Over the past three decades, the interest of teachers and parents has focused on a variety of learning difficulties that students face in school settings. A significant number of students systematically fail in school, as they lack early detection of learning difficulties or effective intervention. This case study examines an elementary school student within a more general context, taking into account essential parameters such as family, school, and social environment. Furthermore, the authors thoroughly describe his difficulties in practical terms, as well as ways to address them through the implementation of an individual intervention program that responds to the needs of the student. Finally, reference is made to significant evidence that cooperation with parents as well as with a number of institutions strengthens and enhances intervention.
Top1. Introduction
1.1 A short Introduction to the concept of Specific Learning Difficulties
This chapter attempts to clarify the significant field of Specific Learning Difficulties. Learning Difficulties mirror the difficulties that occur in significant areas of one's development, such as their listening, speaking, reading, writing, thinking, and mathematical ability (Hammill, 1990). Students with Learning Difficulties are not a homogeneous group of common manifestations and characteristics but are characterized by a heterogenity (Pandeliadu, 2011). This heterogeneity is manifested through significant “disturbances in auditory perception, thinking, speech, reading, writing, spelling or arithmetic” (Cole & Cole, 2001, p. 411). In order to support a child with learning difficulties, after having identified their difficulties and capabilities, we must be able to develop an appropriate interventional education framework which will ensure that the child is not differentiated from other students. The impairments in basic abilities (reading, writing, arithmetic) automatically affect the child as well as the environment in which he or she lives. In other words, a timely and proper diagnosis of a learning difficulty requires a proper education and approach (Aram, Morris & Hall, 1992).
1.2 Inclusion
Inclusion refers to the operation of a school for all students without possible exclusions and discrimination. A school providing opportunities for equal and active participation of students - without exception - in all school activities, inside and outside the classroom. It has to do with modifying the teaching material, the teaching strategies and means, the school curriculum and activities (Aggelidis, 2011; Stasinos, 2020). Therefore, diversity is a source of learning and a challenge for the teacher himself.
It is crucial to educate students with learning difficulties in a supporting inclusive education environment. Many official texts [The Salamanca Statement (UNESCO, 1994), The Dakar Framework for Action (UNESCO, 2000) and The Incheon Declaration (UNESCO, 2015)] declare the significance of the inclusive education as an international policy and worldwide pursuit. As Magnússon, Göransson & Lindqvist claim (2019, p. 71)
In these documents, inclusive education is linked to The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations, 1948), where the purpose of education is stated to be: ‘the full development of the human personality’ and to ‘promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups’ (article 26)
In this context, it is of vital importance for students with Specific Learning Difficulties that the school cultivate diversity, equity, in-school pedagogical climate, respect and shared responsibility.
2. Specific Learning Difficulties And Reading
Reading is a complex term and a multidimensional concept (Hatzilouka-Mavri, Hatzigianni-Yiagou, & Papadopoulos, 2003). It includes three basic, independent and interrelated cognitive functions: decoding (letter matching with natural sounds; Ziegler & Goswami, 2005), fluency (ability to read a text comfortably with accuracy, expression, and prosody -without trying to decode it, Pandeliadou, 2011) and comprehension (deriving meaning from written speech, Perfetti & Hart, 2001). Children with specific learning difficulties face difficulties in decoding, fluency and comprehension of written texts (Archer, Gleaso, & Vachon, 2003). In particular, children with specific learning difficulties have significant difficulty in handling the constituent sounds that comprise words (phonological awareness deficit; McBride-Chang & Manis, 1996; Ramus, Pidgeon, & Frith, 2003), which usually leads to difficulties in acquiring the alphabetic principle and in the automation of decoding. In addition, due to difficulties in accurate and easy decoding, these students are forced to dedicate important cognitive sources and overload their already limited memory, resulting in frequent problems in understanding the written text (e.g., Padeliadu, 2011).