Cognitive Function of Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Difficulties： A Developmental Perspective

Background： The cognitive function of children with either attention deficit hyperactivity disorder （ADHD） or learning disabilities （LDs） is known to be impaired. However, little is known about the cognitive function of children with comorbid ADHD and LD. The present study aimed to explore the cognitive function of children and adolescents with ADH D and learning difficulties in comparison with children with ADHD and healthy controls in different age groups in a large Chinese sample. Methods： Totally, 1043 participants with ADHD and learning difficulties （the ADHD ＋ learning difficulties group）, 870 with pure ADHD （the pure ADHD group）, and 496 healthy controls were recruited. To investigate the difference in cognitive impairment using a developmental approach, all participants were divided into three age groups （6-8, 9-11, and 12-14 years old）. Measurements were the Chinese-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Stroop Color-Word Test, the Trail-Making Test, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Parents （BRIEF）. Multivariate analysis of variance was used. Results： The results showed that after controlling for the effect of ADHD symptoms, the A DHD ＋ learning difficulties group was still significantly worse than the pureADHD group, which was, in turn, worse than the control group on full intelligence quotient （98.66 ± 13.87 vs. 105.17 ± 14.36 vs. 112.93 ± 13.87, P 〈 0.001 ）. The same relationship was also evident for shift function （shifting time of the Trail-Making Test, 122.50 [62.00, 194.25] s vs. 122.00 [73.00, 201.50] s vs. 66.00 [45.00, 108.00] s, P 〈 0.001） and everyday life executive function （BRIEF total score, 145.71 ± 19.35 vs. 138.96± 18.00 vs. 122.71 ± 20.45, P 〈 0.001 ） after controlling for the effect of the severity of ADHD symptoms, intelligence quotient, age, and gender. As for the age groups, the differences among groups became nonsignificant in the 12-14 years old group for inhibition （meaning interference of the Stroop Color-Word Test, 18.00 [13.00, 25.00] s vs. 17.00 [15.00, 26.00] s vs. 17.00 [10.50, 20.00] s, P =0.704） and shift function （shifting time of the Trail-Making Test, 62.00 [43.00, 97.00] s vs. 53.00 [38.00, 81.00] s vs. 101.00 [88.00, 114.00] s, P = 0.778）. Conclusions： Children and adolescents with ADHD and learning difficulties have more severe cognitive impairment than pure ADHD patients even after controlling for the effect of ADHD symptoms. However, the differences in impairment in inhibition and shift function are no longer significant when these individuals were 12-14 years old.

Learning Literacy Difficulties

Recently,there has been a growing concern about low literacy performance levels among children and adolescents(Deshler&Hock,2007).According to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress(NAEP)data released in 2007,34%of fourth-graders are classified as reading below baseline(Lee,Grigg,&Donahue,2007).The rate is even worse for children with learning disabilities(MD).Thus,improving literacy performance for these children was a primary concern for both teachers and researchers.Much of the current research focuses on the role of phonological instruction in improving literacy performance,however this present study explores a different choice.Since researchers have found data on children with dyslexia using morphology as a compensatory strategy in reading(Casalis,Colé,&Sopo,2004),it is important to investigate morphological interventions as a means of improving literacy performance in children with learning/reading difficulties,troubled readers and poor spelling.Although morphological awareness is more related to phonology or syntax than spelling and reading(Siegel,2008),it has received less attention from researchers and educators(Nunes,Bryant,Hurry,&Pretzlik,2006).For example,morphological instruction was not considered in the comprehensive review of the National Reading Panel published in 2000(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development,2000).With increased interest in morphological teaching,two compositions examining morphological teaching have been published in the last two years.However,they summarized the findings of the study more in a narrative rather than a statistical way.A recent synthesis by Reed(2008)examined seven published studies on morphological instruction and examined the effect of morphological instruction on three reading outcomes,including word recognition,spelling,and vocabulary development.

LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

"LANGUAGE EXCHANGE"APPS MAY BE MAKING STUDY HARDER-BY BEING TOO POPULAR"This app has too many users,we're no longer operating it in China"—said no app developer ever;except,it is rumored,Wei Lihua,the founder of popular languageexchange app Hello Talk.The source of Wei's statement,which was

Ableism and (Neo)Racism in School Placement Processes in Quebec: School Personnel Interpretations of Immigrant Student Difficulties - A Secondary Publication

The school placement processes of students from immigrant backgrounds considered to be in“difficulty”is an international concern at the intersection of works relating to special education and those concerning the school experiences of students from immigrant backgrounds or racialized groups.The research problem of this article concerns the identification of these students as disabled or as having adjustment or learning difficulties.From a perspective anchored in Disability Critical Race Studies,this ethnographic study documents different interpretations of perceived difficulties made by school actors with regard to seven primary school students from immigrant backgrounds.Five interpretation types are presented:(1)medicalization by dismissal of cultural markers,(2)medicalization by professional constraint,(3)medicalization by cultural deficit,(4)precautionary wait,and(5)cultural differentialism.Our results help to shed light on the special education overrepresentation phenomenon regarding these students and to understand how ableism and(neo)racism contribute to it.

Study on English Vocabulary Learning Strategies of Non-English Majors

This research investigated English learning strategy use by Non-English majors in Guangxi.Students’self-reports and questionnaires are conducted to collect data.The analysis finds that students have difficulty with long-term memory and internalization of words.The most frequently used strategies are some determination,memory and cognitive strategies.Social and metacognitive strategies are used less.The findings indicate that there are no great differences in the use of most strategies between groups of different proficient levels.Suggestions are provided to teachers based on the findings.

The Interpretation of Mathematical Difficulties in Primary School： Which Perspective to Choose？

Research on learning difficulties in mathematics adopts one of two distinct perspectives. According to the first, learning difficulties are due to the intrinsic characteristics of the student. For supporters of the second perspective, those difficulties result from the interaction between the student and the school system. The objective of this study is to test the validity of these two perspectives in interpreting learning difficulties in mathematics among at-risk students. To this end, we collaborated with normally achieving （undiagnosed） and at-risk students. Results show that the second perspective is better suited to the interpretation of learning difficulties in mathematics students

Diagnosing Student Learning Problems in Object Oriented Programming

Students often face difficulties while taking basic programming courses due to several factors. In response, research has presented subjective assessments for diagnosing learning problems to improve the teaching of programming in higher education. In this paper, the authors propose an Object Oriented conceptual map model and organize this approach into three levels： constructing a Concept Effect Propagation Table, constructing Test Item-Concept Relationships and diagnosing Student Learning Problems with Matrix Composition. The authors＇ work is a modification of the approaches of Chert and Bai as well as Chu et al., as the authors use statistical methods, rather than fuzzy sets, for the authors＇ analysis. This paper includes a statistical summary, which has been tested on a small sample of students in King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, illustrating the learning problems in an Object Oriented course. The experimental results have demonstrated that this approach might aid learning and teaching in an effective way.

Gifted Students’Special Educational Programs in France:An Analysis of Students’Needs as Perceived by Headmasters-A Secondary Publication

Some French public middle schools offer gifted students the opportunity to pursue their education in general classes,while benefiting from specific facilities within the framework of a dedicated educational program.In this study,we sought to identify and analyze the needs of these students as perceived by the headmaster of each middle school involved.The results highlight two main student needs,common to all these programs(uneasiness and difficulties in peer relationships)as well as needs specifically mentioned by some headmasters(non-adaptive behavior).