Sustained attention and behavioral ratings of attention in struggling readers

The Engaged Learners Program: Effects on Student Engagement During Small Group Reading Instruction

In this study we tested the usability, feasibility, social validity, and effectiveness of Engaged Learners, a behavior support program designed to be integrated into small group reading interventions. Participants included eight Grade 3 to 5 students with co-occurring reading difficulties and inattention. A concurrent multiple-baseline design was utilized to test the effects of Engaged Learners on engagement outcomes. Visual analysis and effect sizes indicated an improvement in engagement for seven students. Interventionists and students viewed the Engaged Learners program to be effective and socially valid. Limitations included lower than expected levels of fidelity for one interventionist and high student absenteeism. More research is needed to identify the extent to which Engaged Learners can support reading outcomes. Educators seeking an effective behavior support program that requires minimal training and coaching may consider integrating Engaged Learners into their small group reading instruction.

How Does Visual Temporal Processing Affect Chinese Character Reading in Children With Dyslexia? From the Perspective of Inhibition

Given that inhibition interacts with visual temporal processing (VTP), the past evidence regarding the influence of VTP on the Chinese character reading of children with dyslexia may not disclose the whole picture without considering inhibition. Thus, the present study is among the first to investigate VTP and cognitive inhibition as well as their relationships to Chinese character reading. We compared the performances of 62 Chinese-speaking children with dyslexia in primary school (n = 62, Mage = 11.36 years) on VTP and inhibition tasks to those in a chronological-age-matched group (CA; n = 62, Mage = 11.57 years) and reading-level-matched group (RL; n = 62, Mage = 8.98 years). The results revealed that children with dyslexia performed worse than both the CA-matched and RL-matched groups in VTP and inhibition after controlling for age, nonverbal intelligence, and attention. Moreover, the relationship between VTP and Chinese character reading was moderated by inhibition in children with dyslexia. VTP is positively related to Chinese character reading, but this relationship is observed only at higher levels of inhibition. Our results suggest that inhibition plays a potential role in VTP and Chinese character reading, especially for those with dyslexia whose proficiency in inhibition is not as intact as that of typically developing children.

An Evaluation of the Structure of Attention in Adolescence

This study evaluated the factor structure of attention, considering internal and external attention, and juxtaposed alongside processing speed (PS) and working memory (WM). We expected the hypothesized model to fit better than unitary or method factors. We included 27 measures with 212 Hispanic middle schoolers from Spanish-speaking backgrounds, where a substantial proportion were at risk for learning difficulties. Confirmatory factor analytic models separated factors of PS and WM, but the final model did not align with theoretical predictions; rather only measurement factors emerged. Findings extend and refine our understanding of the structure of attention in adolescents.