Relationships between language input and letter output modes in writing notes and summaries for students in grades 4 to 9 with persisting writing disabilities

Abstract

This study in programmatic research on technology-supported instruction first identified, through pretesting using evidence-based criteria, students with persisting specific learning disabilities (SLDs) in written language during middle childhood (grades 4-6) and early adolescence (grades 7-9). Participants then completed computerized writing instruction and posttesting. The 12 computer lessons varied output modes (letter production by stylus alternating with hunt and peck keyboarding versus by pencil with grooves alternating with touch typing on keyboard), input (read or heard source material), and task (notes or summaries). Posttesting and coded notes and summaries showed the effectiveness of computerized writing instruction on both writing tasks for multiple modes of language input and letter production output for improving letter production and related writing skills.

Idea units in notes and summaries for read texts by keyboard and pencil in middle childhood students with specific learning disabilities: Cognitive and brain findings

“…On the other hand, the results show that instruction in strategies for reading expository texts, strategies for taking notes, and strategies for writing summaries can change the associations between magnitude of connections from a seed point involved in language processing with a brain region involved in executive functions and the proportion of ideas expressed in integrated reading-writing tasks. Moreover recommending technology for accommodations for students with SLDs in written language without providing explicit instruction in using the technology for integrated reading-writing tasks and other reading and writing tasks is not sufficient (Thompson et al, in press) [60]. More worldwide and cross-disciplinary research is needed on the most effective ways to do so.…”

“…The current study included seven children (two girls and five boys with SLDs in written language) who completed the assessment, all lessons in the fourth iteration of the computerized learning activities (with explicit instruction in note taking and summaries and use of touch typing and use of groovy pencils, Thompson et al, in press [60]) and had usable brain imaging data both before and after completing the computerized learning activities. However, one child who could not complete the second scan due to illness, but had completed the computerized lessons was also included in coding of idea units.…”

“…The illustrated source material they read was displayed on an upright stand to the right of the iPad. Each lesson began with a touch typing warm-up, described in Thompson et al (in press) [60], which compared iteration 4 (touch typing) and iteration 3 (no touch typing). Then children alternated across sequential lessons between touch typing by keyboard on iPad and writing on paper by groovy pencil with indented grooves to write their notes and summaries.…”

“…The second study showed that computerized instruction could improve reading as well as writing skills on normed measures in both those with and without SLDs in written language [58]. The third study showed that for students with persisting SLDs despite earlier intervention computerized lessons using multiple modes of language input (reading or listening) and letter production (stylus or pencil, and keyboarding—hunting and pecking or touch typing) for written language output could improve letter production and related writing skills on normed measures for students with SLDs in written language (Thompson et al, in press [60]). Moreover, the group that alternated between pencil and touch typing outperformed the group that alternated between stylus and hunting and pecking on keyboard when taking notes about heard text through earphones.…”

“…If touch typing, a writer does not look at the keys but rather looks at the monitor where the letter on the pressed key appears and relies on the somatosensory touch of keys in standard keyboard position to find the keys to press. Thompson et al (in press) [60] showed that computerized instruction can teach middle school students with SLDs in written language to do touch typing.…”