Umeå universitets logga

Research on the writing of students with intellectual developmental disorder (IDD) stresses the large variation in the quality and content of writing these students produce. This study investigates in detail the processes and temporal aspects of text production of nine Swedish upper-secondary students with mild IDD. The students wrote 27 narratives that were computer keystroke logged. The analysis of their keystroke-logs showed (1) that writing fluency was lower than in other special needs writer populations, (2) considerable variation in composition behaviour; and (3) that revision was mainly focused on deleting and editing typos, and spelling. The findings highlight the importance of instructional individualisation and compensation in writing instruction in special needs schools. These are necessary elements for students to be able to engage to the best of their abilities in text production, regardless of degree of their disability, comorbidity and motoric challenges.

It has been proposed that morphological knowledge facilitates the integration of sublexical and lexical codes in both word reading and spelling and mediates the transition from reliance on sublexical cues to lexical cues during early literacy development (Bahr et al., 2020). However, the specific stage at which morphology begins to influence reading and spelling remains unclear, as does the question of whether there are differences across languages (Landerl et al., 2022). In the present study, we explore the extent to which morphology may explain, in addition to the already known predictors of phonemic awareness (PA) and rapid automatic naming (RAN), individual variations in word reading and spelling within two groups of Swedish-speaking children identified with word reading difficulties (n = 77) and as typical reading (n = 59), respectively, in Grade 2. All children participated in standardized assessments of PA, RAN, morphological awareness (MA), vocabulary, word reading, and spelling at the beginning of Grade 2. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to investigate whether MA explained any additional variance within the dependent variables of word reading and spelling when controlling for word-reading group, PA, and RAN. As independent variables, word-reading group, PA, and RAN were included at the first step and MA was added at the second step. MA was found to have only a modest influence on the variances for word reading and spelling when controlling for group, PA and RAN. In conclusion, this study of beginning readers and spellers in Swedish, confirms previous findings that PA makes the more substantial contribution to the variation within early word reading and spelling, with MA contributing only modestly. These results support the view that phonics should provide the primary instructional foundations, with MA serving as a complementary component during the first years of literacy instruction.

It has been proposed that morphological knowledge facilitates the integration of sublexical and lexical codes in both word reading and spelling and mediates the transition from reliance on sublexical cues to lexical cues during early literacy development (Bahr et al., 2020). However, the specific stage at which morphology begins to influence reading and spelling remains unclear, as does the question of whether there are differences across languages (Landerl et al., 2022). In the present study, we explore the extent to which morphology may explain, in addition to the already known predictors of phonemic awareness (PA) and rapid automatic naming (RAN), individual variations in word reading and spelling within two groups of Swedish-speaking children identified with word reading difficulties (n = 77) and typical reading (n = 59), respectively, in Grade 2. All children participated in standardized assessments of PA, RAN, morphological awareness (MA), vocabulary, word reading, and spelling at the beginning of Grade 2. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to investigate whether MA explained any additional variance within the dependent variables of word reading and spelling when controlling for word-reading group, PA, and RAN. As independent variables, word-reading group, PA, and RAN were included at the first step and MA was added at the second step. MA was found to have only a modest influence on the variances for word reading and spelling when controlling for group, PA and RAN. In conclusion, this study of beginning readers and spellers in Swedish, confirms previous findings that PA makes the more substantial contribution to the variation within early word reading and spelling, with MA contributing only modestly. These results support the view that phonics should provide the primary instructional foundations, with MA serving as a complementary component during the first years of literacy instruction.

Writers with decoding and/or spelling difficulties often produce short, lower-quality texts and experience less fluent writing, frequently interrupted by long pauses at the word level. Research suggests that from adolescence onward, such writers become increasingly aware of their difficulties, which influences behaviours such as avoiding difficult-to-spell words and pausing for lexical decisions. The objective of this study was to deepen the understanding of how adolescent students with decoding and spelling difficulties engage in the task of text composition. In this multiple case study, we qualitatively investigated argumentative texts and writing processes produced by three Swedish upper-secondary students with such difficulties. Data were collected through keystroke logging and analyses of texts and keystroke logs provided detailed insights into their individual writing approaches. The results generally align with previous findings but reveal notable differences depending on the severity of the difficulties. Two students with moderate challenges paused extensively to consider spelling, formulation, and word choice, while one student with more pronounced difficulties wrote rapidly and briefly to complete the task quickly. This nuanced analysis highlights the diversity of writing profiles among students with decoding and spelling difficulties and underscores the need for tailored support to help them produce higher-quality texts.

The importance of reading competence has been increasingly acknowledged in the Swedish educational system, not least through the demands for higher standards in reading in all subjects stated in the national curriculum. Still, in the school year 2018/19, approximately 7% of all Swedish pupils did not achieve the learning goals related to reading competence stated for the subject Swedish in the national curriculum for compulsory school (grades 0–9) (Skolverkets statistikdatabas). In order to identify and support pupils with reading difficulties as early as possible, compulsory reading development assessments are conducted in grades 1, 3, 6 and 9 according to which all pupils displaying a delayed development are to receive additional support. The provision of this support is the responsibility of every municipality, but in what form and to what extent and duration it should be given is not prescribed. The present study aims to give insight into how Swedish policy reforms to improve reading ability among pupils in compulsory school are operationalised in one Swedish municipality during the school year 2018/2019. Further, the study seeks to exemplify how the policy guidelines are implemented at three schools and how policy and practice are related.

Translanguaging is a concept that is increasingly used in multilingualism studies with disparate definitions and uses in the literature. In this chapter, students who are advanced multilingual speakers at home, school, and elsewhere are in focus. The chapter examines historical and contemporary definitions of translanguaging and shows that not all definitions view the literacy practices of advanced multilingual speakers as translanguaging. However, those that see these speakers as having a unitary linguistic system allow the literacy practices of advanced multilingual speakers to be viewed as translanguaging. Working from this perspective, the chapter argues for translanguaging writing spaces to be created in schools as a way to foster learning. The chapter also presents ways in which teachers can support the creation of these spaces in multilingual classrooms and considers how translanguaging writing spaces can be maintained when advanced multilingual speakers move to writing for monolingual readers. The challenge of this move is also discussed.

Kapitlet handlar om skrivutvecklingen hos en elev i gymnasiesärskolan med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning under en skrivintervention. Vi tar utgångspunkt i kognitivt orienterad skrivforskning som beskriver skrivandet som en komplex problemlösningsprocess som begränsas bl.a. av arbetsminnets kapacitet. Särskilt för elever med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning kan skrivande utgöra en stor utmaning. Strategiundervisning, som hjälper elever att strukturera skrivandets olika delar, har visat sig vara en framgångsrik metod för att främja dessa elevers skrivförmåga. I vår interventionsstudie med sex deltagare, varav vi visar resultat från en elev, fokuserade vi på strategin att planera en berättande text till en given bild. Deltagaren skrev tolv texter på dator, som vi analyserade gällande texternas kvalitet samt hur skrivprocesserna såg ut. Resultaten visar att den övergripande textkvaliteten förbättrades även om det finns en stor variation. Texterna hade en bättre kvalitet när eleven hade lyckats koppla dem till ett eget intresseområde. De största utmaningarna bestod i att beskriva berättelsens problemställning och skapa en s.k. spänningskurva. Gällande skrivprocesserna kunde små förändringar konstateras. Pauserna mellan ord och mellan meningar blev kortare, vilket kan vara en indikator för lägre kognitiv belastning under textproduktionen. Dessutom visade det sig att eleven överlag reviderade texterna i liten utsträckning och nästan inte alls på innehålls- och organisationsnivå.