The provision of substitute cover by the Department of Education and Science for the teachers involved facilitated the implementation of the training programme and the project in general.
Because of the extension of the programme to a selection of pilot project schools (small rural to large urban), it was occasionally more difficult for the smaller schools to find time to implement the project. This was due to the fact that some schools were sharing learning support teachers and in some cases, the same teacher was teaching multiple class groupings. At times this was found to be an advantage, as older children were able to mentor younger children, and peer to peer teaching was seen to be very effective, as the teacher was afforded the time to be a more creative support.
In summary, all the above has entailed many, many hours of research, evaluation, implementation, assessment, redesign and re-implementation of the various strands of the project. Moreover, the challenge of identifying the learning styles of the children with learning disabilities, which ""refers to a person's general approach to learning and problem-solving" (Reid 1995), and observing their learning strategies, which are "any specific conscious action or behaviour a student takes to improve learning" (Oxford and Nam 1998) dictated the manner in which the project evolved.
What Has Been the Impact on Teaching and Learning?
This project caught the imagination of the parents involved as they willingly
offered their services to help with its implementation. This ranged from studying
various words and themes with the children, to providing advice on the possibilities
of implementing the chosen themes of the project and understanding their children's
learning styles. With this came a sense of true partnership in education.
The manner in which the aims and objectives of the Revised Curriculum, with reference to the development of language skills, has been implemented in the schools, is undoubtedly one of the major impacts of our project on teaching and learning. The use of technology and multimedia has become a natural ally in designing programmes, which are student-driven, and therefore more interesting to them. The teachers, on the other hand, having seen the benefits to the students, naturally adapted their learning and teaching styles to the advantage of the children. So both the academic requirements of the Revised Curriculum and the fun aspects of language learning have been successfully fused together.
Tom and many of the other children attending learning support, have developed their own personal programmes using the words which they themselves felt most comfortable with and we believe that this is one of the major, unforeseen successes of the project. The infants, on the other hand, may have needed a lot more mentoring, but they totally enjoyed looking at their work and hearing their voices on the computers. Parents were able to use some of these programmes on their home computers, and therefore enhance learning by complementing the schools' programmes. The teachers were presented with well-constructed exemplars, which allowed for as much creativity as they wished to input, in the development of both the Gaelic and English language programmes.
An unexpected impact of the project, was the demand from a variety of schools for access to the phonetic and wordlists, the drama programmes, and the multimedia presentations. The possibilities for using the project in the teaching of minority languages and other major European languages in a bilingual setting, was also recognised, as it was felt that the project addressed language teaching methodology in a novel manner. Some students attending teacher training college at third level requested permission to try out some of the Gaelic programmes and they found these extremely effective in classrooms, encouraging schools around Ireland to request permission to download the information.
Conclusion
As stated at the outset, language and its usage is one of the most important
means of communication in the world. Our project continues to show us that
this is a very complex and challenging area of the Revised Curriculum especially
in a bilingual environment. In essence, the major contribution of our project
to understanding children with learning difficulties, the process of education
and new technologies is that they should not be mutually exclusive. Not alone
that, but young dyslexic children such as Tom, are like natural sponges, absorbing
at deeper levels through body and mind, and well able to handle the challenges
of the technological world and an extra language, through the medium of a
more traditional curricular area -- drama. Teachers also, when presented with
a curricular framework for the development of language skills, were able to
integrate their own knowledge with ICT, to creatively produce exemplars for
the development of confidence in language usage, which could be emulated by
any school. These facts lead the author to believe that the project will continue
to develop after SIP and more importantly, be emulated and replicated in other
local, national, and international settings to open up new avenues of thought
and possibilities for in-service education.
Tom, as a literary six-year old 125 IQ dyslexic, with all of his academic problems has shown that IT, when creatively integrated with, and connected to his preferential learning style, can open those other 'windows of wonder' to boost self-confidence and enhance the learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom. The most significant remaining challenge for us teachers, is to continue our work and be satisfied that we shall probably never reach a stage when we can say that we have actually realised all the ramifications of our own learning curve when dealing with children like Tom, in a bilingual environment. They say that from small acorns grow great oak trees. We look upon our project from the point of view of the well-planted acorn and hope that the participation of other schools and organisations will continue to nurture it.
There is no doubt in our minds that this project has incredible possibilities and far-reaching implications for teachers, learning support in schools, in-service education in a bilingual environment and the development of language skills internationally. It is hoped that schools will download the information and associated links to the 'Avenues of Thought and Areas of Practical Experience for In-Service Education', at www.gaelscoil.com/site2002 and eventually design their own programmes and multimedia presentations. All that remains is a recent comment from Tom as he sat confidently at his computer; "You know Máistir, even my Dad thinks this is great fun, isn't it?"
References
Government of Ireland. (1999). (Curaclam na Bunscoile, NCCA, 1999. English
Language. Pp. 10-12; Curaclam na Bunscoile, Gaeilge, Teanga. Pp. 14-15).
Harthill, B, and Busch, C. (1998). 'Teaching Modals to Multistyle Learners',
in Joy M. Reid (ed) Understanding Learning Style in the Second Language
Classroom, NJ: Prentice-Hall Regents
McDermott, R. (1993). 'The acquisition of a child by a learning disability',
in S. Chaiklin and J. Lave (eds) Understanding Practice: Perspectives
on Activity and Context, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nunan, D. (1988). Syllabus Design. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Nunan, D. (1989). Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Oxford, R., and Nam, C. (1998). 'Learning Styles and Strategies of a Partially
Bilingual Student Diagnosed as Learning Disabled: A Case Study", in Joy,
M. Reid (ed.), (1998). Understanding Learning Styles in the Second Language
Classroom. NJ: Prentice-Hall Regents
Reid, J. (1995). 'Perceptual Learning Style Preference Survey', in J. Reid
(ed) Learning Styles in the ESL/EFL Classroom (pp 202-204), Boston:
Heinle & Heinle.
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