Reading development and dyslexia in a transparent orthography: a survey of Spanish children

Spanish-speaking children learn to read words printed in a relatively transparent orthography. Variation in orthographic transparency may shape the architecture of the reading system and also the manifestation of reading difficulties. We tested normally developing children and children diagnosed with reading difficulties. Reading accuracy was high across experimental conditions. However, dyslexic children read more slowly than chronological age (CA)-matched controls, although, importantly, their reading times did not differ from those for ability-matched controls. Reading times were significantly affected by frequency, orthographic neighbourhood size and word length. We also found a number of significant interaction effects. The effect of length was significantly modulated by reading ability, frequency and neighbourhood. Our findings suggest that the reading development of dyslexic children in Spanish is delayed rather than deviant. From an early age, the salient characteristic of reading development is reading speed, and the latter is influenced by specific knowledge about words.     

Researching online mathematics education: opening a space for virtual learner identities

This paper is drawn from a doctoral thesis (Rosa, 2008) that examines the relations established between the construction of online identities and the teaching and learning of the definite integral concept in an online learning course. The role-playing game (RPG) is played out through chat and calls for the creation of characters (online identities) by each player. In the research process on online learning in mathematics education, Rosa (2008) discusses the role of the construction of online identities. We characterise how this process, in a general way, draws on qualitative research processes and, in a specific way, is linked to the construction of mathematical knowledge in cyberspace. We discuss who the research subjects are in mathematics education research. The results suggest that: (a) cyberspace is a natural environment in an online RPG context; (b) the playful process in online learning in mathematics education brings important new aspects to our understanding of mathematical knowledge as a social construction; (c) the investigation becomes a game; (d) research subjects are who they want to be while they are in flow, that is, there is intentionality; (e) the challenge of research methodology inside cyberspace must be faced by researchers; and (f) the researcher needs to consider those different identities as integral to the research process.     

How to Move from Power-based to Dialogic Relations? Lessons from Roma Women

In its growth strategy for the coming decade, the EU recognises the Roma as one of several groups especially affected by poverty and social vulnerability. So far, many efforts to reverse this social exclusion have failed; imposed solutions based on power relations have ignored Roma voices and suggestions from the community. As a result, the EU now emphasises the urgency of identifying measures that can effectively help their situation. This article draws on data from a qualitative longitudinal case study of predominantly Roma schools in Spain. It shows how the move from power-based relations with Roma families to more dialogic ones has helped overcome both social and educational exclusion. Two dimensions are identified that facilitate this transition: demonopolisation of the expert knowledge and recognition of the Roma culture. By introducing dialogic relations, these schools have encouraged more Roma women to participate in different domains; they have also increased their academic expectations, moved beyond society's prejudice towards the Roma, and helped new role models to emerge.     

Using Dialogic Research to Overcome Poverty: from principles to action

In the EU commitment to alleviating the high rates of poverty in Europe there is widespread agreement among policy-makers that it is crucial to include the voices of those who are living in poverty in order to fight exclusion most effectively. Similarly, those studying ways to address poverty and inequality are increasingly required to seek dialogue with those who are the focus of their research. These policy-makers and researchers need procedures that will allow them to move from the principle of including the voices of the most vulnerable social groups to specific ways of undertaking such a dialogue. Research using the critical communicative methodology (CCM) sheds some light on this. By examining aspects of the Integrated Project INCLUD-ED, the largest research on school education in the Framework Programme, this article argues that three elements of the CCM — egalitarian dialogue, successful actions’ approach and informing effective policies — facilitate the engagement between researchers, end-users, and all the other involved stakeholders and therefore the move from principles to action in the process of overcoming poverty in Europe. As this article and the special issue demonstrate, through those elements, INCLUD-ED has already provided scientific knowledge that is instrumental to shorten the distance between the present situation and the horizon of a Europe which is free from poverty.     

Exploring the derivative suffix frequency effect in Spanish speaking children

This study was designed to examine the developmental course of the suffix frequency effect and its role in the development of automatic morpho-lexical access. In Spanish, a highly transparent language from an orthographic point of view, this effect has been shown to be facilitative in adults, but the evidence with children is still inconclusive. A total of 90 2nd, 4th and 6th grade children performed a go/no go lexical decision task, with words containing either high or low frequency suffixes. Results showed significant main effects for grade and for derivative suffix frequency, with no interaction between both. This finding suggests that the suffix frequency effect emerges very early in reading development and that its role is well established from the beginning of reading experience, suggesting that sensitivity to suffix frequency can be a good predictor of a child’s ability to internalize orthographic regularities at an early stage. These findings are interpreted in the light of previous evidence paying special attention to orthographic transparency and morpheme regularity in Spanish language.     

Unusual coin from the Parabita hoard: combined use of surface and micro-analytical techniques for its characterisation

Out of the staters collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto, during the full examination of about one hundred coins minted by the Greek colony of Taras between the V century BC and the III century BC, our attention has been devoted to a lead coin, which has been regarded for many years as a genuine silver coin. This artifact, entry number 13 in the inventory list for the Parabita hoard, has been studied with the combined use of surface and micro-analytical techniques (SEM, EDX, PIXE, XRD). The joint use of different analytical techniques allowed us to obtain information about the morphology, the structure and the chemical composition of the analysed coin, that revealed a lead core coated with a bi-layer of copper and silver.     

Risk factors in e-justice information systems

With the increase of the communication systems' bandwidth and with the dissemination of the information systems, the fields of information and communication technology application expanded in almost all directions. E-government in general and e-justice in particular are no exception and these areas suffered strong changes in the last decades. There is no democracy without a system of swift and transparent justice. Therefore, the introduction of information systems in the courts allows a decrease both in time and number of pending processes, boosting the efficiency of the services provided to citizens and to the society in general.     

High bar swing performance in novice adults: effects of practice and talent

An individual's a priori talent can affect movement performance during learning. Also, task requirements and motor-perceptual factors are critical to the learning process. This study describes changes in high bar swing performance after a 2-month practice period. Twenty-five novice participants were divided by a priori talent level (spontaneous-talented [ST] and nonspontaneous-talented [NST]) and compared to experienced gymnasts. Additionally, we assessed their perception of their performance level before and after practice. We defined three events independently for hip (H) and shoulder (S) angle joints and for the lag between consecutive events (phases [P]): the smallest angle during downswing (P1H, P1S), the largest angle after P1 (P2H, P2S), and the smaller angle during upswing (P3H, P3S). Movement performance variables were the maximum elevation on the downswing (Pi) and the upswing (Pf), and the total path between both (swing amplitude). Data were collected during pre- and postpractice sessions by two video cameras. At the end of both sessions, participants drew a sketch to represent their perception of their performance level relative to the Pi, Pf and the hip events. Results showed a similar practice effect in the swing amplitude in both novice groups. However the ST group 's performance and perception variables on the downswing improved more than the NST group due to practice. This study suggests that (a) downswing improvements were easier than in the upswing, possibly due to familiarity of the visual reference in combination with proprioceptive feedback; and (b) being ST may involve a better orfaster gain in perception of self-action compared to NST.