The present study examined the use of calculation strategies from first to second grade and non-numerical risk factors for arithmetical difficulties (AD). Students ( N = 198) were grouped as follows based on their arithmetic performance in the third grade: AD and average- or high-achieving (AA/HA) students. Additionally, catch-up (CU) students were identified based on dysfluency in the first grade but typical performance in the third grade. Compared to the AA/HA group, the AD group relied more on counting strategies, while the AA/HA group used more fact retrieval. The AD and CU groups differed in reading fluency, visuospatial memory and reasoning abilities. The study concluded that, besides calculation strategies, early reading and cognitive skills can help identify students at risk for more persistent arithmetic difficulties.
Understanding science texts is a daily necessity in the twenty-first century. This poses challenges for many students, but students who are double identified as emergent multilingual learners with reading difficulties (MLs-RD) face compounded challenges with regard to specific science-related vocabulary. The current study examined the effect of Science Generation, a multimodal vocabulary intervention, on the acquisition of science and general academic words, science comprehension and science attitude by 10 middle school MLs-RD using a reversal single-case design. Students were divided into two groups based on grade level (i.e., Group 1: sixth grade; Group 2: seventh and eighth grades). A strong effect of the intervention was found for learning vocabulary words, but a small effect on reading comprehension. Further, students’ science attitude improved, and the intervention was rated favorably. Thus, the intervention appears to have promise for increasing science vocabulary among middle school students who are MLs-RD.
Anxiety impacts the emotional health and academic performance of students. Despite research showing that students with learning difficulties experience more anxiety than typically achieving peers, no systematic reviews have examined the effects of anxiety interventions for this population. This article presents a systematic review of anxiety intervention studies on students with learning difficulties (kindergarten to Grade 12), examining anxiety outcomes as the primary focus and academic outcomes as exploratory. The systematic search yielded eight qualified studies, revealing mixed effects on similar constructs. Anxiety outcomes were measured in all studies, and half reported significant reductions in anxiety symptoms after the intervention. Academic outcomes were measured in only three studies, with just one demonstrating a significant improvement in performance. The variability of findings and the limited number of studies make it challenging to draw robust conclusions. Future research should prioritize investigating the effectiveness of anxiety interventions for students with learning difficulties.
The present study examined whether cognitive flexibility statistically mediated the associations of academic help-seeking and teacher–student interaction quality with academic behaviors among students with specific learning disorders (SLD). A cross-sectional correlational design was used to test the model. The population consisted of elementary school students with SLD in the 2024–2025 academic year in Tabriz, Iran. Using convenience sampling, 455 students were recruited from special psychological services centers and schools for SLD. Data were collected using the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, the Academic Help-Seeking Questionnaire, the Inventory of Teacher–Student Relationship Quality, and the Academic Behaviors Scale. Partial least-squares structural equation modeling indicated that academic help-seeking and teacher–student interaction quality had significant direct effects on academic behaviors of students with SLD. In addition, cognitive flexibility partially mediated the effect of teacher–student relationship quality and help-seeking on academic behavior. These findings suggest that cognitive flexibility may function as an intervening variable linking social-academic processes with academic behavior. Although causal conclusions cannot be drawn, the results suggest that cognitive flexibility, adaptive help-seeking, and high-quality teacher–student relationships may be relevant for supporting more adaptive academic behaviors in students with SLD.
Artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly is being suggested as a means to generate intervention content for students with or at risk of reading disabilities. This practice article explores the use of generative AI in creating complex passages for a nonrepetitive reading intervention, such as Varied Practice Reading. The process of revising prompts and checking output (i.e., the passages created by entering prompts in ChatGPT) is detailed in order to improve teachers’ understanding of how to use AI for text generation. Output suggested that the AI-generated passages still needed considerable human refinement to meet all parameters for the passages and be aligned with the intent of the intervention. Tips for checking and revising the output are provided to guide teachers in developing reading intervention materials.
