Components Of Fluency Research Articles

B - 123 Examining the Utility of a Short-Form Letter Fluency Task: a Lifespan Analysis Using the D-KEFS Verbal Fluency Test

Abstract Objective The D-KEFS Verbal Fluency Test (VF) is a commonly used measure of a variety of executive functions with three separate components: Letter Fluency (FAS), Category Fluency and Category Switching. This study will solely explore the FAS, a measure of phonemic fluency and lexical access. Prior research in cognitively impaired adults suggested a potential for a short-form version of the test. This project seeks to validate these findings across different age groups. The hypothesis predicts a positive correlation between words produced in the 1–15 second interval for the letter F and the total FAS score, which includes three 60-second intervals for each letter. Method The study involved 99 patients aged 10 to 88 (X ̅: 38.77; males = 50) referred for outpatient neuropsychological evaluation. Pearson’s correlation coefficient assessed the relationship between the initial 15-second FAS interval and the total raw score. Results The Pearson correlation coefficient shows a moderate positive correlation between the 15 second interval for the letter F and FAS total score (r = 0.435). Further, this correlation is significant, (p < 0.001). Conclusions The study suggests that the initial 15-second FAS interval effectively predicts overall performance across pediatric and adult populations. This underscores the potential for a short-form Letter Fluency component as a valuable addition to clinical assessments. Short forms could alleviate patient frustration and maintain motivation during testing, enhancing the utility of cognitive measures like the D-KEFS FAS in clinical settings.

The Contributions of the Cerebellar Peduncles and the Frontal Aslant Tract in Mediating Speech Fluency.

Fluent speech production is a complex task that spans multiple processes, from conceptual framing and lexical access, through phonological encoding, to articulatory control. For the most part, imaging studies portraying the neural correlates of speech fluency tend to examine clinical populations sustaining speech impairments and focus on either lexical access or articulatory control, but not both. Here, we evaluated the contribution of the cerebellar peduncles to speech fluency by measuring the different components of the process in a sample of 45 neurotypical adults. Participants underwent an unstructured interview to assess their natural speaking rate and articulation rate, and completed timed semantic and phonemic fluency tasks to assess their verbal fluency. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging with probabilistic tractography was used to segment the bilateral cerebellar peduncles (CPs) and frontal aslant tract (FAT), previously associated with speech production in clinical populations. Our results demonstrate distinct patterns of white matter associations with different fluency components. Specifically, verbal fluency is associated with the right superior CP, whereas speaking rate is associated with the right middle CP and bilateral FAT. No association is found with articulation rate in these pathways, in contrast to previous findings in persons who stutter. Our findings support the contribution of the cerebellum to aspects of speech production that go beyond articulatory control, such as lexical access, pragmatic or syntactic generation. Further, we demonstrate that distinct cerebellar pathways dissociate different components of speech fluency in neurotypical speakers.

Profile of Pre-service Physics Teachers' Representational Fluency on Electrostatic Concept

Science teachers have to master representational to communicate and be aware of the students’ difficulties in understanding science concepts. This study aims to determine representational fluency as part of science communication skills in pre-service physics teachers. This study uses descriptive analysis techniques based on the percentage. The research subjects are 50 pre-service physics teachers aged between 19 and 22 years. This study was conducted at the Study Program of Physics Education of a college in Maluku. How fluent is a pre-service physics teacher in representing the concept of electrostatic was measured using 15 valid and reliable representational fluency multiple choice test that includes four component of representational fluency: constructing single representation, constructing multiple representation, translating between representation and reviewing single representation. The findings of the present study indicate that although students had started to learn concepts of electrostatic their representational fluency is still low. The preservice teachers’ rate of giving correct answers to the test items varies between 8% and 48%. The mean score of the pre-service teachers was found to be 4.06. Keywords: representational fluency, electrostatic

Evaluating Playful Creative Problem Solving in Kyiv and Ukrainian Refugees in France

Creativity in playful creative problem-solving (CPS) is influenced by the emotional state of the learner-player. In this study, we evaluated how stressful situations (such as conditions of war) can impact divergent thinking (DT) in CPS. To evaluate divergent thinking, the main components of which are fluency, flexibility, and originality, creativity researchers have developed the Alternative Uses Test (AUT), where participants are asked to write about different uses of familiar objects in a limited amount of time. In educational robotics, DT has been operationalized with the same components of fluency, flexibility, and originality based on the diverse configurations made by the learner-players.
 In the present research, we engaged participants in a playful activity with modular robotics to evaluate divergent thinking. Participants engaged in the CreaCube task are Ukrainians. We recruited two groups of participants: Ukrainian refugees living in France and participants staying in Kyiv (Ukraine). These participants are experiencing a stressful situation due to the daily war events in Kyiv during the development of this study (missile attacks, power and heating restrictions, air sirens, and limited communication with partners on the frontlines). By comparing these two groups of learner-players in the CreaCube task, we aim to identify how stressful situations affect divergent thinking.
 The preliminary results showed that flexibility and originality as DT components of the participants from Kyiv in the first experiment are significantly higher than those of the refugee participants based in France. This may indicate that the participants from Kyiv, having been in stressful situations (war conditions) for almost a year, have developed more original ideas (originality component) and different ideas (flexibility component), which could be explained by the daily problem-solving activity under war constraints. Playful situations under war conditions permitted the Kyiv participants to distract themselves from the current situation and show originality in thinking better than participants playing in France who were not in stressful situations. This may indicate that wartime constraints have engaged the participants in better strategies for generating novel ideas, but it also indicates that the interest in game activities has a positive effect on DT even in stressful situations for the participants.

Developing the “Language Profile Test” for Greek Students aged 11-15 Years.

This paper discusses the development of the “Language Profile Test,” a tool for assessing the underlying component skills of reading fluency and comprehension for students aged 11–15 in the context of Greek as L1. The test consists of five subtests: three reading subtests (isolated words, pseudowords, and text), spelling (single-word spelling), comprehension, and vocabulary (cloze test). The paper aims to present the development of the test, which was based on previous research on lexical representations, specialized corpora, word-frequency lists, and cloze tests as a measure of vocabulary assessment and comprehension, reading fluency, and spelling. Special emphasis has been given to the asymmetry in the transparency of Greek orthography between the feedforward (reading) and feedback (spelling) directions that were considered for the test creation. The “Language Profile Test” was tested on a sample of 346 students. Our findings revealed that students fell into three performance categories for each subtest: high, average, and low. This classification can give teachers more insights into students’ challenges regarding the underlying components of reading fluency and comprehension.

The Role of Executive Functions in Fluent Reading: Lessons from Reading Acquisition and Remediation

ABSTRACTThis review paper aims to define the involvement of Executive Functions (EF) in reading fluency in typically developing children and those with reading difficulties (RD)/dyslexia using neuroimaging and cognitive measurements. The data presented in this review demonstrate how training reading fluency with EF principles improved reading fluency and associated neural circuits. The possible mechanism for this fluency improvement points to the utilization of EF during reading remediation and its relation to the synchronization between the auditory and visual modalities in RD. Overall, the studies reviewed in the current paper suggest that reading fluency is achieved through a better synchronization of EF‐brain regions with sensory networks, which are linked to decreased neural noise. These results support embedding EF principles in reading training and point to the need to include the fluency component in the Simple View of Reading model and open up possible opportunities to improve reading in children.

SUSTAINED SILENT READING AND READING RATE GAINS OF FEMALE PAKISTANI EFL LEARNERS IN A RURAL HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Reading speed has long been recognized in scholarly literature as an essential component of reading fluency and successful reading. A variety of instructional techniques and activities are used to improve reading speed of learners. Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) is one such way that encourages the development of reading fluency and reading speed. This study investigated the impact of SSR on reading speed of female Pakistani EFL learners. A nine-week long SSR program was designed with 10 minutes timed-reading activity to improve students’ reading rate. Using random sampling procedures, fifty female students were selected to participate in the study. After the pre-test, twenty five students were kept in treatment group and twenty five in control group. Results of the study show that the experimental group’s average reading speed considerably increased from 115.60 wpm to 347.60 wpm after the intervention which indicates positive impact of SSR on reading speed of the participants. Statistically significant differences were found in reading rate gains between the two groups. Interestingly, a slight increase was also noted in the reading speed of students in the control group. The findings of the study indicate that SSR is a very effective instructional technique in developing EFL learners’ reading rate. Keywords: Reading rate, Fluency, Sustained Silent Reading, Reading fluency, EFL learners, Pakistan

Qualitative Verbal Fluency Components as Prognostic Factors for Developing Alzheimer's Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results from the Population-Based HELIAD Cohort.

Background and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of the qualitative components of verbal fluency (clustering, switching, intrusions, and perseverations) on the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. Materials and Methods: Participants were drawn from the multidisciplinary, population-based, prospective HELIAD (Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet) cohort. Two participant sets were separately analysed: those with normal cognition and MCI at baseline. Verbal fluency was assessed via one category and one letter fluency task. Separate Cox proportional hazards regressions adjusted for important sociodemographic parameters were performed for each qualitative semantic and phonemic verbal fluency component. Results: There were 955 cognitively normal (CN), older (72.9 years ±4.9), predominantly female (~60%) individuals with available follow-up assessments after a mean of 3.09 years (±0.83). Among them, 34 developed dementia at follow-up (29 of whom progressed to Alzheimer's dementia (AD)), 160 developed MCI, and 761 remained CN. Each additional perseveration on the semantic condition increased the risk of developing all-cause dementia and AD by 52% and 55%, respectively. Of note, participants with two or more perseverations on the semantic task presented a much more prominent risk for incident dementia compared to those with one or no perseverations. Among the remaining qualitative indices, none were associated with the hazard of developing all-cause dementia, AD, and MCI at follow-up. Conclusions: Perseverations on the semantic fluency condition were related to an increased risk of incident all-cause dementia or AD in older, CN individuals.

Students’ Speaking Ability at Ninth Grade of Junior High School Number 6 Jambi City

This research was conducted with the aim of to know students’ speaking skills, especially in the component of speaking skills in the ninth grade of Junior High School 6 Jambi City. This research was designed using descriptive quantitative research methods. The population of this study was the ninth-grade students at Junior High School 6 Jambi City, and the sample was grade IX B students. This study uses a test as a research instrument. Then the test results are assessed. The test used is an oral test. The oral test is made with the theme of "My family" which is determined by this research. The learning method is through a speaking test in front of the class with the theme "My Family". The results of this study indicate the scores of the five components of speaking skills. The components of speaking skills are grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and pronunciation. The findings of this study indicate that the mean overall component of speaking skill score is 1,60. In the grammar component, 3 or 8,33% of students scored in the poor categories, 7 or 19,44% of students scored in the fair categories, 18 or 50% of students scored in the good categories, and in the excellent are 8 or 22,22%. In the vocabulary component, no one got scored poor, students scored in the fair categories are 11 or 30,55%, 18 or 50% of students scored in the good categories, and students scored in the excellent categories are 7 or 19.44%. In the comprehension component, no one got scored poor, 7 or 19,44% of students scored in the fair categories, 14 or 38.88% of students scored in the good categories, and in the excellent categories 15 or 41,66%In the fluency component, no one got scored poor, students scored in the fair categories are 8 or 22,22%, 16 or 44,44% of students scored in the good categories, 12 or 33,33% of students scored in the excellent categories. In the pronunciation component, no one got scored poor, 8 or 22,22% of students scored in the fair categories, 11 or 30.55% of students scored in the good categories, and 17 or 47,22% of students scored in the excellent categories. The mean and percentage values explain that the speaking skills of class IX students, especially class IX B at SMP Negeri 6 Jambi City is very good.

Profile of Students' Creative Thinking in Solving Mathematical Problems in terms of Gender

Creative thinking is a person's mental activity related to sensitivity to problems, considering new information and unusual ideas with an open mind, generating alternative answers, and fulfilling the components of fluency, flexibility, and novelty. So far, gender differences have been referred to as one of the factors that affect students' creative thinking skills in solving problems. The purpose of this study was to describe students' creative thinking in solving math problems in terms of gender. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. The subjects of this study were 2 junior high school students in grade VII, where one student was male and one female student. The instrument in this study was a test of mathematical ability, problem-solving assignments, and interview guidelines. This study began by determining the research subject using a mathematical ability test then the researcher gave problem-solving tasks and interviews to each subject. The results obtained are a description of the creative thinking of male students and a description of the creative thinking of female students in solving math problems.

Oral Reading Fluency of College Graduates: Toward a Deeper Understanding of College Ready Fluency

AbstractReading fluency has been identified as a critical competency for reading success. Accurate and automatic word recognition, one component of fluency, is normally assessed through reading rate (Oral Reading Fluency—ORF). While norms for ORF exist through grade 8, norms beyond grade 8 are largely unknown. The present study attempted to establish ORF norms associated with successful adult readers (college graduates), thus establishing a ceiling ORF target range for success in fluency. Results indicate that a word recognition accuracy range of 98–100% and an automaticity range of 138–158 words read correctly per minute on high school level reading material are associated with average performance by college graduates. Results are discussed in terms of implications for monitoring students' progress in fluency in the secondary grades and beyond.

Same Mathematical Structure, Different Design: How Does Task Format Affect Creative Problem-Posing Performance?

Abstract Introduction: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of task format on pre-service mathematics teachers’ creative problem-posing performance. Methods: In this quantitative study, a figural and a written pattern related to daily life with the same mathematical structure were presented to participants and they were asked to write as many problems as they could. The problems were analyzed based on whether they were viable and then on the components of fluency, flexibility, and originality of creativity. Results: The results of the study indicated that, although the flexibility and originality scores in the figural pattern were higher, the only statistical difference was observed in the originality component. Moreover, it has been found that some of the participants wrote similar problems in both tasks; however, the problems in the figural pattern were inclined to be more difficult. Discussion: Developing students’ creative-thinking skills is a main purpose of mathematics education research (Mann, 2006). However, the results of the research have indicated that the teachers’ knowledge of how to develop students’ creative-thinking skills is still lacking (Shriki & Lavy, 2012) and, consequently, students are provided with few opportunities to experience creative thinking and learning in class (Silver, 1997; Sriraman, 2005). Problem posing has a close association with creativity as well as with problem solving (Haylock, 1997; Silver, 1997). Therefore, to develop creative-thinking skills, learning environments should be enriched with problem-posing tasks. The results of this research do not assert that only one of the figural or written pattern types must be preferred to stimulate creative-thinking skills in the context of problem posing. Instead, the results emphasize that each of the written and figural patterns has its own strengths. Limitations: The fluency, flexibility, and originality scores are affected by the sample size. Conducting similar studies on larger samples may provide more valid conclusions about possible differences. This study has taken two different task formats into account as follow; being in written form related to daily life or including figural patterns. Figural patterns can also be structured based on whether they explicitly provide the pattern rule (Barbosa & Vale, 2016). The effect of these types of problem-posing tasks on creativity components is another case that can be investigated. Conclusions: Considering these results together, while including problem-posing tasks for both written and figural patterns to improve the flexibility and originality components of creativity is supported, the use of problem-posing tasks for figural patterns may be further recommended.

Trends in the Selection of Primary Grade (K-3) Reading Programs and Assessments in the United States

ABSTRACT It has been more than twenty years since the National Reading Panel Report (2000) provided recommendations for the teaching of reading based on a meta-analysis of suitable research. The report was commissioned at the end of the 1990s, just as the “whole language” reading movement that advocated for analytic phonics instruction and having students spend much of their time silently reading at their “independent” levels was common. The report recommended the explicit teaching of the “Big Five” components of reading instruction, phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, fluency and vocabulary, along with scaffolded reading instruction with challenging text. In the same year, another study concluded that elementary teachers had students reading silently 71% of the time and providing phonics instruction strategies associated with “whole language” such as contextual analysis. In this study, a survey was distributed to school superintendents across the country; 293 completed the survey resulting in a 72% response rate. Respondents indicated a clear and increasing preference for basal programs; a result that we believe reveals the impact of the NRP. Even so, about a quarter of the respondents indicated a preference for programs, and more than half were using assessments, more aligned with “whole language” approaches.

Integrating inquiry-based learning and computer supported collaborative learning into flipped classroom: effects on academic writing performance and perceptions of students of railway engineering

The objective of this study was twofold: (a) to determine the extent to which three types of instruction could improve writing performance of railway engineering students and (b) to explore students’ perceptions of flipped classroom, Edmodo, and Google Docs for improving their academic writing performance. The participants were 61 undergraduate students of railway engineering at Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), who were divided into integrated flipped, conventional flipped, and traditional non-flipped groups. For the integrated flipped group, the inquiry-based learning was conducted in terms of five phases of orientation, conceptualization, investigation, data interpretation, and conclusion. They also used Edmodo and Google Docs as the two collaborative platforms for promoting writing skills. The conventional group only watched the instructional videos before the class, while for the traditional group neither the instructional videos nor the technological tools were used for improving their writing skills. The results of ANOVA revealed significant differences among the three groups in that learners in the integrated flipped group significantly outperformed those in the other groups, particularly in terms of the components of grammar and fluency. In addition, this approach made the learners more engaged, motivated, satisfied, and less anxious. The results also showed learners’ positive attitudes toward the pedagogical values of Edmodo and Google Docs.

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ CREATIVITY IN SOLVING HOTS QUESTIONS BASED ON LEARNING CONCENTRATION

Creativity is a product of someone's creative thinking. HOTS questions are questions that are used to measure students' higher order thinking skills. Learning concentration is a process of focusing the mind on learning to the exclusion of other things outside of learning. This study aims to analyze the creativity of junior high school students in solving mathematics HOTS questions based on learning concentration. This type of research includes qualitative descriptive research, with 6 research subjects as representatives of the very high, high, and moderate learning concentration groups. The instruments used in this study were a learning concentration questionnaire, mathematics HOTS questions, and interview guidelines. The data from the learning concentration questionnaire were analyzed using a Likert Scale, the data from the creative thinking ability test were analyzed based on the components of creative thinking. The data from the test and interviews were analyzed using the method of Miles, Huberman, and Sadana. The results showed that students with very high levels of learning concentration were classified as very creative, not all students with high levels of learning concentration could achieve the components of fluency and flexibility. Meanwhile, students with moderate levels of learning concentration were classified as less creative.

Magnetoencephalography resting-state correlates of executive and language components of verbal fluency

Verbal fluency (VF) is a heterogeneous cognitive function that requires executive as well as language abilities. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the specificity of the resting state MEG correlates of the executive and language components. To this end, we administered a VF test, another verbal test (Vocabulary), and another executive test (Trail Making Test), and we recorded 5-min eyes-open resting-state MEG data in 28 healthy participants. We used source-reconstructed spectral power estimates to compute correlation/anticorrelation MEG clusters with the performance at each test, as well as with the advantage in performance between tests, across individuals using cluster-level statistics in the standard frequency bands. By obtaining conjunction clusters between verbal fluency scores and factor loading obtained for verbal fluency and each of the two other tests, we showed a core of slow clusters (delta to beta) localized in the right hemisphere, in adjacent parts of the premotor, pre-central and post-central cortex in the mid-lateral regions related to executive monitoring. We also found slow parietal clusters bilaterally and a cluster in the gamma 2 and 3 bands in the left inferior frontal gyrus likely associated with phonological processing involved in verbal fluency.

Visual-Syntactic Text Formatting: Developing EFL Learners' Reading Fluency Components.

Developing English reading fluency (ERF) is challenging due to cross-linguistic differences between L1 and L2. This study replicated, with modifications, prior study of "syntactic enhancement and secondary school EFL Students' reading fluency in South Korea." The current project investigated the impact of visual-syntactic text formatting (VSTF) on developing ERF components (i.e., parsing skills, reading speed, and comprehension) in an Iranian context. In order to reformat block-formatted English text in a way to be more concise, the VSTF technology was used. For 20weeks, two experimental groups (76 intermediate EFL students) read reformatted passages, whereas the control group (n = 38) read their block-formatted textbook. After analyzing the pre-and post-test results, it was demonstrated that reformatted texts could support EFL students to enhance their ERF elements. The researchers also found that VSTF can be used as a syntactic enhancement, making it simpler for EFL learners to receive English syntactic information as input. Findings have led to the reasonable interpretation that learning L2 reading fluency components (RFC) was more productive when the VSTF technology was utilized for the learning processes.

Identification of the main components of spontaneous speech in primary progressive aphasia and their neural underpinnings using multimodal MRI and FDG-PET imaging

BackgroundPrimary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a clinical syndrome characterized by gradual loss of language skills. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic capacity of a connected speech task for the diagnosis of PPA and its variants, to determine the main components of spontaneous speech, and to examine their neural correlates. MethodsA total of 118 participants (31 patients with nfvPPA, 11 with svPPA, 45 with lvPPA, and 31 healthy controls) were evaluated with the Cookie Theft picture description task and a comprehensive language assessment protocol. Patients also underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging studies. Principal component analysis and machine learning were used to evaluate the main components of connected speech and the accuracy of connected speech parameters for diagnosing PPA. Voxel-based analyses were conducted to evaluate the correlation between spontaneous speech components and brain metabolism, brain volumes, and white matter microstructure. ResultsDiscrimination between patients with PPA and controls was 91.67%, with 77.78% discrimination between PPA variants. Parameters related to speech rate and lexical variables were the most discriminative for classification. Three main components were identified: lexical features, fluency, and syntax. The lexical component was associated with ventrolateral frontal regions, while the fluency component was associated with the medial superior prefrontal cortex. Number of pauses was more related with the left parietotemporal region, while pauses duration with the bilateral frontal lobe. The lexical component was correlated with several tracts in the language network (left frontal aslant tract, left superior longitudinal fasciculus I, II, and III, left arcuate fasciculus, and left uncinate fasciculus), and fluency was linked to the frontal aslant tract. ConclusionSpontaneous speech assessment is a useful, brief approach for the diagnosis of PPA and its variants. Neuroimaging correlates suggested a subspecialization within the left frontal lobe, with ventrolateral regions being more associated with lexical production and the medial superior prefrontal cortex with speech rate.

The Role of Intelligence Profiles and Executive Functions (Selective Attention and Switching) in Predicting Creativity Components

Introduction: In recent decades, researchers in the field of creativity, have become interested in recognizing the factors associated with the growth and development of creativity in children. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive, correlational study is to detect the role of intelligence profiles and executive functions (selective attention, switching) in predicting creativity components. Materials and Methods: The statistical population included kids aged 13-15 years living in Isfahan City, Iran in 2015, and so 150 kids were selected by purposive sampling method. The study data were collected using the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) CW simple Stroop test, Gardner’s multiple intelligence questionnaire, and Torrance’s creativity questionnaire, and analyzed by simultaneous multiple regression analysis and the Pearson correlation method in SPSS V. 22. Results: There were significant positive relationships between intrapersonal intelligence and fluency component, as well as, between logical-mathematical intelligence and flexibility component. The results also showed a significant positive relationship between bodily- kinesthetic intelligence and naturalist intelligence with the originality component. There were positive and significant relationships between logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and naturalist intelligence with the elaboration component, as well as, between the selective attention and the fluency component. Conclusion: The characteristics of intelligence and selective attention can predict the components of creativity

Development physics representational fluency instrument test of electrostatic concept

Physics representational fluency instrument test of electrostatic concept have been developed. The instrument’s form of multiple-choice that consist of 20 item electrostatic in physics context to assess pre-service physics teachers’ representational fluency. The test includes four component of representational fluency: constructing single representation, constructing multiple representation, translating between representation and reviewing single representation. Representational fluency test is developed using Design and Development Research (DDR) method with four phases consists of analysis, design, development, and evaluation. Validation the structure of the test is consulted with a member of expert academic staff in the field of physics education. After design test and expert review, the test was implemented with 57 pre-service physics teacher. From 20 item of representational fluency test there was 15 item of the test is valid and reliable.