Source Of Learning Difficulties Research Articles

Composite Abstract Lexical Structure in Interlanguage Production

Most previous studies of difficulties in learning a second/foreign language focused on sources of learner errors caused by cross-linguistic differences in various levels of linguistic structure, but most of such studies remain at a rather superficial level of description. This study explores sources of learning difficulties at an abstract level by studying the nature and activity of the bilingual mental lexicon during interlanguage production. The bilingual mental lexicon is defined as the mental lexicon containing abstract entries called cross-linguistic “lemmas” underlying particular lexeme. This study claims that it is language-specific lemma which drives interlanguage production at three levels of abstract lexical structure: lexical-conceptual structure, predicate-argument structure, and morphological realization patterns. It further claims that it is cross-linguistic lemma variations in abstract lexical-conceptual structure which result in not only inappropriate lexical choices but also errors in interlanguage production of target language predicate-argument structure and morphological realization. Naturally occurring interlanguage production date for the study include several native and target language pairs: Japanese-English, Chinese-English, and English-Japanese. Some typical instances of language transfer involving other language pairs are also cited in support of the argument that the lexical-conceptual approach to interlanguage production is fundamental in any study of the nature of learner errors in interlanguage development.

DIFFICULTIES IN LEARNING AND TEACHING PHYSICS - VIEWS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. A STUDY OF AFGHANISTAN. (CASE STUDY).

In this study identifying the areas of difficulties in Learning and teaching physics - views of Undergraduate students, a questionnaire was administered to 120 (60 females and 40 males) undergraduate students in physics class and 10 physics Lecturers'. Purposively drawing from Kabul Education University, Parwan and Bamyan universities these universities located in Kabul, Parwan, and Bamyan cities. The major finding shows source of difficulty in Learning and Teaching physics as related: To some concepts of physics and curriculum, students were found to have difficulty understanding specific topics in the physics of Electromagnetic, views concepts that are usually characterized as lacking concrete examples and requiring a lot of mathematical manipulations or visualization many also found difficulty the task of solving problems the physics subjects. The finding has implications for designing interventions and identifying pedagogical techniques that help students overcome the underlying source of difficulties that impede quality learning and teaching physics. The difficulties of self-learning and lack of motivation of students are also highlighted.

Tracing the origins of learning difficulties

The paper focuses on tracing the origins of learning difficulties with the view of laying a foundation for their mitigation. While learning difficulties are variously understood, this paper argues for a conceptualization that differentiates them from learning disabilities. Therefore, the endogenous and exogenous originating factors of learning difficulties that are examined in this paper are aligned to the conceptualization that learning difficulties are temporary and can therefore be minimized or eliminated as a function of usage of appropriate intervention. The paper, however, acknowledges that the major sources of learning difficulties are of organic origin and thus endogenous. For the exogenous originating factors, schools have a direct role to play but can only be effective if they forego the traditional practice of ignoring the fact that schools and teachers are in effect part of the originators of learning difficulties. Thus, it can be concluded from this paper that, awareness of the origins of learning difficulties is the first concrete step toward minimizing or eliminating them and that the school plays a central role in these regards. To achieve a meaningful central role in minimizing or eliminating learning difficulties however, schools must be conscious of internal variables that cause learning difficulties and deal with them decisively before blaming or attending to other originating factors. In addition, they should be aware of and always look out for the general indicators of learning difficulties.

Analysing symbolic expressions in secondary school chemistry: their functions and implications for pedagogy

Symbolic expressions are essential resources for producing knowledge, yet they are a source of learning difficulties in chemistry education. This study aims to employ social semiotics to analyse the symbolic representation of chemistry from two complementary perspectives, referred to here as contextual (i.e., historical) and functional. First, the contextual account demonstrates that symbolism was introduced to represent compounds according to their elemental composition, to quantify chemistry, and to explain reactivity. Further to this, the functional analysis shows that symbolic expressions entail a range of unique grammatical resources to create specialised forms of knowledge, which cannot be made by natural language alone. It is found that historically the symbolic representation was not originally directly related to the submicroscopic domain, nor did it develop sufficient means to offer particulate explanations, although an indirect link could be set up between Berzelian formulae and the submicroscopic theoretical models. It is also found that understanding the quantitative aspects is a necessary but not sufficient condition for effective engagement with the symbolic representation of chemistry. Finally the present study discusses the pedagogic implications stemming from the social semiotic account of chemical symbolism.

Internal and External Sources of Learning Difficulties in Reading and Writing of Grade III Pupils at Sumilihon Central Elementary School

This study aimed to identify the internal and external sources of learning difficulties in reading and writing of Grade III pupils at Sumilihon Central Elementary School. The research was conducted at Sumilihon Central Elementary School, Butuan City with 115 respondents from three sections. A validated questionnaire with a reliability index of 0.704 was used in the study. The statistical treatments used to answer the problems were frequency, percentage and Spearman Rho Coefficient of Correlation. The findings of the study disclosed that Grade III pupils self-esteem towards reading and writing have a moderately high attitude towards reading and a high level of manifestation towards writing. Most of the pupils also showed a high level of manifestation of self-esteem. Majority of the respondents perceived a moderately high level of classroom climate, and a high level of manifestation of parents’ and teachers’ guidance. Most of the respondents had low level of difficulty in reading in the skill areas of comprehension, decoding and retention but a high level in writing in terms of punctuation, capitalization and spelling. Attitude has a significant relationship with the pupils’ learning difficulty in reading. On the external sources of learning difficulties, parents’ guidance and teachers’ guidance have significant relationship with the difficulties in reading and writing of the pupils. It was concluded that the attitude towards reading and writing are good indicators that the teachers may utilize in the development of reading and writing skills. Keywords - Reading, learning difficulties, writing skills, descriptive design, Philippines.

Psychomotor and cognitive impairments of children with CHARGE syndrome: Common and variable features

Objective: We aimed to understand the mechanisms and sources of learning difficulties in children with CHARGE syndrome who attend school and to determine any specific developmental characteristics. Method: We analyzed the psychomotor and cognitive functions of eight children from 7 to 13 years old with classical CHARGE syndrome by using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), the Neuropsychomotor test (NP-MOT), and several subtests of the Developmental neuropsychological assessment (NEPSY) and Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) instruments. Results: The IQ range was from 54 to 92. The main weaknesses related to three domains: static and dynamic postural control, visuospatio-constructive abilities, and both sequential processing and selective attention. The main strengths were in holistic perception, semantic competencies, logical reasoning and planning skills, with axial and peripheral hypotonia. The extent of psychomotor and cognitive deficits was not associated with severity of sensorial deficiencies. We discuss the multiple causal mechanisms of psychomotor and cognitive difficulties. Conclusion: We found a persistent and homogeneous psychomotor profile and specific cognitive difficulties in 8 children with CHARGE syndrome despite their large range of IQs. Highlighting these specific impairments is important to understand the nature and mechanisms of CHARGE for adapting educational and rehabilitation methods. These problems may be explained by sensory deficits, as well as dysfunction in integrating and/or regulatory regions of the brain.

Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers’ Views of the Sources of Students’ Mathematical Difficulties

This paper examines the views of pre-service and in-service teachers with regard to the sources of students‟ mathematical difficulties. A group of 40 pre-service mathematics, 15 in-service mathematics and 15 in-service elementary teachers participated in this study. Questionnaires are used as data collection tools to see what the participants think about the sources of student difficulties. The notion of “obstacles to learning” is used as a framework to analyze the collected data. The analysis is carried out on the basis of three main categories to which participant teachers attribute students‟ difficulties: epistemological causes, psychological causes and pedagogical causes. The data analysis reveals that both pre-service and in-service teachers tend to attribute students‟ difficulties to student-related factors, namely psychological causes. We discuss the findings in terms of these three sources of learning difficulties, educational implications and note the usefulness of the employing the “obstacles to learning framework” in examining not only students‟ learning difficulties but also teachers‟ views of the sources for student difficulties.

L’évaluation dans le domaine de l'éducation : tendances

Generally speaking, educational research has considerably progressed in recent time ; evaluation too. It is better and better understood that normative evaluation is not of great help to monitor learning. Need for achievement is a critical factor and the learner should be continuously informed of his situation in the domains of knowledge, skills and attitudes. The sources of learning difficulties must be diagnosed. Criterion-referenced testing and formative evaluation are the answer. Minimum competency testing is also at the order of the day. There is a better awareness of the superficiality of much achievement testing. It often happens that only one facet is tested. The theory of generalisability clarifies the issue. Performance testing is another issue. Among other things, it must be realized that multiple choice items have still a place in testing, specially in abstract subjects like mathematics or logics, but they must be geared on higher cognitive processes. Performance portfolios open new evaluation perspectives ; however, they are not necessarily free from bias or lack of representative As for direct observations of performances, they are often time consuming and lack of validity and reliability is not exceptional. In recent decades, major advances in cognitive psychology have been implemented. Some of the ways it should influence educational evaluation are indicated. A better dissemination of these innovations in school practice should be stimulated. Progress is achieved, but it is too slow as compared with the breath taking changes in our way of life and in technologies.

Difficulties in auditory organisation as a possible cause of reading backwardness.

LEARNING to read and write involves auditory perception, for the child must learn how different kinds of sounds are written. It might seem, however, that although auditory perception is essential to reading, it would not be a significant source of difficulty, for, apart from a few exceptional cases, most children who have difficulties with reading can hear perfectly well, and can discriminate and understand the words which they signally fail to read1. But discriminating words is not the only aspect of audition involved in reading. The child must also be able to group together words which are different but which have sounds in common. If he is to learn the rules of reading and writing he must understand that ‘hat’, ‘cat’ and ‘mat’, though different, nevertheless have a sound in common. We report here results which suggest that difficulties in this kind of grouping may be a significant source of difficulty in learning to read.