فصلنامه ناتوانی های یادگیری
سال ششم شماره 2 (پیاپی 21، زمستان 1395)

The current study has mainly investigated the effect of preschool education on the reduction of learning specific disorders of primary school students. To this end, causal-comparative method of research was preferred. The statistical population covered the first to third graders of primary school in Hamadan province. The main sample included 623 students being selected via cluster and random sampling techniques. To collect the data learning disorders list, standard reading test and researcher-made tests of dictation and mathematics were used. To analyze the data, in addition to descriptive statistics, chi-square test, Fisher correction and Phi coefficient were run. The results showed that the students who had received education in preschool, compared with those who had not, had low disorder in reading. However, concerning dictation and mathematics disorders, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. The results were discussed and the preschool education was recommended to be paid further attention.

It is important to conduct studies on misspellings because it helps develop educational and intervention programs to improve students’ spelling skills. This descriptive and causal-comparative research aims to investigate the frequency and study different types of misspellings in multilingual and bilingual students based on their demographic characteristics. Accordingly, 2465 third, fourth, and fifth -grade students were selected from the elementary students of Karaj. Using cluster random sampling, the students’ spelling samples were collected and then analyzed using descriptive statics, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings of this study are as follows: 1- Students whose native language is Farsi are more skilled in spelling. 2- Girls can perform better in spelling. 3- Errors related to visual memory, attention, and education are more frequent than other errors. 4- At higher grades, the percentage of misspellings reduces. 5- Third and fifth –grade students’ problems resulted from carelessness, and fourth-grade students’ problems resulted from poor visual memory. Spelling is not easy, especially for bilingual students. Although the effect of features such as gender on spelling performance is unavoidable, the percentage of misspellings reduces as students enter higher grades. In other words, the percentage of misspellings can possibly reduce by providing high-quality education.

The purpose of this study was to compare psychological well-being and control of anger in mothers of children with learning disabilities and normal children. This is a comparative case-control study. The statistical population of this research includes all mothers of children with learning disabilities and normal children in Tabriz in the period of 2014-2015.The research sample consisted of 40 mothers of children with learning disabilities selected by simple random sampling and 40 mothers of normal children homogenized on the basis of age, socioeconomic status. To collect data, Zia Aldin Reza-Khani's questionnaires of control of anger of and Riff's psychological well-being Inventory were used. The results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that there is a significant difference between the two groups of mothers in terms of psychological well-being and control of anger. It can be concluded that mothers of children with learning disabilities, have higher rates of anger and less psychological well-being than mothers of normal children and their problems have impact on their academic performance, which are usually ignored in schools. Furthermore, training skills of mother's anger control plays a key role in the academic achievement of children with LD.

The aim of this study was investigating the effectiveness of rehabilitation sensory integration on the symptoms of children with non-verbal learning disability. This study was a quasi-experimental research, in single subject study - with a control group- and based on an A-B design. Through multi-stage cluster random sampling, among the second to fifth-grade students of elementary schools in the city of Rey, eight students with non-verbal learning disorders were selected and randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group received sensory integration intervention program (with the emphasis on Proprioceptive and Vestibular senses) consisting of 12 two-hour sessions, two times a week. Nonparametric statistical analyses were conducted to compare the control and experimental groups.The analysis of data showed that the experimental group, compared to baseline, improved in The scores. Consequently, these findings suggest that the sensory-motor integration with emphasis on proprioceptive and vestibular senses improved the symptoms of with non-verbal learning disorders.

Learning disorders are among the most important disorders in the school years and children who have learning problems are often mistaken for mentally retarded children and sometimes are completely left behind the education and learning process. Moreover, due to being suppressed in the critical years of childhood, these children encounter issues in the society; therefore, the present study aimed to examine the effect of social skills training on increasing self-confidence among children with verbal learning disorders and children with nonverbal learning disorders. The method of this study was preliminary experimental without a control group. The statistical population of this study included all first to fourth grade students with verbal and nonverbal learning disorders in Zahedan among whom 18 individuals were selected as the sample using the convenience sampling method. Initially, all students answered the Eysenck Self-confidence Questionnaire. Afterwards, the students’ mean score on self-confidence obtained before conducting the social skills training was calculated. Social skills were taught to students during 9 sessions and the results were analyzed using the independent t-test. The results indicated that after training social skills, the students’ mean score significantly increased and this led to an increase in children’s academic performance. Therefore, regarding the effectiveness of social skills in interpersonal communications, questioning, explaining, listening, self-disclosure, and self-expression, this training can be taught in addition to children’s academic classes in ordinary schools and can be used to improve these children’s social performance.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of three methods of direct instruction, computer assisted instruction and mastery learning on reducing the problems of students with dyscalculia in primary third and fourth grades. The population of this study included male and female students in third and fourth grades in Sabzevar city who have math learning disability and learning disorders and referred to rehabilitation centers and enrolled in the academic year 2015-2016. Twenty students were selected on a voluntary basis through clinical interviews, Wechsler Intelligence Scale cognitive tests, standardized tests of math and spatial disorder and finally received teacher evaluation scale, and then the students were randomly divided into four five-people groups. Three experimental groups received the treatment for 12 sessions, three 45-minute sessions each and the control group received traditional training normal in learning disorders treatment center. All four groups sat for the pre-test and post-test and the data were analyzed using analysis of variance. The results of this study showed that direct instruction, computer-aided teaching and mastery learning were effective in reducing student's math problems. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the mastery learning approach is more effective in reducing the problems of students with mathematics disorder than conventional traditional methods.

Through the current study, the effect of training auditory memory strengthening exercises on reading ability of dyslexic students was examined. The sample of this study included 30 second grade male elementary school students with reading disabilities in Khash who were selected using the purposive sampling method and were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. The method of this study was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design. Training auditory memory strengthening exercises was conducted on the experimental group in 10 sessions, each lasting 45 minutes. The research tool was NAMA Reading and Dyslexia Test. The obtained data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The findings of this study showed that training auditory memory strengthening exercises affected the reading ability of dyslexic students.

The purpose of the present research was to compare the cognitive processing and social cognition in students with and without dyslexia. The method of this research was casual – comparative. The statistical population of this study consisted of all 6- to 12-year-old dyslexic students in Rasht in 2014-2015 academic years. Sixty three of dyslexic students have been selected from learning disorders institutes by simple sampling method regarding the entrance conditions of research including their age (6-12), IQ (85-115), and degree. Also 60 students without dyslexia from neighboring schools have been selected as the comparison group and homogenized with the experimental group according to age, gender, and degree. For collecting data, social cognition questionnaire, profound information processing questionnaire, Wechsler intelligence test and dyslexia test were used. The results of the t-test, multivariate analysis of variances and univariate analysis of variance showed that cognitive processing and social cognition (and their components) in dyslexic students are lower than those of students without dyslexic. It is therefore important to strengthen the cognitive and social aspects of children with dyslexia.