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20-09-2017

Effective instruction for persisting dyslexia in upper grades: Adding hope stories and computer coding to explicit literacy instruction

Authors: Robert Thompson, Steve Tanimoto, Ruby Dawn Lyman, Kira Geselowitz, Kristin Kawena Begay, Kathleen Nielsen, William Nagy, Robert Abbott, Marshall Raskind, Virginia Berninger

Published in: Education and Information Technologies | Issue 3/2018

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Abstract

Children in grades 4 to 6 (N = 14) who despite early intervention had persisting dyslexia (impaired word reading and spelling) were assessed before and after computerized reading and writing instruction aimed at subword, word, and syntax skills shown in four prior studies to be effective for treating dyslexia. During the 12 two-hour sessions once a week after school they first completed HAWK Letters in Motion© for manuscript and cursive handwriting, HAWK Words in Motion© for phonological, orthographic, and morphological coding for word reading and spelling, and HAWK Minds in Motion© for sentence reading comprehension and written sentence composing. A reading comprehension activity in which sentences were presented one word at a time or one added word at a time was introduced. Next, to instill hope they could overcome their struggles with reading and spelling, they read and discussed stories about struggles of Buckminister Fuller who overcame early disabilities to make important contributions to society. Finally, they engaged in the new Kokopelli’s World (KW)©, blocks-based online lessons, to learn computer coding in introductory programming by creating stories in sentence blocks (Thompson and Tanimoto 2016). Participants improved significantly in hallmark word decoding and spelling deficits of dyslexia, three syntax skills (oral construction, listening comprehension, and written composing), reading comprehension (with decoding as covariate), handwriting, orthographic and morphological coding, orthographic loop, and inhibition (focused attention). They answered more reading comprehension questions correctly when they had read sentences presented one word at a time (eliminating both regressions out and regressions in during saccades) than when presented one added word at a time (eliminating only regressions out during saccades). Indicators of improved self-efficacy that they could learn to read and write were observed. Reminders to pay attention and stay on task needed before adding computer coding were not needed after computer coding was added.

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Title: Effective instruction for persisting dyslexia in upper grades: Adding hope stories and computer coding to explicit literacy instruction
Authors: Robert Thompson
Steve Tanimoto
Ruby Dawn Lyman
Kira Geselowitz
Kristin Kawena Begay
Kathleen Nielsen
William Nagy
Robert Abbott
Marshall Raskind
Virginia Berninger
Publication date: 20-09-2017
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Education and Information Technologies / Issue 3/2018
Print ISSN: 1360-2357
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7608
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-017-9647-5

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