Application of cognitive learning strategies in working with student with reading and writing disability

Razvoj čitanja jedan je od glavnih postignuća u nižim razredima uz koji se veže i razvoj pisanja. Čitanje podrazumijeva kompleksnu kognitivnu aktivnost koja se prožima kroz svaki nastavni sat. Od učenika se očekuje da pročitaju veliki broj tekstova te da ih razumiju s ciljem stjecanja znanja. Osim toga, vještine pismene komunikacije su u današnje doba vrlo važne, a i sam obrazovni sustav je koncipiran na način da se učenici u velikoj mjeri ocjenjuju i vrednuju na temelju pismenih uradaka. U skladu s tim, vještine čitanja i pisanja su nužne za akademski, ekonomski i socijalni uspjeh. Istraživanja pokazuju da 2-10% ukupne populacije ima specifične teškoće učenja. Nadalje, smatra se da čak 80% učenika sa specifičnim teškoćama učenja posjeduje ozbiljne poteškoće u čitanju, a u 75% slučajeva se poteškoće u čitanju javljaju zajedno s poteškoćama u pisanju. Područje teškoća čitanja i pisanja predstavlja kompleksnu problematiku, s obzirom da prisutnost ovih teškoća ima utjecaj na cjelokupni razvoj učenika, odnosno na emocionalnu, socijalnu, bihevioralnu te kognitivnu domenu razvoja. Cilj ovog kvalitativnog istraživanja bio je kreirati i primijeniti te evaluirati primjenu kognitivnih strategija u radu s učenikom četvrtog razreda osnovne škole koji ima teškoće čitanja i pisanja te emocionalne teškoće, kroz usmjerenost na napredak u području čitanja i pisanja kao i u području motivacije i odnosa prema tekstu, školi i školskom učenju. Kognitivne strategije (samoinstrukcija, RAP, Story Grammar i izrada kognitivnih mapa) odabrane su u skladu s procijenjenim potrebama dječaka, a poučavanje se vršilo u razdoblju od 20.4.2017. do 7.6.2017., prosječno dva do tri puta tjedno po dva sunčana sata kroz ukupno 15 termina. U istraživanju je korištena opservacija (opažanje/promatranje) kao kvalitativna metoda prikupljanja podataka, a opservacijska lista kreirana je sukladno istraţivačkim pitanjima i ispunjavana za svaki termin individualnog rada s dječakom. U kvalitativnoj analizi dobivenih podataka korištena je metoda tematske analize. Rezultati dobiveni istraživanjem ukazuju na vrijedne doprinose odabranih kognitivnih strategija u radu s dječakom s teškoćama čitanja i pisanja u dva područja: napredak u području čitanja i pisanja te doprinos kognitivnih strategija na funkcioniranje djeteta u odnosu prema školskom učenju. Temeljem dobivenih rezultata istraživanja proizlaze određene preporuke za rad s učenicima s teškoćama čitanja i pisanja.The development of reading is one of the major achievements of the early school years, with which the development of writing is also related. Reading implies a complex cognitive activity pervading each lesson. Students are expected to read a large number of texts and understand them in order to gain knowledge. What is more, the skills of written communication are very important today, and the educational system itself is conceived in such a way that students are rated and evaluated on the basis of written works. Accordingly, reading and writing skills are essential for academic, economic and social success. Research shows that 2-10% of the total population has specific learning disabilities. Furthermore, it is considered that 80% of students with specific learning disabilities have serious reading difficulties, and in 75% of the cases, the difficulty in reading appears alongside difficulties in writing. The area of reading and writing disabilities is a complex issue, considering that the presence of these difficulties has an impact on the overall development of students, that is, on the emotional, social, behavioral and cognitive domain of development. The aim of this qualitative study was to create, implement and evaluate the application of cognitive strategies with a fourth grade student who has reading and writing disabilities and emotional difficulties, through a focus on progress in the area of reading and writing as well as in the field of motivation and attitude towards the text, school and school learning. Cognitive strategies (Self-instruction, RAP, Story Grammar and Cognitive mapping) were chosen according to the needs of the child and the teaching took place from 20 April 2017 until June 7 2017, on average two to three times a week for two hours, in total of 15 terms. The study used observation as a qualitative method of data collection, and the observation list was created in accordance with research questions and filled out for each term of the individual work with the child. In the qualitative analysis of the obtained data, the method of thematic analysis was used. The results of the research indicate valuable contributions of selected cognitive strategies through the work with a child with reading and writing disabilities in two areas: a progress in reading and writing, and the contribution of cognitive strategies to the child’s functioning in his attitude towards school learning. Based on the research results, there are some recommendations for working with the students with reading and writing disabilities