Janne Lepola

Development of and Relationship Between Phonological and Motivational Processes and Naming Speed in Predicting Word Recognition in Grade 1

In this 2-year longitudinal study the developmental relationships among letter knowledge, phonological awareness, rapid naming, and task orientation were examined, and linguistic-motivational pathways of word reading acquisition were traced from kindergarten to Grade 1 by means of structural equation modeling. The participants were 100 Finnish-speaking nonreaders. Results showed that kindergarten (5–6 years) letter knowledge predicted subsequent preschool (6–7 years) phonological awareness and task orientation. RAN was a unique longitudinal and concurrent predictor of word recognition, suggesting that rapid naming provides a reliable prediction of prospective word reading ability at least in a transparent language. Controlling for phonological awareness and rapid naming, task orientation contributed uniquely to the prediction of word reading competence, suggesting that motivational and linguistic factors are both at work as children face the gradually growing demands of learning to read and write in Grade 1.

Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity as a Domain-Specific Predictor of Arithmetical Skills.

The aim of this 2 year longitudinal study was to explore whether childrens individual differences in spontaneous focusing on numerosity (SFON) in kindergarten predict arithmetical and reading skills 2 years later in school. Moreover, we investigated whether the positive relationship between SFON and mathematical skills is explained by childrens individual differences in spontaneous focusing on a non-numerical aspect. The participants were 139 Finnish-speaking children. The results show that SFON tendency in kindergarten is a significant domain-specific predictor of arithmetical skills, but not reading skills, assessed at the end of Grade 2. In addition, the relationship between SFON and number sequence skills in kindergarten is not explained by childrens individual differences in their focusing on a non-numerical aspect that is, spatial locations.

Motivational-emotional vulnerability and difficulties in learning to read and spell

BACKGROUND Although the relationship between motivation and learning problems has been studied in older children, little is known about how these factors interact during the first years of schooling or even earlier. AIMS To compare the development of motivational-emotional profiles from preschool to grade 2 between groups classified as poor readers, good decoders and good readers in grade 2. To study the possibility that diverging motivational-emotional paths occur concomitantly with school experience. SAMPLE A total of 127 children were followed longitudinally from preschool up to the second grade. In preschool, their mean age was 6 years 8 months. METHOD Two different methods tapping motivational-emotional vulnerability were used. Firstly, researchers at preschool age and classroom teachers in grades 1 and 2 rated childrens task, ego-defensive and social dependence orientations. Secondly, an experimental situation was arranged each year where childrens play behaviour with LEGO bricks was observed in free play vs. in induced pressure situations, and their motivational orientations were scored. RESULTS In preschool, the motivational-emotional profiles were almost the same among the three prospective reading-level groups, but in grades 1 and 2, classroom teachers rated poor readers as less task-oriented and more ego-defensive and socially dependent compared to good decoders and good readers. The ratings were corroborated by observational data on play behaviour in induced pressure situations. CONCLUSIONS Early problems in learning to read and spell are related to motivational-emotional vulnerability in learning situations in the school context.

The development of motivational orientations as a function of divergent reading careers from pre-school to the second grade

Abstract In this study, we examined the developmental relationship of childrens motivational orientations and reading skills from pre-school to the 2nd grade. Forty-eight children with differing word reading careers were identified from 115 pre-school non-readers. Pre-schoolers were assessed for cognitive–linguistic skills and motivational orientation (ratings on task-, ego-defensive, and social dependence orientation). The situational manifestations of orientations were observed during construction tasks comprising three pressure episodes. The motivational assessments were replicated (experimenter and teacher ratings) and decoding and reading comprehension tests were administered in the 1st and 2nd grades. On the basis of low, average and high pre-school phonemic awareness and word reading achievement in the 1st and 2nd grades, two regressive and two progressive word reading career groups were formed. The results showed that the regressive and the progressive reading career groups of matching initial phonemic awareness and verbal ability did not differ motivationally at pre-school age, but showed distinctive motivational orientation across contexts by the end of the second school year. A case analysis demonstrates the interactive formation of motivational orientation during reading instruction. These findings suggest that the developmental interaction of learning skills and motivational tendencies contribute to the differing reading careers.

Scaffolding Interaction in Parent-Child Dyads: Multimodal Analysis of Parental Scaffolding with Task and Non-Task Oriented Children.

In this exploratory study we conceptualized and explored socio-cognitive, emotional and motivational regulatory processes displayed in scaffolding interaction between parents and their non-task and taskoriented children. Based on the dynamic systems view and findings from developmental research, we assumed that parents with non-task oriented and task-oriented children have formed differential multimodal interaction patterns which have been stabilized during repeated parent-child scaffolding episodes. We hypothesized that, in comparison with task-oriented parent-child dyads, parents with non-task oriented children would show more non-optimal patterns in socio-cognitive, motivational, and emotional realms of scaffolding regulation. The sample consisted of 11 task-oriented and 12 non-task oriented (extremely task-avoidant or socially dependent) 7-year-old children with their parents. The children worked on picture arrangement and brick construction tasks. The quality of parent-child regulation was assessed both by global rating scales and by a micro-analytic procedure focused on dyadic coordinations (e.g., parental intrusiveness, directiveness, modulation of emotions and expectations). Global ratings and micro-analyses did reveal group level differences in socio-emotional regulation but not in socio-cognitive and motivational regulation.RésuméDans la présente etude exploratoire, nous avons conceptualisé et examiné des processus régulateurs sociocognitifs, émotionnels et motivationnels intervenant dans l’étayage interactionniste parent-enfant avec ou sans la motivation intrinsèque envers la tâche. Sur la base des approches de systèmes dynamiques et des résultats de recherches antérieures, nous avons postulé que l’étayage parental chez les enfants avec la motivation envers la tâche a formé des modèles interactionnistes multidimensionnels différant de ceux sans la motivation envers la tâche. Ces modèles différents se seraient stabilisés lors d’épisodes répétés d’étavage parental. Nous avons émis l’hypothèse que les parents qui ont des enfants sans la motivation envers la tâche auraient plus de modèles non optimaux en situation d’étayage liée aux processus régulateurs sociocognitifs, émotionnels et motivationnels, en comparaison aux situations dyadiques parent-enfant avec la motivation envers la tâche. Notre corpus consistait en 11 enfants avec la motivation et 12 enfants sans la motivation envers la tâche (ces derniers extrêmement évasifs ou socialement dépendants) âgés de sept ans et en leurs parents. Dans l’expérimentation, il s’agissait de leur proposer des tâches d’agencement d’images et d’un jeu de construction. La qualité de la régulation de l’interaction de tutelle parent-enfant a été mesurée par une échelle d’évaluation globale et par une étude microanalytique centrée sur des situations de coordination dyadiques (i.e., l’intrusion parentale, l’attitude directive, la modulation émotionnelle et les attentes). Il ressort des analyses, à l’échelle globale et microanalytique, que l’hypothèse des différences au niveau des groupes s’avére juste en ce qui concerne la situation de régulation émotion nelle mais pas celle de régulation sociocognitive et motivationnelle.

The Role of Gender and Reading Competence in the Development of Motivational Orientations from Kindergarten to Grade 1

This longitudinal study examined gender differences in motivation and the role of reading prerequisites, that is phonemic and comprehension skills, in the formation of motivational tendencies from kindergarten up to grade 1. The longitudinal sample consisted of 157 Finnish-speaking children. Teachers rated childrens adaptive goals, (i.e. task orientation and social dependence orientation) at four points of time, kindergarten-spring, preschool-fall, preschool-spring and in the fall of grade 1. Childrens phonemic awareness and language comprehension skills were assessed in kindergarten at the initiation of the study (i.e. initial phoneme identification, rhyming, writing of the alphabet, listening and instruction comprehension). Word reading and reading comprehension skills were assessed at the end of grade 1 in the three groups of children at risk for reading failure and in children with high reading prerequisites. The results showed that gender and early phonemic and language comprehension differences were associated with divergent motivational-developmental trajectories. Children with low phonemic or low language comprehension skill showed higher social dependence and lower task orientation over time than children with high initial reading prerequisites. In particular, boys with low reading prerequisites underwent a negative motivational change. The group of children who had poor phonemic and poor language comprehension skills showed most unfavorable development of motivation and reading. Findings concerning motivational trajectories are discussed with regard to the lack of fit between childs competence and curriculum demands.

Motivational vulnerability as a challenge for educational interventions

Abstract The focus of this study was on the question, `Are there differences among young (third grade) students who are poor learners in their metacognitive (in)competence and motivational vulnerability that are crucial for better self-regulation?’ This question was studied in an intervention context, where an effort was made to mindfully implement teaching methods that have been found to be effective in promoting strategic learning. The subjects were reading comprehension (in environmental science) and mathematical problem solving. The results suggest there is a need for more coordinated, long-term analyses of transactional, strategy-focused instruction that (a) extends over a long period of time, (b) moves from innovative to more conventional settings as students’ cognitive and motivational competence increases, (c) is based on students’ own, personal and meaningful experiences and competencies, and (d) moves from individual to collaborative, shared and multiple transaction. There also is a need to train students in the use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies, emotional coping, and motivation strategies that promote self-regulation.

Task Avoidance, Number Skills and Parental Learning Difficulties as Predictors of Poor Response to Instruction

Altogether 1,285 Finnish children were followed up from the end of kindergarten through Grade 1. All were nonreaders at school entrance. The aim was to delineate predictors of resistance to treatment that are evidenced as little or no reading progress during Grade 1. On the basis of reading achievement in Grade 1 spring, four subgroups were formed. These were fast, average, and slow reading acquisition and slow progress in both reading and math. Kindergarten spring scores in phonological awareness, letter knowledge, rapid naming, and number skills differentiated well among the groups, the latter two being more robust predictors. Task avoidance added to the prediction over and above cognitive skills. Its effect disappeared when parental history of reading and math difficulties was included in the equation. The present results depict poor response to instruction as a general learning problem rather than a specific reading difficulty. Poor response to instruction differs from dyslexia also in that treatment resisters start school with cognitive prerequisites that do not indicate severe reading and math problems.

Understanding the Development of Subnormal Performance in Children from a Motivational-Interactionist Perspective

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the development of subnormal performance in children from a motivational-interactionist perspective. Most developmental theories presuppose that the growth of the childs adaptive capacity is based on the increasing organization and differentiation of mental and behavioral structures, progressively leading to growing self-regulation and independence of action from immediate external stimuli. The development of self-regulation is accompanied by an increasing sense of self-efficacy and motivation to initiate and maintain task-focused activities related to new environmental challenges. The characterization of the ideal scaffolding process implies the possibility of several less optimal alternatives based on the fact that the adults do not sufficiently pay attention to a particular childs changing needs during the scaffolding processes and cannot adjust their activities accordingly. It is suggested that children high in ego-defensiveness may be motivationally more vulnerable to the new demands of learning to read than task-oriented children, and this vulnerability in turn influences their cognitive development.

The role of the working memory and language skills in the prediction of word problem solving in 4- to 7-year-old children

The aim of this study was to analyse the role of verbal and visuo-spatial working memory (WM) and language skills (vocabulary, listening comprehension) in predicting preschool and kindergarten-aged children’s ability to solve mathematical word problems presented orally. The participants were 116 Finnish-speaking children aged 4–7 years. The results showed that verbal WM (VWM) did not have a direct effect on word problems in young children but was indirectly related to word problems through vocabulary and listening comprehension. These results suggest that in young children, VWM resources support language skills which, furthermore, contribute to variation in solving orally presented word problems. The results also showed that visuo-spatial WM had a direct effect on performance in word problems, suggesting that it plays an important role in word problem solving among this age group.