The role of part-time special education supporting students with reading and spelling difficulties from grade 1 to grade 2 in Finland

Holopainen, Leena; Kiuru, Noona; Mäkihonko, Minna K.; Lerkkanen, Marja‐Kristiina

doi:10.1080/08856257.2017.1312798

Cited by 9 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 44 publications

(50 reference statements)

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“…This kind of support focuses on reading, spelling, and math difficulties. It is implemented in small groups (typically three to four students) or individually if the student faces long-lasting or more severe difficulties or if the student faces difficulties in more than one learning areas (Holopainen et al, 2018).…”

Section: Participants and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Longitudinal Stability of Reading Difficulties: Examining the Effects of Measurement Error, Cut-Offs, and Buffer Zones in Identification

et al. 2020

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This study examined the stability of reading difficulties (RD) from grades 2 to 6 and focused on the effects of measurement error and cutoff selection in the identification of RD and its stability with the use of simulations. It addressed methodological limitations of prior studies by (a) applying a model-based simulation analysis to examine the effects of measurement error and cutoffs in the identification of RD, (b) analyzing a non-English and larger sample, and (c) examining RD in both reading fluency and reading comprehension. Reading fluency and reading comprehension of 1,432 Finnishspeaking children were assessed in grades 2 and 6. In addition to the use of single cutoff points on observed data, we used a simulation approach based on an estimated structural equation model (SEM) in order to examine the effect of measurement error on RD identification stability. We also examined the effect of single cutoffs by using a simulation-based buffer zone. Our results showed that measurement error affects the identification of RD over time. The use of a simulation-based buffer zone could control both the effects of measurement error and the arbitrariness of single cutoffs and lead to more accurate classification into RD groups, especially for those with scores close to the cutoffs. However, even after controlling for measurement error and using buffer zones, RD was not stable over time for all children, but both resolving and late-emerging groups existed. The findings suggest that reading development needs to be followed closely beyond the early grades and that reading instruction should be planned according to individual needs at specific time points. There is a clear need for further consideration of the mechanisms underlying the stability and instability of RD.

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Section: Participants and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Longitudinal Stability of Reading Difficulties: Examining the Effects of Measurement Error, Cut-Offs, and Buffer Zones in Identification

et al. 2020

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“…To ensure that early intervention is provided to the students who need it the most, close attention should be paid to students' response to literacy instruction during the first months of school. In this way, students whose progress is faster than expected can be returned to mainstream classroom instruction while those who make less progress than expected can be given more intensive and part-time support in small groups (see Holopainen et al, 2018). Our study seems to suggest that as children start school at a younger age in Norway, their reading-related skills at that point are less developed than those of Finnish school starters, which reduces the accuracy of prediction among Norwegian students.…”

Section: Implications For Practicementioning

confidence: 76%

“…Tier 1 refers to general support for students in need of occasional help in their regular classroom, Tier 2 involves intensified support (part-time special education) over a longer period and in small groups, and Tier 3 is for students who mainly use individualized education plans (IEPs) in one or several subjects. The most effective support for students with RD seems to be part-time special education in small groups (i.e., Tier 2) during Grades 1 and 2 (Holopainen et al, 2018). However, recent studies (e.g., Virinkoski et al, 2017) have shown that teachers had failed to identify a number of children who, judging from their Grade 1 test scores, needed support for their reading development.…”

Section: Learning To Read In the Norwegian And Finnish Contextsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Screening for Slow Reading Acquisition in Norway and Finland – a Quest for Context Specific Predictors

Solheim

Torppa

Uppstad

et al. 2020

Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research

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Early identification of children at risk of developing reading difficulties is crucial for effective interventions. While orthographies and educational contexts differ, predictors included in early at-risk screening tend to remain rather homogeneous across countries. In this study, we compared longitudinal prediction patterns of being among the 20 percent lowest performing in reading fluency by the end of Grade 1 in Norway (N = 918) and Finland (N =378). The two countries differ in orthographic consistency (semi-transparent versus transparent), age at school entry and pre-primary education. Letter knowledge, phoneme isolation and rapid automatized naming (RAN) were unique predictors in the Norwegian sample. Predictors in the Finnish sample were gender, phoneme blending, RAN, and reading status. The predictive model identified significantly more Finnish than Norwegian poor readers (46.2% versus 27.9%). The results suggest national screening instruments that are sensitive to educational context and orthography.

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“…Extra support is provided by special education teachers in the schools of both countries. In Estonia, special education is provided outside classroom lessons in small groups (Riigikogu, ), while in Finland in addition to small groups, extra support is also provided in classrooms during lessons and individually (Lerkkanen, ) as well as part‐time special education outside the classroom (Holopainen et al, ). In both countries, the need for special education support is identified by a special education teacher and the classroom teacher and is provided with the parents' agreement.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early prediction of reading trajectories of children with and without reading instruction in kindergarten: a comparison study of Estonia and Finland

Torppa

Soodla²,

Lerkkanen

et al. 2019

Journal Research in Reading

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Background The present study examined differences in the prediction of reading development and reading difficulties in Estonia (n = 348) and Finland (n = 344). These neighbouring countries share many similarities in terms of their language, orthography and educational system; however, they differ in the timing of the onset of reading instruction, which is kindergarten in Estonia and Grade 1 in Finland. Methods Children's skills were assessed three times – fall and spring in Grade 1 and spring in Grade 2. Results The results showed that school‐entry rapid automatised naming and reading fluency predicted the development of fluency in Grade 2, but reading fluency was a stronger predictor in Estonia than in Finland. In addition, school‐entry reading fluency was the strongest predictor of reading comprehension in Grade 2. Furthermore, listening comprehension was a stronger predictor of reading comprehension in the Finnish sample than in the Estonian sample. Finally, high‐risk children were identified based on their slow reading and rapid automatised naming at school entry. In Estonia, the reading development of high‐risk children was declining compared to their peers, while the Finnish high‐risk children were catching up with their peers. The high‐risk children in the Finnish sample also had reading difficulties less often than the Estonian sample. Conclusions The findings suggest that the skills at school entry are stronger predictors of reading development in Estonia than in Finland. The reasons for this could be the earlier onset of reading instruction in kindergarten in the Estonian sample or differences in reading instruction practices between Estonian and Finnish schools.

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The role of part-time special education supporting students with reading and spelling difficulties from grade 1 to grade 2 in Finland

Cited by 9 publications

References 44 publications

Longitudinal Stability of Reading Difficulties: Examining the Effects of Measurement Error, Cut-Offs, and Buffer Zones in Identification

Longitudinal Stability of Reading Difficulties: Examining the Effects of Measurement Error, Cut-Offs, and Buffer Zones in Identification

Screening for Slow Reading Acquisition in Norway and Finland – a Quest for Context Specific Predictors

Early prediction of reading trajectories of children with and without reading instruction in kindergarten: a comparison study of Estonia and Finland

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